The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-22

tefu00n, ana lNAt ulEut WeEN HeeAN eAAs
arguments Of counsel. This morning
nom . to 1850 o'clock, counsel for de-
Tense win hold the boards. and the state
closes this afternoon.
The feature yesterday was the APP
pearanee on the stand Of the defendant
william Eaton. who testified in his own
behalf for several hours, He denied the
allegations OF Albert Grandson. the col
ored man employed by hun at the Turner
building. and an important witness for
the state Eaton was plainly nervous
throughout the questioning of Mr., J. b,
Sommeryille. but answered all questions
81 q clear. low tone OF voice.
The state brought out apparently dam
aging evidence against Eaton's methods
Of business, when In reply to MI som
merVille. Eaton admitted that he some.
tInes went by the name Of Charles
Eaton, and that the goods which ne
eWore In his proof OF loss belonged TO
him. did not. as he stated yesterday out
were the property OF George w. Shlppey'
manager Of a Chicago concern.
There were no breezy this between
Opposing counsel. and the trial progress
"a very smoothly. The first witnesses
"a the morning were Lieutenant Dan IN
gram and Captain Bennett, neither OF
Sl,ho1, gave new facts to the case. Clerk
Welsberg. OF the Seventh Avenue hotel,
Pittsburgh. testified At the preliminary
hearing Regarding Eaton's stay ~ ms
hotel. and his testimony was read yes
tbrtiay by Stenographer Walters, VINO
took the preliminary proceedings.
The defense examined Mrs, Della
Nolan. OF Benwood. and her bartender,
James Canovan. and Patrick Herring
ton. Of the same town. regarding Eaton
visit 10 BenwoOd ahous the time ne Is
alleged 10 have been AZ his store. the day
fsfore the fire All thought they saw
Eaton there. but were not positive
John Hull. colored. porter At the
stamm House, was called, but hadn't
much 70 say.
Then William Eaton took the witness
stand. Col. Arnett asked him II he was
guilty Of setting fire 10 the Turner build
Ing. and witness answered. mot guilty
He denied ever being in Huntington, ana
said previous 20 coming 10 Wheeling ne
lived In Chicago. and came 20 this city
about February or s. 1897. He stopped
AZ the Sfamn house during his stay in
wheeling. He detailed the facts per-
tainIng 10 hls renting the building OF MT
johnson. and his placing OF Insurance
with the several companies
HIS goods began 70 arrive the next day
after he rented the store, coming from
HUNTINGTON and Chlclgt Al the time
OF the Gre there were goods waiting Tor
him At the depot. He denied witness
Charnock's statement that he was IN
Wheeling abou, moon Of the day OF the
are: also denied meeting Grandson on
Main street bridge and attempting 10
eyede him The day In question he had
bsan In steubenville. Bellaire and Ben
wood, coming down from Pittsburgh
early In the morning, and left Bellalre
nj ass o'clock. p. m. for Pittsburgh. He
reached Pittsburgh that night. and
heard OF the Dire the next Thursday
morning. February q Next day he re-
turned u Wheeling, and In company
with Mr. Johnson. visited the building.
Eaton denied having the pear
shaped objects" described by Grandson.
Neither dld he offer Grandson 500 20
keen him dulet. Denied placing boxes
In front OF the second story windows. so
a. 10 obscure observation from the street.
he said he piled the fly paper loosely
about so Il could have 4 chance 10 dry.
and was afraid the roof would leak and
spoil the hy paper
In the Afternoon.
When court opened in the afternoon,
Sir. sommsrville. for the state. subject
ed Baton to rigid cross-examinatlon.
He began by asking witness II he knew
sehmltt, a man supposed TO have been
associated with Eaton. but the latter
stated that ne met Schmitt in Wheeling.
and that he knew him az one OF the Cen
fral Trading Company. Huntington. and
the only member OF the company he
knew. Schmltt stopped at the Howell
House. and didn't accompany Eaton 20
PlttsburEh
witness didn't know Charles Eaton.
IN incorporation OF the company. Charles
Eaton was a name he sometimes went
BY He denied being the Charles Eaton,
or the Central Trading Company. Didn't
know Matthew ]. Guyon, Charles Alex
ander, r. a. Baker OF Il. S. King. Didn't
know Schmitt until he met him In
wheeling W. D. johnson was the only
man to whom Eaton made application
for q building. but had been In Wheeling
o week previous. Schmitt left the city
during the week he closed the contract
with Mr. johnson; he closed the con-
tract un MONDAY. the 18th.
Mr.. SommerYllle then Questioned Ea-
ton about keys for the back door. and
Eaton maintained there had been a con-
VersatIon between him and Mr. johnson.
regarding the keys. contrary 10 Mr..
Johnson's testimony. Eaton admitted
there was bolts on the back door. but he
put on a lock and got keys for II.
Eaton said he didn't want his goods
on the first lOur, because he wanted the
firat floor clear. and he expected 20 be
away at times, and didn't want his goods
exposed. He had more goods 10 come
from Huntington at the time OF the IRE,
hut didn't know what kind pf goods.
Was also expecting more fly paper from
Shlppy & Co., Chicago. but didn't re-
member the amount he was 20 get. prob
ably eight or nine cases OF the poisonous
ny papers. Was not expecting goods
from other than the two companies.
"Wlll you tell me. Mr. Eaton" asked
Mr.. sommervlle. What You wanted
with three-story building. II you didn't
expect any more EOods2"
'"The rent was low" replied Eaton,
land the store WAS In the business dis
''But you didn't make inquiries Of
other property owners
81 may have but | don't think 80,
witness replied.
Eaton later said that he was satisfied
the rent was low. and thought he might
have got along with q smaller store. In
reply to Mr.. Sommervllle. he said It
could not have been practicable 10 pack
all his goods 80 M 10 put them all on
one floor The second day his goods be-
gan TO arrive he began 90 remove them 10
the second floor and kept this plan UP.
He worked on the Sunday before the FIRE
q short while. part Of forenoon and part
Of afternoon, about six hours altogether
He was working with the boxes; also
worked on Monday forenoon. He spent
his time on the second floor.
The canes. fishing tackle. box acrapers.
came from Huntington. ns did the busta
~ Columbus and little dogs" The
only shipment from Chicago was the pol
sonous ny paper; u was ahlpped In