The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-12
THE INQUIRY.
msRam smEDLEY AND e. L. WEBER
oN TIE STAND YESTERDAY.

RRE1CiMn&-A huhS hSN"NShA SAVNs
Cox end weber.
Yesterday morning there was larger at"
asndanee than usual at the session Of the SUBJ
committee Owing to certain repairs going
ON in the St. Charles Hotel, the members met
in the ladies' parlor-a much cooler and more
convenient apartment. At half past 10 work
commenced, the first witness being
HIRAM sMEDLEY,
on behalf Of the Republicans, and he was ex-
aTnlned in chief by Gov. Cox.
reside at 800 Where street. and am forty
seven years Of age. / have lived here since
1884, / was keeping coffee-house on Ex-
change Alley, near ST. Louis street, in 1877
Being shown the Weber-Anderson agree
nent, says that he remembers having seen q
man by the name of j. W, Jones insert Weber's
name in It,
Gov. Cox-When did you see that and what
we're the circumstances
Smedley-He came down the alley with
Anderson. He came in and asked ffOr a pen
and ink He wanted togo
IN THE BACK ROOM
III my coffe-house stood behind him when
no tJones) sat down at the table He had a
registration paper with D. A. Weber on 1t.
He asked for drink and poured out a
drink. He asked for pen and ink too, and
took 1t from behind the counter where kept
Il, and gave 1t to him.
Gov C-Well; go on.
Smedley-Jones said to me, 81 owe you
So 25 for drinks. He went off and came back
with IS bill, and / took it out Of that. l
read the agreement at the time. This paper
Ihave here is on the same subject matter, and
looks like the same paper. | had several
meetings with Anderson at faro bank on
Canal street, and he told me frequently that
be was afraid to go back to the parish, that
BY Mr. Stenger-Please tell us what has
been your occupationH
Smedley-I have been an engineer on
boats.
Mr. S.-State when you first came to this
SInedley-I was a steamboat engineer in
1873; was child when / first came to New
E9rleans this has always been my residence.
Mr. S.-When did you begin steamboating
Smedley-I began steamboating In 1S49;
was engineer in the drainage corps; the first
boat went
ON WAS THE STEAMER MUSCLE;
after that was on steamer which was
sunk at Mempl u Ia 1850 or 1851; her name
was the MatanulUs; am sure l was on
thirty-fve or forty In my life. o, ,ouo
IL
leagn TO be an engineer?
Snediey-No; 1t did not take me from 1916
to 1873 to learn the trade. The engineer
certificate have was the tenth issue. Some
years / did not get it reissued. can't tel
how much of my time was spent here ano
what was spent on the boats. In the latter
portion of 1873 went on the steamer Tren
MIR. Swell, after that what did you do?
Smedley-When / came back / was on the
police for five or six months. Kellogg ap'
pointed me. / was supernumerary on va.
SAINT number. | do not know how got off.
ibid NO DUTY
sn the police at all. l drew my pay, or rather
i sold my time to broker on Poydras street
named q. Bruen, and told him had SO much
coming TO me. IgOt $83 or $50 50per month. ]
never performed any services. | never could
understand why they gave me the place.
asked for the place. | asked Judge Evans
thing. did not ask for q place where woulC
have nothing to do. While was police officer
/ did nothing but walk around the streets
Mr.. S.9How did you get off the police
force?
Smedley-I went off the police in 1875. When
went off was notified to report for duty
and paid no attention TO 1t.
NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING
about drawing my pay. I always took it:
always sold my time for about Sfxty-five
cents. / think was on the police force about
six months. If my memory serves me, my
detail to do nothing was stopped and my pay
stopped.
got Off the police2
Smediey[T did nothing from that time
until opened my coffee-house. supported
my family out of my relations until opened
the coffee-house. / gave my family few dol
Mr.. s.-When did you open that coffee
house. Mr. Smedley?
Smedley---I opened the coffee-house, at 10
Exchange Alley in October, 1876. | had n!
partner. 1t was about six months after
opened that Anderson and Jones came in. i
WAS February or March, 1877. 1t was before
the Inauguration Of Mr., Hayes. It was some
time before it, / can't say how long before
It. was busy all the time, and there was
A CONSTANT EXCITEMENT
then. There were great many men came il
Mr.. s.-What did you sell in that house O
yours?
Smedley-I sold whisky, gin, Hostetter bit
Mr.. S.-Why did you call it a coffee-house
Did you sell any coffee there?
SmedIey Laughing .)-Oh, no. That's thu
name we give them down here
Mr.. S,-Was Jones around your houst
Smedley-Jones was lying around ther,
most Of the time. He used to go In the littl'
room.
MI. O-1H6u JULIUS bltuobSVCu Oil vi LIZ
business in your bar.room?
Smedley-Yes, sir. I remember that hi
drew up one document there In the three
months.
Mr.. S.-What was the first you saw of Jones
and Anderson the day he put Weber's sigma
ture to the agreement
Smedley--When Jones
FIXED wEBERs NAME
to the paper there, it was after IL o'clock.
When first saw Anderson it was on Elk
change Alley. They passed on and stopped
by the iron railing at the corner of st. Louis
street. Anderson handed Jones O paper, anC
Jones came back and asked for pen and ink
Anderson remained at the iron railing. Jones
was In the house twenty-five minutes, and
went three times to look If Anderson was still
there. Jones asked me to go and see if An
derson was still there. Anderson did no
show any effort to keep Jones from coming il
nv place. just as Jones got two or three fee
from Anderson he put the paper in mis- pocket
They were about fifty feet off. Jones said h
had been up all night, and was nervous, ant
wanted drink.
Mr.. Sid you read the agreement.
AL w. -. A. F.. -