The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-11
CONTINUING THE DEFENSE.
Superintendent French Again a Wit
ness Before the Commission.
A Willing Witness Who Was Not Allowed to
Testify-AlmOst Ready for the YER
diet of the Committee.

Mr.. French was again on the stand yesterday
forenoon. He said he supposed a thousand men
had been promoted in the division since his super
intendency began. Thorpe had not been given
access to the records at his Office, as they are not
public records as they would be at the depart
ment. The soldiers promoted were recommended
by witness. Cole was fined for refusing to take
a registered pouch and several registered pack
ages, not for losing them. Had never instructed
railroad superintendent not to issue passes to
men unless instructed by him ~(witness) SO to do.
Regarding the order for the clerk in charge to
notify the conductor that a clerk is in the car
with a permit, the witness read a regulation of
the department which covered the ground,
and the order on the back of the permit was but
a copy Of the law. This system is now in use in
several other divisions. Deuels last service was
Feb. %, 1877, having run twenty=seven days in
the months of January and February. The wit
ness did not know that any complaints had been
made to him regarding neuel's habits; does not
know the physicians who made aitidavits with
reference to Deuels Incorporate habits. In rec
ommending that Deuers resignation be accepted,
he also suggested that some energetic young
man be appointed in his place. The witness had
had various experiences with Estes; he would go
Off on trivial matters, and wanted more time
than others on examinations; and such things
were continually coming up. u. o. King was
dismissed for drunkenness. Hoyt did not go
out on his run on the Goth of August.
He was paid for the 18th, 26th and
9th. Hoyt was killed on the 9th, and his wife
was paid for that day. The practice of reducing
salaries did not begin till 1877. The amount re
duced in the six years was 1878. 46, but the witness
did not know how much of this fell upon men
who ran into this city. When Kern was dropped
under the order of 1879 a man might have been
put on in his place. He had orders to change
the men in any way that would make q reduc-
ton. He does not know who took Kefn's place.
A letter was sent to the department, giving a
record Of each man who was dropped.
DR.. L. HI. Lane, of Lebanon, Ind, was the
first witness called in the afternoon. Dr.. Lane,
evidently a gentleman of cultivation aud intelli-
gence, was the family physician Of George W.
Smith, exposta1 clerk, and was called for the
purpose of confirming the testimony given by Mr..
Smith regarding the breaking of his ribs at one
time, and the alarming illness of Mrs. Smith at
another time, when Smith was refused leave of
absence by Mr.. French. Mr.. Duncan objected
to the Doctors testimony at this time, saying
that he should have been called sooner.
Nh. Spahr, to witncss-Did you not make APP
plication to Mr.. French for leave of absence for
Mr.. Smith during his wife's illness, and did not
receive any answer!
Witness-My recollection is that I wrote to
Mr.. French about the matter, and that l did
not receive any answer.
Answer will ask you if while Mr.. Smith
was sick he did not show you an order from MIR.
French, deducting 500 from his pay to pay a man
for keeping up his run.
Objected to by MIR. Duncan.
President Jones-Mr. Smith cannot strengthen
his case by any new testimony.
MIR. Spahr-The records at Washington, ex-
hibited here by Mr.. French, show that Mr..
Smiths pay was not deducted, while the truth
is that his pay was deducted by Mr.. French at
Cincinnati. ard used to pay a substitute who
was put on in his place while he was crippled by
reason of his broken ribs.
Mr.. Duncan said that if Mr.. Smith had such
an order he could show it.
Mr.. Smith said he could not now find the
order, but that he had shown it to the Doctor.
DR.. Lane was not permitted to testify on that
point.
Mr.. French then resumed the stand. He was
asked if, since this Investigation began. he had
not made promises of promotions and favors to
witnesses who would testify in his favor. MIR.
French made vehement and indignant denial,
and asked for names. The name of George w.
Ryan was given as having been promised to be
to the place of p~ostof1ice inspector.
Mr.. French said there was no truth in anything
of the kind, that he thought the suggestion OF
Mr. Ryans name for the inspectorship as highly
absurd. The name of l.. A. Wolf was then
given. To this Mr.. French said that three or
four months ago Nh. Wolf had asked for a
day run, but he (witness) had made him
no promise. Never made a promise of
any kind to any one to come here to
testify in my hehalf, or to remain away and not
testify against me-nothing one way or the 9TH
CT. The department follows my suggestions for
reductions of pay frequently but not always.
Referring to the time that Rutledge's crew went
into st. Louis with unworked mail, Mr.. French
said he knew OF several crews who had worked
more hours than that crew, and named them.
The commission adjourned until 10 o'clock this
morning.