The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-22
THE BEST IN THE NORTHWEST
TUESDAY. JANUARY %. 1895.
At the Inquest.


The first day of the inquest In Butte
was not edifying In all cases of this
kind there are preliminaries which in
volve delay-the public is used to that
sort of thing. IL may be said that the
public has all the time in the world, as
far as time is needed to get at the truth.
At the same time, it is we'll enough to
get right down to business and bring
out the essential facts respecting
which there is no excuse for delay.
This much we say after reading the
testimony that was brought out at the
inquest yesterday. Mr.. Watson was
on the stand lie is the manager for
the Butte Hardware company That
concern had a warehouse involved in
the wreck The opinion prevailing in
Butte is that one of the explosions
took place in the warehouse of this
company. That is an opinion on
which it would not be proper for these
pages to pass; nobody connected with
the STANDARD can go on the stand
and testify on that question.
However, it is a reasonable assump-
tion that the manager of the Butte
Hardware company knows the facts
respecting the quantity of powder
that may have been in this company's
warehouse week ago tonight. If he
is correctly reported Mr.. Watson, the
manager, said yesterday that there
might have been some explosives in
the warehouse of the Butte Hardware
company on the night in question, but
that, without examining the books of
the company, he could not say how
much powder was on hand at that
time.
IL this statement does not faithfully
quote Mr.. Watson, this newspaper will
be prompt with any correction. But
If the statement is true, 1t puts
Mr.. Watson and his company in a
position that is in no sense creditable.
The public has its opinion about pow
der in the warehouse of Mr.. Watson's
company; he must have heard what
has been said. If the company is in
nocent, one would suppose that Mr..
Watson would have fastened to put
the truth, in actual pounds of powder.
before the coroner's jury. He says
that his books can show how much
powder was in stock at the storehouSe,
Tuesday night lie asserts that he
does not know what the books show.
Strange; passing strange! Fifty
eight collins and more to come; vet
Mr.. Watson hasn't taken the time to
turn to his books and find out
whether the responsibility is his or
not! We have no doubt that Mr.. Wat
son is an honorable gentleman; his
testimony stands, because he swore to
it, But a mans blood must be as cold
as the blood of a whale if, during
these seven days, he has not had the
needed twenty minutes in which to
find out, from his own books, whether
his company is liable OF not
If Mr.. Watson had the proofs that.
in the warehouse of his company. last
Tuesday night, there could be found
only the quantity of powder the law
allows, he wouldn't have been swear
ing yesterday to Ignorance; he
wouldn't have presented himself, six
days after the awful event, with the
plea that he hadn't looked up the
question in the companys books 1t
is our opinion that Mr.. Watson did not
testify to the truth, yesterday. lie
can sue the STANDARD at his leisure
for this assertion, if he wants
TO; but that Is what we think.
If he is prepared TO swear that the
company he represents had in stock
only the amount of powder allowed
by law, let him swear it; but let not
an offended public be hoodwinked by
any mans false motions.
Manifestly, yesterdays testimony
before the coroner was a "play for
place" between the Butte Hardware
company and the Kenyon Connel
Commercial company. Mr.. Kenyon
testified yesterday. Whatever the
friendly relations may be that exist
between Mr. Kenyon and the writer of
these lines, II seems TO the STANDAEn
that it were better had yesterdays
testimony brought out more definite
declaration on Mr. Kvuyou's part re-
spec,luC the quantity of giant powder
in store az the kenyOu-CounelI ware
-. q. I'd.