Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-25
SUPERIOR COURT.
Suits for Damages Against tho Walton &
Nghunn Company.

March It'll In asking for postpone
ment Mr.. Lore explained that Senator
Gray, counsel for the defence, had been
out of town some time on account of
his senatorial duties and desired oppor
tunity to summon witnesses. The jury
was discharged until then.
On motion of II. II. Ward the cuse of
John w. Saunderson VS.. William +.
Seeds was continued until the next
term.
At II o'clock the trial Of the case of
Anna Maria Williams VS.. the Walton q
Whann Company began. w. S. Prickett,
counsel for plaintiff, stated the case. He
said it was an action by the plaintiff,
widow Of Joshua Williams, for dam
ages. Her husband had been killed by
the alleged negligence of the defendant
company. In manufacturing phosphate
the company used sulphuric acid, which
the company manufactured itself. Will
liams was put in chamber TO cloan out
the sediment and the fumes which arose
caused his death. The day on which
Williams was put in the chamber was
January 9th, 1890.
The morning session was occupied in
hearing evidence in support of the
plaintiffs claim.
Trial of the case of Annie Marie Will
liams vs. the Walton d Whann Company
was resumed in the superior court Tues
day afternoon. Lewis c. Vandegrift and
w. $. PTickett represent the plaintiff and
Benjamin Nields the defendant.
The Rev. John w. Hall, colored, by
whom the plaintiff and Joshua Williams
were married, was recalled and corrected a
mistake in his testimony regarding the
time when he was pastor of African Union
Church, this city, during which pastorate
he united the couple in marriage.
Annie Bailey. colored, testified that she
attended the wedding
John Witt, formerly with the Walton &
Whann Company, explained the action of
the acid cham Der, how the sediment formed
and how the chamber was cleaned. Before
going in the chamber Williams seemed to
be in good health. The chamber was gem
orally cleaned every four months, but at
this particular time five months had
| elapsed since the previous cleaning.
Abram Brown, colorcd, said he was one
| OF the men who cleaned the chamber. The
acid fumes made him hot at first and then
cold and finally he had to stop work. He
could not go back the next day and was
| sick 10 days thereafter. While he was in
the chamber it was flushed with a hose
held on the ous-'' and the sediment was
stirred up so that it burned his feet. He
was not told cleaning the chamber
was dangerous job. lie was asked il he
dare refuse go in the chamber for fear Of
being discharged, but the question was not
allowed On cross-examination he was in
formed by DIR. Pyle that his kidneys were
| affected.
William H. Ward, colored, testified that
he was in the chamber at least an houl
and half. He went in well and came out
sick. He had to run out to get air. That
day it took him two hours to walk home
when usually he could go there in 30 or 81
minutes. He could not sleep that night
On REORGANIZATION he said he could
come out Of the chamber when he pleased
DIR. Blocksom attended him seven or eight
days, and told him he had gas disease.
John Clark. colored, testified that HI
was well before he went in the chamber
and Williams and Hummel seemed to b.
we'll They remained inside five or II
minutes at time. He was sick for {
week afterwards. Mr.. Kettlewood did no
II took him three hours to walk home tina
day, when usually he could so there il
three-quarters of an hour. On cross-ex
animation he declared that when tn
chamber was flushed the hose was held OF
the inside. Mr.. Kettlewood did not ente
the chamber, nor did he tell witness, Viii
liams or Hummel to not go in.
I AhNctCh 81 NAOOASf SoA0tNts VIM 'Ao
William condition was after he had beef
taken home. Williams was so to 60 year
old and might have been over 60.
David Anderson, colored, was recalled
and stated that Captain LeMaistre gave NJ
orders about cautioning men before the,
went in the chamber. He did not hea
MIR. Kettlewood or Mr.. Bonner warn any
body.
james Price, colored, testified that h
was ordered to go in the chamber and wa
not warned of danger.
The entire morning was devoted by tn
superior court in hearing the case of Anni
Marie Williams, colored, VS.. the Walton
Whann Company.
James Price, colored. was recalled, agar
testified regarding his sickness and tolt
how the acid chamber is cleaned now.
John Comegys. colored, stated the forme
manner of cleaning the chamber and sait
he was barely conscious when he cam
from the chamber.
Ralph Brown describedsthe illness of hi
brother, Philip Brown, who died two day
after entering the chamber. Witness de
clared that he used new handkerchief il
wiping froth from his brothers. mouth an,
the acid eat in the handkerchief holes Xix,
those caused by moths.
George Seymour described the manufac
ture OF sulphuric acid. When William
came out of the chamber witness said
Williams was SO sick witness did not liS
, to look at him.
DR.. Frank Roop Smith testified that sui
phuric acid cannot be manufactured with
ont the generation of nitric and oxid
gases. which, witness alleged, is very dan
gerous, causing death If the gases are in
haled The condition of the men whei
they came from the chamber, as had beer
described to him, was no doubt caused b,
the fumes from the sediment, which
| SaA ltr th, nd ,tiqaint, n
water in the chamber. Witness produces
q bottle containing sediment, which
when water was poured on il, became no
and emitted gas. Counsel for the dcfenc
, rigidly crcss-examined the witness.
} Abram Brown and William II. Ward
both colored. were recalled and testiiie,
that there was in the chamber sediment Il
! the depth of six inches.
At IL o'clock plaintiff rested the cas-
and Benjamin Nields began outlining tn
; defence. He said he would show that vii
, liams and the others had pneumonia an
died therefrom; that they did not die from
; the effect of inhaling the gas; that vii
liams and Hummell were told to not go il
the chamber; that plaintiff was not til
legal wife of Williams; that Williams maj
ried q woman in Baltimore in 1864, live
with her in this city for 10 years and sui
sequently left her and took up with plain
tiff that plaintiff is not entitled to dam
ages
The defence called William II. Collins
colored, who testified that there were il
the chamber six manholes, which he him
self cut.
James Kettlewood, foreman ut the phos
plate factory, said he had heard of onl
one man becoming sick there previous i
the cleaning during 1880. He asserted tina
he told Williams and Hammell to go owe
to the acid works, but TO not go in tn
chamber.
During the morning a jury of inquis
ton was appointed in the foreign attacl
ment case OF james o.. simpson Con