Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-19
MIR. MAGEE ON THE STAND.

He Tells What He Knows About the Amos
keag Engine Purchases No Pecun-
iary Interest, Direct or Indirect-Mr.
Guthrie Anxious For Test.
C. L. Magee was the only witness exam
ined yesterday in the hearing in the Amos
keag engine contest before Commissioner
George r. Hamilton. George w. Guthrie
conducted the examination. Mr.. Magee
said he first heard of the proposal to pur-
chase two new engines through the news
papers, but could not recall the date. He
did not know of the intended purchase
before the advertisement appeared. Ch1ef
fore, he could not tell, but he had no recol-
lection OF It before the publication. Inc
witness might have advised Chief Brown to
purchase the Amoskeag engines because they
were the only kind the city was using. Mr..
Magee had no clear recollection of the mat
ter, but If Mr.. Brown had spoken to him, he
certainly would have advised him to pur,
chase Amoskeag engines. Mr.. Magee a ald
not recollect any conversation with MI.
Brown after the publication of the adyer-
tisement; he did, however, go with Chief
Brown to the Controller at Mr.. Browns
request in regard to the issuing of warrant
for the payment of the engines. The witness
did not go to see Mr.. Brown on the question,
but Mr. Brown came after him and asked
him If he had any objection to going on the
bond to indemnify the city if the warrant
the suggestion of Chief Brown, and the
amount of it was $4,000.
Mr.. Magee did not recollect any other
bondsmen being suggested. Mr.. Elliot
never spoke to him on the subject. He
never knew of but one representative of the
Manchester Locomotive Company in this
city; that was Mr.. Elliot. 1t did not strike
the witness that it was at all irregular to
give bond of that kind; he was satisfied, as
the Manchester Locomotive Company was
responsible to him. Mr.. Brown did not give
him any history of the case except that
there was O suit and that the engines were
in service and the money should be paid, as
the company was demanding 1t. MIR. Magee
did not know of any expectation of money
payment to any person in regard to the
engine transaction.
Mr.. Elliot was the agent of the company
for years prior to his election to his present
position. Mr.. Magee knew of no person hav-
ing any pecuniary interest in the sale OF the
apparatus to this city. In his ten years con-
nection with the Fire Commission he had no
interest in the sales to the city and knew of
no one who did. He never went with Mr..
Elliot to other places where he was trying
to sell Amoskeag engines, and never went to
Wheeling with him for that purpose. Mr..
Brown to secure the bond. The witness did
not offer himself as bondsman because he
did not go about offering himself as q bonds
man. The presumable reason Mr.. Brown
asked him was because he was Mr.. Browns
bondsman.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Burleigh Mr..
Magee said that he had no pecuniary inter
est, either direct or indirect, in the giving of
the bond.
At the conclusion of this testimony Mr..
Guthrie moved that the defendants produce
the engines under dispute, and have them
tested for capacity, to see if they comply
with specifications. The Master took the
motion under advisement.