Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-28
DIDN'T KNOW MAI. LYDECKER.
The Witnesses Before the Court Martial
To-day.
SOME OF THEM DID NOT Know THE oFFIcEB IN
CHARGE ''BY SIGHT" BECAUSE THEY NEVER SAW
HIM IN THE TUNNEL-HIs PRESENCE THERE
MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE CROOKED WORK.

| HIM IN THE TUNNEI-HIs PRESENCE THERE
MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE CROOKED WORK.
Among the witnesses called yesterday after.
noon by the Lydecker court martial was Will.
| liam Coates. man with an intensely black
countenance, who acknowledged that he was
| possessed of no trade but that he had been EN-.
| ployed in the aqueduct tunnel. The men
around him, he said, did very careless work,
throwing in stones loosely when they had a
| chance and then building wall to hide the bad
work whenever any one came along. He did
some Of this "hiding" himself, but he did no,
think that he did much of it. Mr.. O'Brien
seemed to be the ''boss, and he would sit along
and let the bad work be done until word came
that some one was coming. and then he would
hurry the men up and tell them to do the job
| well. The witness did not know Major Ly-
| decker, but he did know Lieut.. Townsend.
Signals were given when the latter was coming.
IN KIRLIN's TESTIMONY
| yesterday afternoon he stated that he had once
| made accommodation that the sub-inspectors
be given $50 instead of s75 month, and that
they should work ten hours a day instead of
nine. He wanted this so that they could keep
on inspecting the packing after the brick
masons had stopped work in the evening. In
u
fresh start each morning. Maj. Lydecker,
however, had disapproved this recommends
ton.
On cross-examination by Mr. Swift the wit
ness stated that at the time of the disapproval
he was told that this action was taken because
Maj. Lydecker thought that nine hours was
long enough for any man to work in the tunnel.
THE sUB-CoNTRACTs.
The witness said that he became aware that
work was being done by sub-contract very soon
after he went down into the tunnel but he did
not report this fact to Major Lydecker. He
said something about it to Coryell the engineer,
and also to Lieut. Townsend. He knew Palmer,
one OF the sub-contractors, very well. having
been acquainted with him since bow He
had once worked for witness as a foreman on
some work In Pennsylvania for which witness
was contractor.
o'BRIEN's BAD WORK.
Mr.. Swift referred to O'Brien's bad work, and
asked the witness what he thought O'Brien's
motive was.
Kirlin replied that in his opinion the man
was not guilty of fraud, but that he let the bad
work be done from mere carelessness He
tnought that the men were lazy and shiftless
and that OBrien was not watchful enough. He
had recommended O'Brien himself from his
knowledge of his work on the reservoir and at
the time thought him to be an honest, capable
man.
On examination by the court Kirlin admitted
that the inspectors
OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE BAD WORK
from the rapid advance made. He said that in
going through the tunnel he carried a large
lantern and once overheard one man say
to another: Lord. you ought to see how them
niggers falls over each other when they sees
tnat light a-comln'." He stated that Ma ior
Lydecker came down into the tunnel about
once month on an average
PROCEEDINGS TO-DAY
Upon converting this morning, the judge-ad-
vocate announced that both he and the defense
had agreed to dispense with the reading of YES
terday's proceedings. To this Col. Dodge
raised an objection. saying that it was always
the custom for courts-martial to read each DAYS
record Col Poe agreed, giving his opinion
that the experience on Tuesday with Mondays
record should make them careful to avoid mis-
the result was IL in favor of dispensing with
the reading and against Coils. Townsend and
Piper cast the latter votes, Coils. Dodge and Poe
changiT their minds.
TESTIMONY OF ROBERT CONDOR, A PACKER
Robert Condor was thereupon called to the
stand by the judge advocate. The witness said
that he had been employed in the tunnel as
packer, although he did not possess the quail
tications of a stonemason. He did not see any
such around him. Sometimes bad packing was
done, and when the inspector was absent the
men would take occasion to do loose work.
Whenever this discovered the inspector
made them tear it out.
When asked if he knew Major Lydecker he
replied that he knew him by sight" He had
seen him IN the tunnel on two occasions There
were some places where he could not put in
good work.
TOO MUCH HURRIED TO DO GOOD WORK
aplar a1aIL - ~. 4 II
that in some places the rock came down too
low. If he had had time to do it he could have
done it properly, but his employer, Mr.. Emery,
hurried him along, and the witness was sure
that If he took time enough to do the work
well he would be discharged.
when the witness was excused Col Piper
suggested that his testimony be read to him be-
fore he went away. After some discussion Gen.
CROOK told the judge-advocate to have this done
The testimony, he said, was given very indis-
tinctly and could not be well understood at the
lower end Of the table. Roberts diction was
considerably impeded by a rich brogue that
made his replies trife unintelligible. During
the reading OF his testimony he sat in silence
and offered no objection to the transcript Of
his remarks.
THE WITNESS MISTAKES COL. MERRILL FOR MAJOR
LYDECKER.
When the reaoing was concluded a question
was handed to the judge-advocate, as follows:
do you see Major Lydecker in the court
room?'
When this question was asked, Robert took a
long, careful look into each of the thirteen
faces above each of the thirteen uniforms
around the table. After fully minutes search
he nodded his head at Col. Merrill who sat di-
rectly in front of him, and mumbled, abashed.
that he thought that he was the major The
colonel bowed and thanked Robert to the
great entertainment of the court Major
Davis suggested to Robert that he look over in
the corner, and Robert stood up and peered in
the direction indicated. smile gradually
broke over that part of his face Just above his
beard, and with an apologize jerk of his head
he remarked that that gentleman there was
Major Lydecker," to the best Of his knowledge,
although, as he told the court, he had no per-
sonal acquaintance with the gentleman.
''Av cooRsE NOT"
Mr.. Swift asked if he had ever seen the major
in the tunnel in his uniform, and Robert said,
with grin, ''sv coorse not"
DIDN'T Know MAJOR LYDEcKER.
The next witness was Thomas Davis, who
was a stone mason, employed in the tunnel. He
said that he did not know Major Lydecker, but
knew Lieut.. Townsend.
On cross-examination the witness explained
the process of building mice little bulkhead
walls" to conceal the holes left The workmen
always had guide" to inform them that the
lieutenant or Kirlin was coming Some one
would whistle, or send word down by the cara,
and in every instance
WARNING WOULD BE GIVEN
II