Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-22

Schmidt on the evening Vi 1HO IL e1 49,"
T came here. February eth or Sth. l
met him at the Stamm House. He said
Geo. w. Shippey had written him /
vould be here. 1 expected him, or
some one representing the Company,
and / did this because 1 understood
SbiDpey & Co. had sent goods to Hunt
ington to be reshipped here. | was a
salesman for Shippey & Co. They ship
ned the goods from Chicago, fly paper
among others. That made a part OF
the goods come from Geo. w. Shippey
&. Co. Of Chicago, some of them direct.
The fishing tackle and some other
goods came from the Trading Company,
ShiDpev 4 Co. are manufacturers
agents. don't know that, when the
goods went to Huntington, they ever
intended to ship them to Huntington.
came straight from Chicago to
Wheeling. left Saturday and got here
Sunday. and before l left Chicago l
learned that some of the goods were
to be reshipped to Wheeling. Schmidt
came here to get me to handle some
goods for the Central Trading Com
pany. and to get a receipt for the
Sbippev goods. AS far as l knew .
had concluded the arrangements at
Chicago for the goods. but Schmidt
wanted receipt because the goods had
been i'm the hands of the Trading Com
panv. I first met Schmidt that Sunday
in Wheeling: had never met him be-
fore. met Schmidt to give receipt
for the Shippey goods and to arrange
for the other goods from the Trading
Co. He came into the hotel that Sunday
evening. and the last time l saw him
was about the middle Of the next week,
after l had taken possession Of the
store. Schmidt had been looking out
for a store. for me. | did not tell
Johnson that l was arranging to lease
the store for Schmidt. Schmidt was
here about ten days, and stopped at the
Howell House. He did not go with me
to Pittsburg. or Bellaire, or any other
place. no one went with me. Schmidt
was the only man connected with the
Trading Co. ever knew. I can't re-
member how many shipments ! got
from the Company They never ship
ped goods to me at any other point.
O.-What relation are you TO the
Charles Eaton who was one of the
Directors of the Trading Company?
Al did not know there was any such
man.
DO you know a Charles Eaton?
A.-Yes.
Q.-Who is he? A.-That is one of
my names.
Q.-You were sometimes known as
Charles Eaton? Ayes.
Q.-And you were one of the incOr-
porators of the Central Trading Com
pany? A.-Not that know Of.
Draper shown)-That is your
name? A.-That is Charles Eaton.
never saw that paper before.
Q.-I suppose not, as this is copy
of the certificate of incorporation.
Where is Schmidt now? Al don't
know.
Q.-When did you see him last? A.
About week after the fire.
O.-Where? An Pittsburg.
Q.-Do you know NJ. J. Gion. A
No.
Q.-Do you know Alexander? A
No.
or a man named Baker? A
No.
Or Robert S. King? A.-No.
Q.-None Of these parties? A.-No.
G.-The first man you met then was
Schmidt. here in Wheeling? Ayes.
l never met him until came here.
Q.-I understood you to say so.
Witness was then asked about rent
ing the building, and said he was here
from Sunday until a week from the
next Monday before he rented the Tur-
ner building. He looked at a number
of buildings. and talked TO Mr.. John
son twice. the first time The first Tues
day or Wednesday defendant was in
the city. He looked at other stores,
but did not apply to any owner or
agent. He saw Schmidt several times
while this was going on, but did not
know whether he was here all the
time or not. Schmidt was here day
or two after the lease Of the store was
made. and defendant had several con-
versations with Schmidt, the contract
being closed on the 18th.
Witness put the goods on the second
floor to make room for more goods to
come He did not know how much
stuff might be consigned TO him.
OF that is true, why ala you eN-
pect to keep the first floor clear? Al
thought l might not be there all the
time. and did not want to have goods
exposed on the FIRST floor.
Q-How many goods had YOU or
dered. up to the time OF the fire, from
any source whatever? Al hcd not
ordered them; / did not know exactly
how many goods would come from the