The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-20

AS was stated would be the case, the
opening session Of the commission sent
out here by the South African courts
for the purpose of taking testimony in
the famous cases now before the courts
named, took place yesterday at the
Knutsfori parlors, lasting during the
entire day. At least the work cut into
the whole day, even though the SIT
tings o. the commission were not
lengthy. but two witnesses being -e1-
amined. These were c. B. Steen, of
California, and Joseph L. Gallagher, of
this city Neither of the gentlemen
were acquainted with the working OF
the cyanide when used as q solvent for
gold and they were Just the kind of
witnesses most desired by the Nc
Arthur Forrest people, who are con-
Quoting d campaign of ignorance at
this time. 1t having been claimed that
the solution of cyanide was used quite
extensively for the extraction of the
precious metals from ores prior 30 the
issuance of the letters patent, the
cyanide people are endeavoring TO
show that the process was an entirely
of the patents covering the use of the
cyanide. For this purpose they put
on the stand only such people as, are
reputed to know nothing regarding the
2 workings of the process and in this
manner they are literally conducting
a campaign of ignorance. They seem
to have no difficulty in obtaining the
desira bic class Of witnesses in every
section Of the country visited by them.
The progress OF the case is very slow
on account of the obstacles thrown in
the way through desirable witnesses
being unable t. respond to the call
without some delay. At the hearings
yesterday Mr. Edmonds conducted the
examination in chief, while Mr.. Trus-
low subjected the witnesses to cross
examination. Judge Royle, counsel in
chief for the Gold and Silver Extrac-
ton Company of America Oimited),
which has suit against the AIercur
company for the collection of royalty
now before the local court, was pres
ent, while Attorney Pierce, one of the
counsel for the Mercur company. and
President John Dern. of the company,
We're also present during the two sit
tings.
The entire time of the morning ses-
sion was consumed in the examination
of c. b. Steen, of California, a pioneer /
mining operator in that state. who was
brought here by the cyanidepeeple for
the purpose of going upon the stand.
In response to questions from Mr.. Ed
monds the witness stated that he had
ted very extensively in California,
hot in in. INC NJ mil M
acquainted with the various processes
of ore trea tment. He had sunk $4,000
in the Union mine, located in AmadOr
county. and in 1879 had made use of a
solution OF cyanide in the mill for the
purpose of cleaning the plates and also
in the battery in order that the chemi-
ca might take the scales from the gold
and make it more easily amalgamated,
also for the purpose of preventing the
Touring of the mercury. He was not
aware, he said, that the cyanide was az
solvent for gold until after the is
s@ance of the letters patent to the Nc
Arthur-Forresl people in 1889. On
crOsS-eXaminatiO ton the gentleman stated
that he had used the solution in the
year 1875, but had no knowledge of its
true properties. He said his expenses
were being paid by the cyanide people |
and he expected pay for mis- services.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Stems ex-
animation the commission took an ad- (
jOurnment until > o'clock in the after /
moor and from the latter hour again (
to > o'clock and then to o'clock, all /
on account of the inability of the de- I
Tense TO procure a desirable witness. |
A. I O'Clock the session commenced I
with Joseph +. Gallagher on the stand /
The gentleman stated that ne was an |
experienced mill man and mining |
operator, for years being superinten- !
dent of the Ontario mill He had al /
ways kept posted on mining matters
and considered himself familiar with |
fhe various processes of precious metal |
Extraction. In a general way he was
acquainted with the cyanide process /
. but had never had any practical ex-
perieDce with its operations What |
knowledge he possessed on the Eubiect |
had been CLEANED from the statements
of others and books on the subject.
Prior to the Introduction of the Nc
Arthur-FOrrest process he had never
heard of the use Of cyanide as a sol
vent for gold. In response to cues
tions from Mr. Truslow the witness
stated that he did not know whether
or not alkal was used in the Nc
Arthur-EOrreSt process and he did not
know of his own knowledge what was
the strength Of the solution made use
of in the process named. He had only
heard OF il from others.
There being no other witnesses pres
ent an adjournment was taken to this
morning. 1t is anticipated that the
work of the commission will not be !
completed in this city before Monday
The defense has a long line of wit
nesses on the list among them being !
Messrs p. T. FaInsworth. Macintosh
Amy, Tiernan, Officer, Mcintyre, Ter