The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-25
The FUSE IS
OF FOREIGN
MANUFACTURE
Experts estify in the
Pinole Case.
FORCING FOUL PLAY THEORY
SPANISH SPY STORY rs BEING
STRENGTHENED.
FORCING FOUL PLAY THEORY
SPANISH SPY STORY rs BEING
STRENGTHENED.
More Evidence Is Iet to Come Which
NAV Result in Decision of the
Suit on This Point
Alone.

More evidence to prove that the destruc-
ton Of the California Powder Works in
July last was caused by the act of either
a traitor or a Spanish spy was admitted
by Judge Daingerffeld yesterday in the
case of James B. Anders against the cor
poration owning the works. Anders seeks
TO recover damages for personal injuries
sustained through the explosion and the
corporation is laboring to prove that the
fatal accident" was not an accident, but
the result of extraneous influences which
the company could not control, the Eek
traneous influences" meaning the act of
a traitor or a Spanish spy who wished 10
deprive the Government of the powder
then under course of manufacture.
AS published in yesterdays Call, short
ly after the accident a piece of fuse was
found near the scene of the explosion, the
barbed wire fence was found cut, foot
prints led to the location of the nitro
glycerine house; and these facts, taken
in connection with the appearance of a
stranger of Spanish appearance around
the works, led the managers and authori-
ties to believe that foul play caused the
fatal explosion. Yesterday a number of
experts, including Mr.. Birmingham, were
put on the stand TO prove that the re-
moval of debris after the first minor eX-
plosion was the proper course to pursue
and also to prove that the material re-
naming in the slum tubs, which caused
the disaster, was not explosive under or
binary conditions and could only be set
off under extraordinary circumstances.
This matter disposed of, experts were
called to prove that the fuse found shortly
after the explosion was not manufactured
in California. This could be determined
by the amount and quality of cloth used
in the manufacture of the fuse, the size
of the bore and manner of manufacture.
Samuel j. Eva was first called and after
an examination of the fuse said that In
his opoinion the fuse was of foreign man
ufacture. James b. Merritt, another fuse
expert, was called and gave the same
opinion, stating that the exhibit must
have been imported or brought here by a
foreigner as no such article was manu-
featured on this coast. Experts from the
Western Fuse and Explosives Company
opinions are largely depended upon to
convince the jury that 'eXtraneous in
fluences" indeed caused the terrible catas-
Mr.. Birmingham said yesterday after
noon that some days before the explosion
he was informed that the stranger ac-
cused of having applied the match to the
works was lettering in the vicinity. He
went out around the grounds. located him
and advised him to. leave the place If he
wanted TO keep out of trouble. The
stranger caught the next train and left
the works but the day before the explo-
sion ne, again appeared. The explosion
occurred anu ne mas EOl since Deen seen,
Notwithstanding that a number of ON
GERS have been searching for him since
that date. Mr. Birmingham says that ap-
plication was made to the Government for
a guard for the plant, but as the grounds
are large and the number of men neces-
sary to properly protect them was great
the Government was slow to consider the
matter and the destruction of the plant
and loss of life were the consequences of
the delay Before the trial is concluded
more evidence will be produced tending
to establish the contention that the works
were blown up by stranger, and if such
is proved then the suit of Anders must
necessarily fall.