The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-23
THE BEST IN THE NORTHWEST
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY %. 1895.
As to the First DaY.

AAN - 2A-NbAhD AOCo iAOb lIdb
any part of last nights column of
criticism in the Inter Mountain is
warranted. All that is inference or
underlined insinuation in the remarks
of the Inter Mountain may be dis
missed without discussions; the
STANDARD does not have TO defend its
motives IN the presence of the people
of Butte, because il is intrenched in
the confidence of the people of that
city.
The merit in the question concerns
the testimony given on the first day
of the inquest The inquest was in
stituted in order to ascertain how
much powder was in stock, whose
warehouse it was in, or what the quota
was that may have been in each ware
house
Mr.. Watson, manager for the Butte
Hardware company, was the first wit
ness. Mr.. Watson may merit all the
compliments conveyed by the Inter
MOURtdiH; he is a citizen whom this
newspaper has always esteemed The
point at issue is Mr.. Wdtson's testi-
mony before the coroner. The Inter
Mountain reports him thus: "The
witness testified that there might have
been some explosives IN the warehouse
on the night of the explosion. He
could not state, without consulting
his books, how much powder the
company had on hand the fifteenth day
of January. On January first the COM
pany had about $40 or 81 boxes of
powder at the magazine. Large guam
titles of this had been sold during the
month, but how much he was unable
TO state. He believed that
there was a quantity of powder at the
warehouse on the night of the explo-
sion, but as TO the exact quantity he
could not state" To this testimony is
added that Mr.. Watson said he could
tell exactly how much powder there
was in the magazine and in the ware
house 10y examining the books.
This is the basis of the STANDARDS
crticim of yesterday. Is 1t not, in
fact, passing strange that for six days
and SIX nights the manager of one of the
doomed warehouses neglected to turn
TO books which he admits tell the
story, in order to satisfy himself at
least, respecting his company's respon-
sibility? How could man restrain
himself so long, in presence of the
possible responsibility?
Without multiplying words we have
simply this TO say: 1t would have
been immeasurably better had Mr..
Watson said TO the jury: Eyes, gen
tlemen, can tell all about it. At the
earliest instant, brought out all the
records of my company. | found what
the quantity of powder in the ware
house was give you all the facts /
hold that my company was not largely
10 blame for the destruction, and my
witnesses and proofs are here"
Not in malice, but regretfully, the
STANDARD wrote what was written
yesterday. If Mr. Watson or his per-
sonal friends misconstrue the STAND |
ARDS motives, we cam OF help it. In |
view of yesterdays testimony, we be- |
lieve that Mr.. Watson himself will say |
this morning that the outspoken way |
would have been the better way.
IL was, in fact, as the STANDARD |
said, yesterday morning, play for |
place. The Butte Hardware company |
was not ready to testify: Mr.. Kenyon's |
effort was To know even less than Mr.. !
Watson knew. Mr. Kenyon's remark
able statement was, according TO the |
Inter Mountains report, that Mr.. |
Orcutt had charge of the warehouse /
of his company, and that he had not
asked Orcutt recently relative to the |
amount OF powder stored there" The /
effort of the first day on the part of /
important witnesses was TO know
nothing. The STANDARDS unbiased
purpose, yesterday morning, was TO
prompt those who really know all to
tell. We notice that some telling ties.
timony was brought out yesterday.
Let this be understood: This news
paper is not out with apologies 10 any
man breathing in Butte, if he is a man
whose effort Is 10 hide his share of
esponsIbilI,y for the funerals that
have kept the people of Butte
on the march 10 the ceme-
terry since the fateful night of
the explosion. II is all clever enough
TO be nice 10 the liylng;it is right. in
any event, 10 be decent toward the
three-score dead. To them
certain debt is due. That debt the
STANDARD. so far as IN its power lies.
proposes 10 see paid.