The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-03
CALL HIM GOOD MAN.
Many Sea Captains Come to
Bryant's Rescue.
THEY CONDEMN HIS AccUsERs.
But One OF the Inspectors Witnesses
Turns Against Him = He Dead
headed ON the Flyer.

hold the fgai session OF bis court OF In
qsirY into the charges against Local
Inspector Bryant. tomorrow morning.
wnen several more witnesses will testify
for the defenss- The accused. when asked
by Inspector Birmingham yesterday IL he
intended going on the stand In his own
behalf. replied that snch was his fnten-
ton and he said he was willing that the
prosecution should secure the services
OF an extra attorney 10 assist In his cross
examination.
Yesterday the defense fourishef. but
the prosecution succeeded ia examining
fts two remsiasng witnesses. They were
George ssefson and Purser Taylor. OF the
Flyer. The defense examined a host of
witnesses. bat there was apparently no
attempt to answer the specific charges
made against Bryant Instead. the wit
nssses called we're examined as 10 Bry-
ants general reputation. Ia most In
stances they said IL was good. but when
cross-examsned the fact developed that
they had talked with only very small
percentage OF the masters and pilots of
Puget Sound and were therefore not in
. position TO state what the sccused's
general reputation really In.
The hearing opened at 0 O'Clock and the
hrsf witness called was Capt. John II.
Libby. the tugboat man OF Port Town
send He said that he had been on the
Sound ssnee lsss and had held masters
license for about a years. At present he
II the manager OF the Puget Sound Tug
boat company. He had known Bryant
ever since he had become Inspector ard
Fsass 10 tor. H. ~fn
seafaring men. the witness thought. was
good. Libby said that he had never found
him arbitrary or unjust In granting a
license. IL was true that there was some
opposition TO Bryant but the witness had
never heard any objection TO him among
those who were regularly employed. His
business. the witness testified brought
him I'm contact with many shipping men
and they always seemed 10 speak a good
word for Bryant. Libby said he knew
Special Agent Culiom and the latter had
never asked him anything about Bryant
~ tho time he was conducting his inyesti-
cation.
His Evidence Not Solicited.
J. H. johnson. the Puget Sound man
aEer OF the Pacific Steamship company.
was the next witness. He circulated free
~ among seafaring men. The witness
had known Bryant by reputation for
eight years. but had only been acquainted
personally with him for three years.
Hryant's reputation. he said. was very
good indeed" and he was considered an
eficient, honest and upright officer. When
Cuiiom was conducting his investigation.
johnson said he called on the special
agent and In conversation which fol-
lowed he limited that he was ready and
willing TO say something In rryant.s
favor. Tie special agent didn't appear
anxious for IL In fact he changed the sub
tect OF the conversation.
cross-examined. the witness said that
he had not offered To submit a written
statement. for he had inferred from the
newspapers that Cuiionn was soliciting
testimony on the subject
The witness believed that he was pretty
generally acquainted with the steamboat
men OF the Sound. though many of them
were OF the larger vessels
You're pretty good friend of Cant
Rryant's. are you notT' inquired Mr.
Gcrham.
II admire his character as a man.. re
piled the witness
Capt William Cove testified that he Rad
been I'm the steamboat business since fSs.
and had held n license as master sine.
isss. At present he II I'm command OF the
tug boat Tyee Bryants CAPACITY and
ability to perform the duties of inspector
was ali right" The witness had hear
complaints, but they never came from
the men who were regularly employed or
from those In charge of the larger
steamers.
Under cross-examinatlon the fact was
brought out that prior To 1873 the Witness
had never had a masters license. and
that during that year he had his napers
raised from pilot without undergoing n n
examination
Capt. n. e, Conner, who resides On
Cherry street. said that he had heen an
ocean master ON The Sound for eish,
years. and had known Bryant II wears
having first met him IN Japan. He be.
iieyed Bryant 70 be thoroughly COM
potent and efficient man. "Brynnt's rep
atation among good men" said the Wit
ness. rs all right. bat among the kIck.rs
" Is had" The witness stated further
that he was member OF Harhor rs ana
was present when the resolutions were
PASSED eondemning Bryant He had on
posed the resolutions and had not slnco
esktAsNu - x.
He Had Always Got His pue.
Capt. Primrose. OF the Sarah NJ. Eenton
testified next for bryant lie said he had
never asked the Inspector for anvth..y
more than the Law allowed him. He had
always received II aua considered rry-
ants reputation good
You haven't talked with very many
men about Eryants reputation. have
YOU" Inquired Mr. oorham.
Ne" replied the witness. good men
dcn't talk about Ia
ntt >of nefcssst nr-yant
Cart. George Jorsiiasas,. az the s.earsnr
Flyer Was called To testify for pyxsant
bur his testimony VAS very much arains,
the Inspector. lie said shat be had been a
licensed master on the Sound for e,,.
Seers The witasss stated ira, he had
heard cemolaints ana maa made inc,rsr>,
- 90 licenses whieh had heen issue, :,
ilaeetogetes1t men. The witness had a t,.r-
seaai friend harmed Dean whe had So
cured a license from sAe tf,ss.i ,ssa.A
thoogh he ais not think that he was a
competent man. 4 nssn named Brown
bad ealscd on the witness ard ASKED him
- sssn his application papers. The wi,.
ness found oui that Browns experience
consisted - SIX months work on fshins,
NesSei and retaSes - SO on his raper~
fFown. the witness said. s,scceeSsess 4,
seStsag his lscenss. The Witness though,
taas there were others who had secured
hceaSes who we're rot competent
These we're Tor ssaau hoais. we're they
not - inquired Mr. Gilman.
Yes. hat us not niee 10 meet ther. IN