The record-union., 1895-08-16

MIS- Gl6ih b w ds tAtL0 DSAOIS tuo Col e.
monies commenced. about twenty feet
from the grave, and heard the ceremony.
She saw and heard no disturbance, and
did not hear Mr.. Eicks speak loudly.
Mrs. Garrison stood directly behind the
mourners from the commencement, but
saw and heard no disturbance. If MIR.
Ficks had spoken loudly she would have
heard it.
Miss Judge was about twenty feet from
the grave, but heard no noise or disturb
ance.
Frank Kuntz testified that he helped
carry the coffin to the grave. He saw Mr..
tlcks walk over to Mr.. Barnes, but did
not hear what they said, but heard Mr..
Howard say that they took care of the
corpse before il came and could take care
OF 1t, and fill In the grave for that matter.
Mr.. FIcks then told witness TO come on
and attend TO the other funeral. 1t is a
very shsky place in the odd Fellows
plat and nine out OF ten graves will cave
IN. MIR. Ficks had said at noon that the
ground was very loose and liable to cave.
Witness had seen graves cave there.
George Hoyt, a graye-digger, testified
that he worked III the cemetery and dug
York's grave. There was another box
in the other lot that came into the grave,
and he was afraid the grave would cave
and let the brick wall fail into it. 1t was
dangerous when rotten boxes are found
III that manner. AT about three feet deep
1t was dry, loose sand in the grave.
Witness saw Ficks and Barnes talking,
but did not hear what they said. He
notified Mr.. ticks that the grave was
dangerous and helped him putin the box.
A motion to exclude all testimony in
relation to caving OF graves was lost.
Mr.. Flcks was sworn and said he de-
tailed Hoyt to dig the grave, and when
he went to the grave he found that the
latter had dug into a box, and asked if
he had examined the DOX, and Hoyt said
he was afraid to. The sand had caved
into the grave. Hoyt cleaned it out and
crawled out carefully, and they put the
box in. The grave looked beautiful, but
was not safe. The undertaken came at the
head Of the funeral, and witness asked him
to request the Noble Grand to allow the
body TO be lowered first, and that his
men could carry the body to the grave,
as 1t was dangerous. Craig told him the
Master of Ceremonies refused TO let the
body be lowered, and witness told him
that it would not do, as there was danger.
He spoke TO Barnes, but the latter re-
fused to allow the body to be lowered.
Witness demanded as Superintendent
that the body be lowered. He did not
tell them of the condition of the grave
because. in order to show it to them, it
would have been necessary to take out
the body. On many such occasions the
relatives have refused TO believe it until
the body had been taken out and the
grave shown They had often to use
strategy in order TO secure safety, as some
OF the monuments are liable to fall and
injure some one.
lie denied that his conduct was bois-
ferrous or that he talked loudly. His
whole anxiety was that no one should be
hurt
Charles Craig was recalled and said
that Mr.. Ficks did not tell him that the
grave was dangerous.
LaWton moved that the case be closed
as far as testimony was concerned.
After Mr.. BOyne had spoken in favor of
his client, Lswton said he considered the
charges made had been proven, and that
the defense had not been able to contro-
vert them. He believed that the charges
were brought with pure motives, and that
Mr.. ticks was not Of the proper tempera-
ment 10 fill that position, which requires
a man Of the most equable temperament.
He moved that he be removed from the
position of Superintendent on Septem-
Der lst.
Leonard seconded the motion.
Devine moved as substitute that Mr..
Ficks be suspended for fifteen days, as
he thought the gentlemen bringing the
charges would be satisfied with that He
made the motion on their suggestion, and
hoped the board would be as charitable
as they.
Davis thought that thirty days. sus-
pension would be the proper term, and
moved that it be so fixed.
The substitute of Davis was carried,
LawtOn and Leonard voting no.
The original motion as amended was
then carried and the board adjourned.