The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-23

Court convened at ten o'clock this
morning. Judges Houston and Gull
len were on the bench, but Chief JUS
tlce Comegys Is still critically i'll at
Dover.
Hon. Charles b. Lore, attorney for
Adams Va. the p. W. Il b. Railroad
Company, asked, as Hon. George Gray
was absent attending to public duties,
that the case be continued until March
| z. The request was granted and the
special jurors and witnesses wore dis
charged until that tins.
Alter tran5acting some minor busi-
ness u jury was drawn to try the case
OF Annie Marie Williams vs. Tho Wal.
ton & Whann Company, with LOWS
Vandegrigt and William s. Prickett for
the plaintiff. and Benjamin Nields for
the defendant company.
This Is an action brought by the
plaintiff to recover dana ges for the
death OF her husband, caused 1t is al
legged by negligence on the part of
the defendants, who are engaged In
manufacturing phosphutes and sui
Dhurlc acid. In making the latter, the
fumes enter lead chamber, causing
a sediment to form on the bottom,
which is removed when 1t Is five or
six Inches thick.
On Monday, January G. 1890, the de-
Pendants sent several men into this
chamber to cleanse it, who were made
sick by the fumes. On Tuesday morn
ing another gang was sent into the
| chamber, and they too were made sick
and compelled to retire. In the after
noon, Joshua Williams the deceased,
was sent into the chamber to work,
He did not know of the danger at
o ding the work, and the defendant
did not warn him. He worked until
9 o'clock in the evening and then stag
| gered homo very sick man. He con-
tinuedto grow worse until midnight,
when he died, These are the facts as
stated by Mr.. Priciett aud when he
included the examination of witnesses
was commenced.
James l.. Hamilton being sworn,
testified that he entered the employ of
the Walton Il Whann Company in 1875,
and continued with them for 10 years
as foreman He explained the pr o.
cess OF making sulphuric acid.
| David Anderson testified that he was
employed by the company for n num-
ber of years aud knew Joshua Williams
well, during his life time. He was n
strong, healthy man when he entered
the chamber, and seemed to be in per-
feet health. The witness heard Bon
ner, the superintendent, order Wi.
liams and another man named Julius
lIummcll to go into the chamber. He
saw him while no was at work in the
chamber, and next saw him after he
came out, sitting In the engine room
very sick.
After calling Bonners attention to
his being sick, the witness took him
home. The mon who worked In the
Ichamber were accustomed to come
out to get air, and during the morn
ing the witness heard Bonner tell the
foreman not to allow tho men to stand
iaround so much, but to keep them at
work In the chamber.
The witness heard of Joshua Will
liams' death about / O'Clock Wednes
day morning and whom he informed
one of the members of the firm he told
him to go to Julius HummelPs house
and see how he was. He found Julius
In bed, frothing at the mouth and his
breath was very short. He had also
been splitting blood.
BY direction of the firm witness also
visited some of the men who had beer
In the pit on Monday and Tuesday, anC
found them all sick. One OF the mer
named Brown, was frothing at tn,
mouth. This man died the next day,
Joshua Williams was worry steady anC
careful man.
Mr. NieldB produced n model OF the
acid chamber and said the original is
so feet long, 25 feet wide, and 20 feet
high.
Annie Marie Williams, testified thai
she is the widow of Joshua Williams
and lives in this city.
As Mr.. Nlelds raised the point thai
it had not been shown that tho parties
were ever married.
John w. Hall, an aged colored man
was called, and testified that he Is al
ordained minister.
Some time during 1885 or 1856, b
T married Joshua Williams to Ami
Marie MAIDEN.
Robert II. Lewis testified that h
:: was clerk of the church, and produces
1 the minutes to show that the Rev
| John w. Hall was pastor during TIL
i period stated.
Annie Marie Williams was recalled
and testified to the fact of her husban
coming homo sick and to his death tn
same night.
Court took recess until 2.3O o'cloc
this afternoon.