Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-06-03

been shown was done by William II
Pierson, would not have to carry NOR
than $5, 900 worth of stock.
James Mitchell,a "a contractor and builde
Of many years standing, was in Pierson'
building several times during the yea
1882 to obtain estimates, and did no
think at any time his stock was wortl
more than $5, 900, and he did not believ,
that 900 worth of the kind of good
Pierson handled, could be stored in tn,
building. He was passing the Hunsberge
building about II o'clock on Saturda,
morning, September I'd, 1882, and upoi
looking in saw large quantity of mil
work in the place.
Henry s. Christy, upon being recalled
stated that the value which he had PLACED
upon the stock in Persons place wal
based on the price at which it would sell
as he knew nothing about the cost price
small boy named Walter Wright wa
sworn and testified that at the time of tn,
fire he lived next door to Persons place
and during the previous week he saw
Dubois Sutton hauling goods from Pier
sons to the Hunsberger Building. lii
rode on the wagon with him four days
that week.
Virginia Wright, the mother of this
witness, corroborated his testimony and
said that she also saw Sutton hauling
goods every day, with two horse wagon
Laura Wright, her daughter, was spend
ing some time with her Aunt Sarah al
Ohristiana at the time of the fire, but was
in this city on the previous Wednesday
with her aunt, who came into market. Al
she passed Water and Market streets she
saw her brother at the Hunsberger build.
ing.
Mr.. Sarah l.. Lyman, who resides at
Christiana, and attends market in this
city on Wednesdays, corroborated the
statement of the previous witness in every
particular.
Abraham Wright, the husband of Vir-
ginia Wright, and the father of Laura and
Walter, had also seen Dubois Sutton
hauling goods during the week previous
to the fire. He had come to this city
from Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, where
he is now employed, to testify in this
case. He was requested to come by Mr..
Stockley, but refused to do so unless he
was paid his expenses and the amount of
his wages. About $50 O'Clock ON the Sun
day afternoon of the fire he saw Mr.. Pier
son and his son Frank in their factory.
AS he was not more than 15 feet from
them he was sure that he could not be
mistaken.
When Mr.. Nields commenced the
cross-examination he showed the witness
letter which he admitted having written
to William IL. Pierson, asking him to
give 500 to have the wife and children
OF the witness removed from this city, 80
NInN NIaaNr - l..
testify against him. He said that he had
sent this letter, as he did not wish his
family TO have anything to do with the
case. When Mr.. Nields showed him the
envelope in which he said the letter had
been enclosed, the witness denied ever
having seen it before, and he also said
that the letter was not written at the re-
quest or with the knowledge of Mr..
Stockley.
Patrick F. Murphy, who was chief engi-
neer of the fire department in 1882, was ut
the fire, and made II record of il which
was published in his report for that year,
and Mr.. Bird offered the report in evil
dence, but upon MIR. NieIds objecting it
was withdrawn for tho time being. The
witness went to the fire on the Delaware
truck, and found that it was in Persons
building. When he got there the frame
house on the corner had not caught He
saw the doors at Persons burst in, and
found the building so filled with fire and
smoke that it was impossible to get 10
feet from the door.
He was corroboratei by Thomas Dono
hoe, who in 1882 was second assistant en-
gineer, and was also positive that there
was no fire at the frame building on the
corner when he reached the place. This
witness gave detailed account of how
and where the water was first turned on.
Joseph Murphy was at No. JOG WASH
ington street, sitting on the front step
when the fire was discovered, and ran 10
Front and JuBtison streets and had the
alarm struck. Before he started to give
the alarm, he saw the smoke and flame
bursting out of Persons window, and
when he came back the frame house on
the corner had not caught.
Annie Clonan, who lived at No. log
Washington street, corroborated his state
ment about the fire coming from Piei-
sons window, and also said that about
$50 o'clock in the afternoon she saw
Mr.. Pierson and his son Frank go to the
factory. In about half an hour they
NtIlb blfht anu lIt1 litbSHu uD hhbl-
ington street she saw Frank looking up at
the factory, and then across the street to
his father.
Lyman Clonan, her husband, was sit.
ting on another step in the vicinity, and
although he did not see Mr.. Pierson and
his son when they went to the factory, he
saw them when they came out, shortly
after 6 o'clock. The remainder of his
testimony corroborated that of his wife.
At6.lO o'clock court took recess until
7.30 o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening session opened at 7.30
O'clock, and the examination of witnesses
was resumed.
Harry Lape, who has been largely
engaged in business in this city during
the past 1G years as contractor and
builder, had been in Persons place about
two months before the fire, aud thought
the stock was worth about $4,000 to
SO, 900.
Andrew Carey, the manager of the sash
department Mt jackson IL Sharp's, thought
that So, 900 worth of the class of goods
handled by William II. Pierson was a
large stock for him to carry.
Mary Ann Hanson, who lived in the
frame house on the corner OF Front and
Washington streets when the fire occurred,
was lying down when the fire broke ont,
and said there was no fire in the house
from noon that day. There WINS no ex.
plosion of o lamp in her house, and she
still has the only lamp that was burning
in he.. room that night.
Mary McCaulley lived in the same house
with the preceding witness, and was con-
fident that the fire did not originate in
their house. She was positive that it
broke ont in Persons factory.
Samuel @. Gibbs, n member of the
Fame Hose Company, ,was at the fire few
minutes after it broke out, and found that
il was then confined to Persons building.
The house on the corner did not catoh
fire until the flames burst through
Persons.
George Briclle, another member of tie
Fnme Hose, arrived ut the fire shortly
after ii broke out, and helped to break n
the doors at Persons building. All the
fire was in that building, and he had no
doubt that it originated there.
William Underwood, who at that time
resided on Second street near Washington,
was early on the ground, and could not
see anything for some time for the dense
smoke, but ut last the flames burst out at
the edge of the roof of the Pierson build.
ing.
Michael McCaulley resided in the frame
building at Front and Washington streets
ut the time of the fire, and when he heard
some one cry fire, hurried downstairs and
out on the street At that time the flames
were bursting out of Persons window.
Lewis X. Springer was recalled and
said he was Mt the fire and spent about 20
minutes looking at it. About half an