The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-22
WHOSE Is THE BLAME?
The CoFOn8r'S Jury Is Busy Trying to
Find 0ut.
SOME IMPORTANT FACTS
Testimony Offered Yesterday-Lat-
est Victims of the Expiosion-The
Relief Fund Growing-Re-
cent subscriptions.

q CLOCK this morning before Coroner
richards and the following jury: H. s.
Tuttle. w. H. Gehrman, H. II. CulIom,
w. w. Adams, o. y. Blaine and j. f.
Kelly. County Attorney Wines con-
Quoted the examination of witnesses and
Assistant County Attorney Madison, City
Attorney Cotter and William Clancy. rep
resenting the Butte Workingmen's union,
we're present to assist in the investigation.
James w. Forbis, representing the Ken
yon-Connell company, and George
Haldorn and f. T. Mcbride, at
torneys for the Butte Hardware COM
pany, we're also in attendance at the in
quest to look after the interests of their
clients. w. r. Kenyon and X. j. Watson,
manager of the Butte Hardware company,
occupied seats inside of the railing.
The space outside of the railing was
filled with large crowd of interested
spectators who were largely workingmen.
Many favorable comments were heard on
the jury and it is believed that it is made
up of men who will do their full duty
without fear or favor. County Attorney
Wines is also the object of a great deal of
attention and the people of Butte are
looking to him In particular to bring out
all of the facts in connection with the
terrible disaster. 1t is the general express
sion that in the present case Mr. Wines
has an opportunity such as only comes
once in lifetime to distinguish himself
and gain reputation that will be state
wide and it is the unanimous opinion that
he will take advantage of it.
In connection with the new Jury il is
only fair to state that the old Jury was
discharged by Coroner Richards as soon
as he realized the gravity of the catas-
trOnha hat ha
would be far out of the line of ordinary
inquests. The coroner then met with
Mr.. Wines and Mr.. Madison and the new
jury was selected. The coroner is fully
as anxious as any one else to have a
thorough investigation of the awful
calamity.
Over 100 witnesses have already been
subpoenaed and the inquest will last con-
siderably over a week at the shortest.
L. L. Baker, a civil engineer, was the
first witness called. He stated that he
was preparing a chart showing the exact
location of all of the warehouses de-
stroyed by the fire and explosions, and
the adjoining buildings so that tho wit
nesses could clearly explain their cvi-
dence and expedite matters 4 great deal.
lie thought he could have rough chart
=
adjourned until that hour.
When the inquest was resumed tho
county attorney stated that several attor-
neys had asked to be allowed to cross-eN-
anime the witnesses. but lie recommended
that the request be not granted. Tho .
cross-examination, he said, would be in /
tended solely to confuse witnesses and .
bring out contrary evidence, while il is the I
only province of a coroner's inquest to as .
certain the true facts in a case nd il is
nothing of trial in any way. He wanted
ali the facts in the case brought out fully.
and while he would be glad TO have uues-
tons to that end either asked or suggested
by any of the attorneys, he would object
to questions the only object of which would
be 10 confuse the witnesses so that they
would not be able to tell the truth fully.
As the city was equally interested with
the state In the investigation Mr.. Wines
asked that City Attorney Cotter be al
lowed to assist him in the investigation,
The request was granted. Mr.. Clancy
stated that he had been employed by the
W orkingmen's union to assist the state
IN securing evidence and all he asked was
mat ne be allowed to subpoena witnesses
whom he knew to be competent. Mr.
Wines Informed him that he would be
glad to have his assistance both in secur-
ng witnesses with any definite knowledge
Of the disaster and suggesting pertinent
questions.
md Butte Hardware companies stated
hat they desired a full investigation and
o tins end they would probably want
some witnesses examined who had not
'een subpoenaed by the state. The
county attorney replied that their wit
lesses would be summoned when the
proper time arrived and that they would ,
,e gwen an opportunity to examine them.
This appeared to be satisfactory and the |
natter was dropped.
X. j. Watson, manager of the Butte !
hardware company, then took the stand |
ie testified that the Butte Hardware ,
ompany is corporation, tho officers of
fhch are: Il. A. Largely, president: ! :
reon Lavell, vice president; /. L. Kirby, {
ecretary. and himself general manager. |
lie could not recall the names of all the | {
iockholders, and thought that the officers 7
the board OF trustees. His /
ompany owned one of the warehouses c
'hich we're destroyed. lie drew a dia-
ram showing the locations of the differ {
mt warehouses relative to Arizona street r
nd the Montana Central tracks. On the 7
asst OF the warehouse owned by his COM
any was small frame building owned I
y the Caplice company and used as a O
orehouse. and east of that was the ware | I
ouse of the kenyon-Connell company. c
here was a space of 200 feet between c
lie warehouses of the Butte Hardware O
ompany and Caplce.
what was stored in your warehouse on q
le night of the explosion" asked Mr.. 4
lines. :
hardware principally"
Were there any high explosives stored
ere 2"
Probably some. could not tell how 7
UGH"
"Who could tell?"
Tine warehouse man, W. s. Watson.
ould probably he able to tell you. | can
1t tell how much powder was there on
uesday, but on the first of the year we
ID $40 or 34l boxes of so pounds each.
hlch were stored in the magazine about
llf a mile south of the old Bell smelter.
, going through our books l can tell al.
ost exactly how much powder we had
hand on Tuesday. We did not receive
~ powder between Jan. l and Jan. Is.
II 1 can find out when the last consign-
ent was received. We handle the Jud-
n powder which runs -. 30 and 60 per
nj. nitro-glycerine. The powder Is NOT
uulf OutrIrhf ~ Tho araur