The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-03-11
FIFTH edition.


lourneu laSL evening, was recalled and
cross-examined by Mr.. Bird.
He said that after he left the electric
works at night. there was no one in
his place. The engineer had charge Of
the ampere and engines.
When Mr.. Bird closed, Mr.. Hoffecker
subjected the witness to q redirect ex-
animation. after which he left the
stand.
Isaac Wilkins testified that he has
been employed by tho electric light
com pany, and was on duty the night
when the accident occurred. He has
| charge Of an engine, six dynamos and
the Indicators which arc intended to
show II there Is anything wrong with
the circuits. On the night OF the ac-
oident here was some disturbance OF
! the wires, caused by the high wind -
About O'Clock on the morning OF Tho
gath, he noticed that the fuse OF main
| No 3 was burned out, and no nut
| new one in, but IL would not stay. He
| then reported the matter to Lineman
| Walker.
| On cross-examination he said there
were six engines and twelve dynanps
In the place, and he had charge OF them
all. Part Of these engines are shut
down at II O'clock at night. and all
| but two before morning. He had
| boy to help him, and he in addition to
oiling the machinery was Obliged to
to watch the Indicators, and SEQ thai
the lights were all right. There was
no one in the building ut night except
the Witness the fireman and the boy.
| There was no linenen In the build
ing, and II anything became seriously
| wrong with tho wires In the night no
would have to send the boy to hunt up
ono OF the linemen, but he could mob
tell whether, ut the time of the acci.
deet, they lived half mile or two
miles distant. Ii he had to send the
| boy out he would havo had to watch
| the Indicators himself.
lie positively denied saying to Thos.
COOK the day after the accident, My
God, there was power enough in that
wire to kill hundred m n; neither
ulu he say words or make any expres-
sion TO that effect. He knew it WINS
storming on the night of october %.
| 1880, from the action OF the indicator.
james Il. Walker testified that he is
foreman and head llneman for the
electric light company. He did not
know Cook until after the accident It
Is his duty to put up the lines and
keep them in repair. On the morning
OF the accident he went to work about
6:45 O'Clock. and upon learning from
the engineer that wire was down,
sent two men to repair it. At that
tilno he boarded ut the Western Hotel
Fourth and Orange streets, about two
squares from he electric works, but
now boards at No 232 French street.
On cross-examinatlon he said that he
has been employed by the company
for four years, and has not worked
for the Western Union or any other
company during that time. He has
boon called up at night to go out and
attend to the wires. About two weeks
ago lie worked nearly all of one night
over Third street bridge fixing tha
wires. A tree had blown down across
them, and he was called from his bad
to attend to them.
James Il. Gray, a llneman, testified
that Mr.. Walker sent him on the
morning of October Gath. 1890. to re-
pair break at Maryland avenue and
Banning street.
lie found two wires down, and re.
paired them, The vines wore not lay
ing along tho path on Banning etreet,
but had been colled up and laid on q
piece of ground among some WeSts,
away from the path
ON cross. examination tho witness
said that when he saw tho wire IL was
in a coil fully three inches high. and
there was sufficient room inside for q
man TO stand. The wire could not
have been placed In this manner by
/ electricity. Some OF tile wires ara
covered, and others are not, but the
wire at Banning street was covered.
John Simmons, the other linenan,
, who assisted In repairing the broken
wire said that when he took hold OF
} the wire his thumb came In contact
with the exposed part OF the wire, and
he received a slight shock. They then
laid the wire down until the current
was turned OF. The witness went
over to Cooks house, and looked at
his finger where IL was burned He
found tile wires on V shaped piece OF
ground, away from the path on Ban
ming street. lie thought the wire
might, with the action of the wind,
and the elasticity coll itself up.
On cross. examination he said that O
/. man with clothes prop might have
thrown the wire where it was found,
but he would have TO throw it yer y
hard. The witness had been employed
; about two weeks by tho company, at
the time Of Tho accident.
William II. Rulings testified that In
October 1890, he lived in the Same
, house with Cook and his wife. He
!, worked at the Lobdell Car Wheel
! Worls, on the south side, and on the
Q morning of the eeeidont started for
his work before o'clock. AS he pass.
ed along tanning street he saw the
wires down; they were splitting fire,
= and after he had stepped over them he
took u barrel hoop and pushed them
I
Cook and his Wife had lived in the
= = same house with him about seven
months, and were to have paid half The
: rent. Cooh left on tho Thursday after
the accident, and went TO his iuther's.
HIS wife left the next morning. Tho
=. witness Is II brothcr.in-law to Cook,
the latter haging married his sister.
q Mrs. Mary Rulings testified that she
q is the wife of Nm. Il. Ridings, and
y remembered Tho morning of tho acct.
+ dent to Cook She went to the door
with her husband when he started to
his work, and saw him when he pushed
, the wire aside with the barrel hoop. IL
9 was light enough for her to see her
,. husband working with tho wire. Mrs.
2, Sylvester was also at her door next the
witness houGo. About ten minutes
:, after tho witness went In the house.
Mrs. Cook came down stairs scream
ing and ran out into the street. The
i, witness followed her II short distance,
+. and then turned back on account Of
the mud.
~ In a little time Cook was carried In
by the mon and the witness thought
g at first he was dead, and did not ga
,p near him. He afterwards got up and
:, walked upstairs by himself
"a Mr.. Holieckec asked the witness 0
- question Which was Intended to show
Z Chat instead OF Cook not being abie ia
Af