The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-12

Grips. trucks. wheels. pulieys ''let-goS''
an. pickup al played a part la The
: bearing in the municipal cour, yesterday
Of the cases against Receiver o. u. Col
vim. of the Front street cable road and
. Acting Superintendent Samuel Gibson.
charged with violating the law in employ
Ing incompetent and inexperienced men oa
the road.
The Tlal lasted throughout the entire
Day and after argument by counsel II the
clese Of the evidence. the court, consist
ing OF Justices Of the Peace Austin and
lngsrs.'l. released both Defendants, hold
:ng .lnt the state had failed 10 make the
necessary showing of probable cause.
The court room was filled by the striking
employees and :helr friends during the
hearing. Seated beside Prosecuting At
torney AcElroy and Walter Fulton, his
assistant. was Labor Commissioner Back
Nan, assisting In prosecuting the case
for the state. a bencn Just IN the rear
q the states attorney aud his assistants
was filed with striking employees.
Ia many respects tn. case wac one OF
the most important that has been up for
uial In the municipal court for several
years. Receiver Coiyln. being an officer
CT the United States court found hiutsslr
In novel Position defending himself In
justice rttis al ai accusation OF
cslint. the p- eitl ior which might
Be imprssonh.t with Mr. Gibson tile
case Was some wnat different and when
The testimony was all in for the STATE.
Prosecuting Attorney McElroy moved that
the charge against him be dismissed with
cut waiting for testimony In behalf OF the
defense. This motion was granted and
then the court and attorneys TUNED their
attention 10 the evidence that was offered
" behalf Of Receiver Co!yln.
states Witnesses Testify.
Dir. Colv!n and Mr.. Gibson were arrested
last Thursday afternoon a. the instance
OF K. Barneli, one OF the striking en-
pioyes of the Front street road The in
formation charged the receiver and Mr..
Gibson with violating the statute enacted
hy the iast legislature prohibiting the EN-.
Nosneht OF incompetent and inexperi-
thced men on lines or street railway
The chief witnesses for the state were
MI. Burneli ana eN-Superlntendent CaId-
we'll. who testified yesterday al tha morn
ING session or the court. Rurnell swore
that he had worked on the road for several
years. both as gFipman and conductor
lie gave his opinion as To the difficulties
OF operation 10 he met ly men entrusted
with the handling and management ~
the cars. and said that man 10 be com
petent 10 work on the road should NOT only
q" experienced as a gripman, Dut should
De familiar with the road itself. Reply
Ing 10 questions from the states Attorney
he declared that the Front street lin. WIS
enc OF the most difficult roads TO work on
10 state what he knew OF j. Noreen. the
eripman who vas Oh the ca. operated
over the line Wecnesda-. and Who WIS
declared In the information 10 De iucoul-
ittent. Hurnell swore thai 10 the best
OF his knowledge and belief lac was I'M
acquainted with the read and had never
gripped on II.
superintendent CaidWeu. called IN
The stand, sworo that IN his opinion . mao.
unless familiar with the Front street road
would be- incompetent 20 be entrusted with
the handling OF ears no matter what hts
previous experience had been. caldwell
described the character OF the road its
curves and ''pick-ups'' and ''iet-g COS Tie
stated that Il was HIS belief that an ex-
perlenced mau could not satin a knowl-
edge % The road unless he had had four
days actual experience on II.
More testimony along this same line was
offered ny the state the Witnesses being c.
NAa% Ntt4t AliA w. L. tklMEN-
Fight Tor Dismissal
Here the noon adjournment ln:c~posei.
ON rcazse milling. u Jeroae was called by
u" state. Witness stated ;hat be saw
one Of the ears on The Front street line
pass the corner of Cherry street and First
avenue "Wednesday afternoon that Noreen
Was on the ear lu clarke ~ ,hc grip He
sNor" positively fhat no other e1nnioNsA ~
fAe road was Nith Norcen or on the car
THIS ended 5he Ease COR the state. IT being
admitted by ihe defense that Mr. G'olvin
mas The acting ara duly appointed receiver
o. me road. And a~ SUch empowered q,
employ and discharge men.
F. u. Hughes of strive All,a Hughes
q MfMlck"n who conducted the case Tor
the rcrelvsr and Superintendent Gibson
moved that the cases he dismissed In
support'ns thr m-tlon he declared that
X bad not been shown .tst tho company
or The receiver were operating she sarS on
ne da} IN question in the exercise os tae
franchise # CARRYING passengers rar hir-
~ iA3t The 'ecoivsr had employed the
grlpmsn Nercen ~ Hn<hcs made the
point thas Noyeeu MAS h~iar ..h~oken Pa B..
tnd Nss not Tn tile s3'atied service OF %
company arguing shst lt THE courts vouii
nof permit road % break ~ res mon
it0@' 'io'c 60 tue their operation would
ultimately he stopped san a -eF.ssrli,-
ton oi tAr statute 3s iwpi.ed hy 70 prose-
S0tfon i1 hiirKi NJ tAe csse AZ hsr. was
p" SAID Improper aud absurd
NJ tiFoN interrupted 10 now. TIA.
ne -a0e aeafnst Superintendent Gibson -
e-Nh-t~'H TBS being zF3n.td bv tha
tHaft Mr. Hughes dropped Pass argument