Rock Island Argus., 1897-12-17
|L00NEY 1EST|F|ES,
Says He Only Acted in the
Capacity Of Legal
Adviser.
no PERSONAL INTEREST In TIE JOB

no PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE JOB
Dsesss the staesosats Atts.bsts1 - HIN
by Ala. Ksessdy ssa Johssoa - seys He
Kssw Nothing About the storm Drain
Dsfssaasss VIII Tar. sssss's Esiassss.
Conferences were held last even.
ing By the counsel for the various
defendants in the storm drain csse
in the circuit court and some OF
their clients, and rumors were car.
rent % TO what would occur today in
the Way Of turning states evidence
by some one or more OF the defend.
ants. Up 10 noon. however. moth.
ing OF the kind developed. The prin.
cipal witness at the morning session
Was John Looney, one Of the princi.
pal defendants. Who WAS still on the
stand at 5 O'Clock this afternoon.
The only other witnesses we're
ex.Msyor McConochie and William
Norton. The former Was one Of tbs
parties Who made she tour Of iusyec-
tion Of the drain about . year ago
and found the same in passably good
condition. Norton testified shat he
inspected the drain this morning for
the distance Of 20 feet ut the north
end and about 200 feet at the south
end and found the mortar in good
condition and the brick % far % he
could ascertain good hard buraed.
To get the mortar of he had to
strike 1t with . heavy hammer.
John Looney testified that he was
81 years old and Was born and raised
in Ottawa; that from the age OF Is
until about the age of 25 he was q
telegraph operator and wss 10
charge Of the Western Union Office in
this city that he wss admitted to
the bar In 1880, and has prrcsiced
law since that time; that In the sum.
mer CT 1895 NJ vim cam, to him and
asked his firm to act as his attorney
in the preparation Of bids and other
legal work connected with securing
the contract for the storm draip
that everything he did in connection
with the drain WAS as attorney fol
Schnell aud Eevin. He said he
ceased to be attorney for Nevin when
the contract was sIgned; that there.
after he acted for Schnell alone; .ha,
he knew nothing about the material
in the storm drain. He declared hs
never said before the city council ol
anyone else that he co1ld prove til.
only cement that was used on the lot
was Portland. He denied the state
ments made 10 Aids. Kennedy and
johnson that he or his firm was per
sonally interested in the contract.
The Aftsraoon Fr0eeedings.
The afternoon session yesterday
Was taken up largely with the cross
examination OF Lieut.. Hcrney and
the introduction Of witnesses WHIT
vent through the Drain about the
time Of the investigation and re
ported to the council as to the ma.
ierisl and the goodness Of the job a
. whole. The crots examination o
Lieut.. Horney was rigid, aud the
witness modified to some extent BIZ
evidence In chief. and stated tha,
when Portland cement failed to resci
. certain standard 1t no longer coult
be termed Portland cement. and that {
good brand Of Portland cement wal
stronger than any Of the natura
csments. The witness said tha,
Prof. Jamison, OF the Iowa State
university was an authority on ce.
meuts. but the witness differed from
him as to the worth OF Buckeye
Portlauds.
John Russell. an assistant in ths
drawing room at the arsenal. corrob
orstsd Lieut.. Horney % to the test
made Of the Buckeye Portland, which
showed the samples they tested tc
be OF very inferior quality.
Nels Pierce. OF the contrsctioe
6rm Of Pierce 4 Lundqu!st, Of Moline
stated that We went through the
drain about . year ago at the reques,
Il Mr.. Looney, aud examined Tic
brick and mortar entering into III
construction. There we're q number
Of contractors along, and the exami
nation WAS made with the aid Of twt
lanterns. Witness said that the NOR
tar Was good. and the job as . Who'll,
Was . good one; in fact the mortar
was much better than the brick and
would outlast the brick. He found
. place where there we're IL or q
soft brick, and there might hav,
been others. They did not uncover
the sewer. and could not cay whs
Was In the outer ring Of the sewer
Witness disclsimed knowing any
thing about cemsnts except that th,
Portland cost more than the nstura
cements. and were generally consid
cred better cements. On cross. ex
amination witness admitted tha
when before the council committe,
hs WAS unable to tell Milwaukee ol
Portlands cements apart, and va.
fooled BY Aid. Kennedy - to vhicl
Was which; in fact. he said, he die
not claim 10 be an expert on cements
and when be had . job to do be pa
In the cement called for In the spsci
0ra diana