The morning times., 1896-03-12
WANT IT DEFINED.


WANT IT DEFINED.
Judge IIa guer has intimated that he will
grant This motion with costs against the
| Commissioners. But Attorneys Wilson
| and Redington for the Light Company may
| arguc against this ana make an effort
to amend the bill glcd 50 as to make it
| general in application, and so secure re-
llef from interference with any changes of
the kind hitherto pcrmtte ed with very little
| question.
AT the hearing before Judge Hagner
| yesterday, the four attorneys took their
| seats in line before the bar. Messrs. Thomas
arc Wilson in the center, and Duvall ana
| Redington on either flank, with President
| Thomas just behind Mfr. Duvall. Then
in unison the four arose ana in a steady
! liIt" advanced to address the Judge.
MesSrs. Wilson and Redington were
eagerly attentive TO prevent their antag-
! cIists from gaining the slightest advan-
| tage through any inadyertcnce. The air
| wds full OF electricity and nervous energy.
| 4 great reaction ana relaxation OF the
| intensity Of feeling followed almost with
| tne first words of-Attorney Thomas.
He said he had4a paper which lie sup
| posed would close the argument at once.
| He then said the Commissioners had during
| the morning made an order modifying aud
interpreting their order or March 8, direct
| ing the police to prevent the stringng OF
| wires in undcrgrou nd con duits OuFOurtecnth
and Fifteenth streets northwest except
upon permit and then only under the super
vision OF a representative or the Engineer
| ing Department
He read the modification which stated
that the original order was not intended
to apply south of Pennsy ylvania avenue aud
will be so understood.''
He added that the, eases against Mcssrs.
| Chamberlain, Purcell, Langster and Ed
wards, employees of the Light Company,
would be dismissed
WAS A SURPRISE.
Judge Wilson and Mr. Redington re-
covered quickly from their surprise at so
easy victory and held a hurried consUlta-
tion in whispers. Then Judge Wilson said
they hardly knew what to do under the cir
cumstances.
The Commissioners had practically in
person directed the arrests on the pre-
yious afternoon. Ithad not been one arrest.
Three times they had Interrupted the work
OF the cOmpany's employees and now they
come to say that they didn't mean it and
their order had been misintcrpreted.
He would not undertake TO say that there
would be any further interference with
the laying OF the wires in the conduits lead
ing TO the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing. OF course. he supposed there certainly
would not be. Nevertheless, after only
few moments consultation he and Mr..
Redington thought best To ask that the bill
be not dismissed as 1t might be needed for
some further action in regard TO laying
OF wires by the company.
Judge HaGner Thought moment, then
| said lie hardly knew what order could be
made in the case. The defense simply
announced that they were unwilling to
enter into a contest over the matter. The
merits of the matter were not entered into.
He would, OF course, have a Judgment for
costs entered against the Commissioners.
MONEY WAS IAiMATERIAL.
"Oh! that's no natter said the at
torneys for the company together. intimat-
ing that this money consideration was
trivial.
! Not that it's Of any consequence as a
money NATTER continued Judge HaGner,
bat it's your right and is the only evil
dence of which way the land lies. Ii
VIII snow what the result WIS III tIliS case
| if there should he question in the future"
| Why the Commissioners withdrew their
| opposition was a matter of n good deal
of speculation during the afternoon. The
| Commissioners Contented themselves with
saving that the order was never intended
| to apply to Fourteenth street south OF
| PennS ylvania avenue.
| 1t was conjectured by some that the
|
terfercnce with the work OF the Bureau
OF Engraving and Printing ought to be
allowed. Another guess was that the
Commissioners had simply forgotten the
| permit for the work Which they issued
OH February 21, good till March 25.
And finally ii was suggested that their
! difficulty in making case in the police
court against the men arrested might have
| had some influence.