Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-19
DENIES ALL CHARGES.
Still More Startling Developments in
the D. W. Holt Case.
THE EMPLOYER AND HIS EMPLOYE
Make Statements in Direct Contradiction Of
Each Other.
YESTERDAYS DOINGS IN THE COURTS

The case of certain insurance companies
against D. W. Holt, in the United States
Circuit Court, was resumed before Judge
Acheson yesterday. The trial has excited
considerable interest, owing to its length
and the fact that it is test case. 1t will
probably occupy the remainder of the week.
The important feature of Yesterday was the
testimony of the defendant himself, who
was on the stand all afternoon.
At the opening of court in the morning
the cross-examiIation of A. V. Carpenter,
whose sensational testimony was the
feature of the previous day, was
resumed. Judge Orris conducted the cross
examination. Carpenter pleaded sickness
and wanted TO be excused, but Judge Ache
son decided as he was present he might go
on the stand. Judge Orvis' questions were
very severe. He endeavored in every con-
ceivable way to make the witness contradict
his confession, but the latter could not be
shaken. He repeated the story of how he
lSd prepared the boxes of shavings, saturat-
ing them with oil and fired them with a
piece of candle.
Stuck to His First Story.
He told it in the straightforward manner
that NE did previously. James S. Myers,
ali employe of Holt, corroborated Carpen-
ter's testimony. Afidavits of Bonaparte
Gardner, O. s. Woomer and Thsddeus
Myers were read, showing the fallacy of the
theory set up in the defense that the lum-
her yard fires originated from the forest
fires. A. B. Hovt, a surveyor, identified a
map of the Loeb Lomond saw mills and
lumber wards, saving the ground occupied
hv the lumber piles, contained 1885 feet
and would permit the storing of 405 piles
16 fee. square, allowing two feet between
the piles
Holt, the defendant, was put on the stand
in the afternoon. His examination lasted
three hours He denied in toto every alle-
cation made by Carpenter, taking one at a
time. He displayed great nerve and gave
his testimony clearly The surprise of the
day was caused when Hollis cross-e1amina-
tion commenced. He was asked whether
or not he had taken Carpenter from Phil
lirsburg to Snow Shoe, and in a room in
:te Mountain House Hotel had endeavored
TO gel him TO make an affidavit, retracting
all he had said which implicated the wit
ress in the burning of the yards. He re-
piled very positively in the negative.
Denied Every Charge
''Now, is it not fact that you took Car
pentcr there, and when YOU asked him to
make the affidavits he replied that he would
not periure himself for any man, and you
said 'Oh, that's nothing, have done that
60 times in these cases?' was asked. The
witness again replied with a positive ''No,
sir"
Didn't you take General Hastings there
TO write the afidavits, and didn't you tell
Carpenter you had Justice of the Peace
downstairs to swear him to the affdavits?"
Again he denied the allegation The trial
was postponed until 10 o'clock to-day.
Judge Reed handed down an opinion in
The case of w. 2. Hend against the Venture
Oil Company, refusing the injunction asked
for to stop the latter from drilling through
certain coal land. 1t is now probable that
the multlTtlue OF SUITS TO nave been brought
against oil operators by the coal men for
drilling wells through coal lands will be
dropped.