The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-11-17

without an accident right there and then.
1 walked down to my Office and found my
sons getting the things out, with others,
and L remained in there until the last
thing was taken out, except a piece of
furniture which could not be gotten out
through the door; and 1 want to say that
great many things were carried out of
that Office by little boys, black and white,
of the town-such things as they could
carry, books and papers. l want to say
that to their credit. don't say that they
carried outmost of the things, but great
many of them. Now, 1 want to say still
further. that, having been talked to by
great many persons about how this fire
occurred, my opinion is that it caught
from some pure accident, without any
body intending it. That is all | have to
say.
Q.-Who is this man Judge Watts !?
Does he live here?
A.-No, sir; he is one of the commits
sioners of appeals. The three commits
sioners occupied those three rooms, hold
ing court here In May and June and
when they left l got the key from Com
missioner Spaight.
Q.-Was that the only key to the door?
Some doors have two keys.
A.-That was all know of. L had the
only key know of, and had writing pa
per, pens and ink in the room. -
o. understood Judge Lee 20 say sthe
door was open?
Al don't think it was open while 1
was there. When L saw the great smoke
and the flames rising to the top of the
room | left, and It might have been
bopened after | left.
Z Q.-This room OF which you had the
#key seemed to be over the room where
tthe fire originated?
r. Al don't know, but Judge Lee stat
ed that this reom was above where the
| fire was first discovered, at least it was
| Immediately above a room the secretary
of state occupies for storing surplus
| books.
Q.-Judge Lee stated that he saw the
room open and fire in the room?
Ale might have stayed there longer
than I did. As soon as / saw the fire
above the transom gave it up, and went
| down stairs. l concluded right then that
the house would go up, except by acci-
dent. Some people tried to stop me from
moving the things out OF my office, but
| knew the house was gone. Well, it is no
use to go on and state what my reasons
were for coming to this conclusion.
| There was no pressure of water in the
tanks. They couldn't get water there
sufficient for the purpose, as was after
wards proved. 1 saw them trying to
| throw water, and they didn't get 1t into
the second story windows. My cOnclu'
sion was based upon seeing the smoke
| and fire above the transom, and seeing it
| flashing up in the room on the walls, in
| dicated to me the extent of the fire. 1
saw it through the fire, you understand.
f. r. Lubbock: Well, sir, L supposed
you could take Judge Lees statement for
| mine, but / have been looking through
his testimony, and find he goes on with
what he did and said, and find will have
to make my own statement. Well, as
has been stated, the capitol board, COM
posed of the heads of. departments, was
In session. as it has been over a month, at
work on the plans and specifications OF
the new capitol. 1t was about II o'clock;
it would not have varied many minutes
either way, and it became necessary to
refer to the plans. Colonel Norton vol
unteered to go after them. They were in
the possession, legally, of the comptroller
They are kept in the treasury for safety,
| where they have been kept every night
since they came to Austin. Colonel
Norton, upon going out of the
| northwest door, as soon as he got out
| he said he believed the building was on
| fire. We all Immediately followed him
| to where he was standing and found the
smoke was discernible. As has been told
| you a great deal of smoke was coming up
| from the heavy mating in the corridor
of the northwest rooms. Well, / have
alwas been usually quiet, but L was then
very much excited, and was perhaps,