The evening times., 1898-05-28
CAVITY TAKES THE STAND
He Tells the Story Of the Quar-
rel With Rye.
HIS ENEMY CARRIED A KNIFE
The Accused Testines n to the
Business transactions which He
Tell the Jury Of Threats Which
Rye Made Against Canty.

q climax today a few minutes before noon
when Mr.. Worthington, without the
slightest warning. called Dennis ]. Canty.
the defendant, to the witness stand to
testify in his own behalf.
As the defendant took the stand he was
paler than usual but his voice was steady
and his demeanor calm and collected.
Every word he uttered was attentively
listened to by everyone He had only con-
cluded his version of the alteration with
Rye the day before the shooting when the
recess hour arrived and the court ad-
journed.
Dennis j. Canty, the defendant. testi-
fed: II am thirty-nine years old; when
I came to Washington l had charge Of a
division in the Interstate Commerce Com
mission till two years ago; then went
into the stock brokerage business"
He then explained his business trans
fers till 1t came to be ''Canty & CO.
Continuing, he said: The firm failed
last August; / met Mr.. Rye four years
ago; he had two transactions with me; at
the time We failed We owed Rye between
$4eO and $500; we settled with him, L un-
derstood on the basis Of . cents on the
dollar; few days before l went to New
York Mr.. Van Senden told me that he
had some paper" Of Rye's; i never had
any talk with Rye about money from the
time we paid him the 500 till the day be-
fore the shooting; saw Rye frequently
but did not talk business; I saw Mr..
Maddux after 1 came back from New
York, some time in October. he told me
that Rye was looking for me about some
money matters and that ne (Rye) had
said he would cut my vitals out and told
me to watch out for him as he was
dangerous man.
II saw Rye in front of 1881 F Street
the day before the shooting. As l was
about going into No. 1881 F Street. 1 saw
Rye standing in front talking to some
one; Rye called me. and 1 went to the
railing and sat down; he said to me:
Well how about our AFFAIR." told him
we had a note of his from Kavenner, and
he said: 'Havenner and you all are a par
Gel of C. - thieves Rye called me
a -- big cur, and a sinking -
"He was then about six inches from
me; 1 then noticed his right hand, and
saw a knife blade in it; saw about two
inches of the blade: then got of the
railing; 1 said nothing till he said: C
- you I'll go anywhere with you and
asked him TO go inside: Rye said: No:
the street is good enough for me- and
kept on abusing me: I went into the Of
flee, and left him standing on the pave
ment: / did not see Mr.. Van Sender be-
fore the difficulty with Rye"
Miss Jennie Hanson, a chambermaid
at the Wellington Hotel testified that she
knew MIR. Rye.
John S. Holden. the paying teller at
the American Security Company, testified
that Canty had a small balance in the
bank and drew 1t out on the morning of
the shooting.
Mr.. Madduy. who testified during the
early part of the week, was recalled
to give evidence as to threats made by
Rye in September. 1897. District Attorney
Davis objected as it was too remote.
The court overruled the objection and
the witness was told to repeat the threats.
Mr.. Madux said If he was to repeat the
language of Rye the ladies would have to
leave the room. The court asked the Ia
dies to retire, and the witness then pro-
ceeded to repeat what Rye had said about
Canty. 1t was in effect that Canty owed
him (Rye) money, and he was going to
have 1t or cut his heart out" The other
language repeated by the witness is un-
fit for publication.
Mr.. MadduX stated that Rye had made
threats against Canty on another occasion
and he had warned Canty of what had
been said. He also said he had played
cards with Rye, but not with Canty.
Mr.. c. t. Havenner, stock broker, tes-
tined: Il know Canty and knew Rye"
He was shown the note given him by Rye
and said he had given it to Van Sender.
lie van Senden
that Rye always said he would pay the
note. I gave the note. the face value of
which is $3.50, for 500
Andrew Lawrence, colored, was recalled
to testify as to what he heard Rye say
five or ten minutes before he was killed
he said that at 11:i0 o'clock in front of
No. 1881 F Street he heard Rye say. Can
ty owes me $500 and if he doesn't give It
to me there is no telling what I'll do"
Lawrence said at that rIme Rye had a
knife in his hand and was shaking 1t in
the faces of gentlemen he was talking to.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Davis the
witness said he came to Washington in
1896. and then worked three weeks in
handling ice. Not being able to support
his family in this way he took to black
ing boots and running messages. He said
that he knew the man who was talking
was Rye by the way he was dressed He
then went on to say that Rye had on a
frince Albert coat and silk hat
On being asked to describe a Prince Al
bert coat. Lawrence pointed to a sack
coat worn by Bailff Joyce and said 'its
like that"
The witness on being shown his state
ment as published in the Star on the
evening of the shooting denied that it was
correct.
w. ID. Claussman, a broker, was re-
called to state the substance of a CONVEX
sation he had with Rye at Chamberiain.s
Hotel in January. 1898. Substantially it
was that Rye had said that Canty owed
him money and that If he didn't get it
he Rye) would kill him. Claussman also
had another conversation with Rye a
short while before the shooting in which
nearly the same threats were made.
Claussman said he had not communf-
Gated the threats to Canty.
When the court convened after recess
the defendant took the stand again and
continued his story of the shooting and
the circumstances which led to it. He
said:
"On the day of the fuss at No. 1881 F
Street, l went home. arriving there at
about 3:45 p. m; did not leave there un-
I'll the next morning at 10 o'clock; It was
my habit to go out In the evening; had
company at home; when left home on
the day of the shooting 1 was armed with
a revolver; I prepared for It the
night before; had the pistol about four
years: / kept 1t at home; 1t was sec
ond-hand when I bought it: prior to my
difficulty with Rye never carried 1t:
put 1t in my right-hand pants pocket;
armed myself to project myself
against Rye; when went
down to the Columbia Bank and drew
some money and carried 1t home and gave
1t to my wife. 1 then went back and drew
balance had in the American Security
Company. 1t was SIS or $50. 1 met Mr.
Waggaman and stopped to talk to him
about money he owed me. We then start
ed to walk toward F Street. I was on the
outside. After discussing our business
we began to talk of Mr.. Rye.
Continuing the defendant said: I'VE
were talking about Rye till he came up.
When Rye approached I was standing