The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-12

Language.
Since Thursday last Judge Archibald
| and twelve Jurors have listened to wit
nesses being examined on the quantity
and quality of what is claimed to be
$4,000 worth of books and $4,000 worth
OF household goods. which comprise the
subject matter of the $4,000 suit of p.
NJ. Thornton. of Wilkes Barre. against
the Security Insurance company, of
New Haven, and the National Assur-
| ance company. of Ireland.
Every one of the 1900 books and
every single article of the household
effects are detailed in catalogue and
inventory, and each witness is not only
telling that all these things had actual
existence, but, as far as possible, de-
scribes the appearance of the article
before the fire, and its appearance, If it
had any after the fire.
Eleven witnesses have already gone
over the list in whole or in part. They
did 1t, too, in a dry, uninteresting,
matter of fact way. That the listeners
were looking for relief will be believed.
That they got it, will likewise be ac-
| preciate the Importance of a colored
drayman, who is called to the witness
box and given to understand that he is
| principal witness, with much depend
ing upon his testimony
OvERToN WAS THE MAN.
George C.. Overton was the witness.
| He is proprietor of the Overton Dray-
| ing company, of Wilkes Barre, and a
well-to-do citizen. He was engaged to
| move the plaintiffs belongings, and
personally supervised their moving on
| the day preceding the fire.
| MIR. McGahren took him in hand first
| and after the usual preliminary ques-
tions, the following colloquy ensued
Q. What business are you engaged in? A. am
| considered Il professional drayman
Q. How many years have you followed that
profession? A. was born in it, my father be.
| fore me.
| q. Whether or not you were employed to- move
| Mr. Thornton's furniture and household effects
| from his house on Main street in the city OF
Wilkes.Barre, to Maple street in Kingston in
April, 1901? A. was. He requested me person.
| ally to attend to his moving.
| g. Now. tell us about what time in the day, or
| morning, You commenced to do the work of NOV.
| ing? A. Well, curing April We work night and
| day. and it was about half.past two or three
| O'Clock, | guess in the morning, and we came
| up to Mr.. Thorntons, and we rang the bell, and
| couldn't get anybody up. ! was very anxious to
get him moved, because it was greater way to
| move than ! cared to bother with; and VIC
| couldn't get anybody up, and then went and
| did another moving South Main street, ard !
sent another man back without my presence about
| five o'clock, and couldn't get any answer again.
and we came back about seven. between scvcn
and eight O'Clock, myself and two men.
| Mr.. Overton then got in trouble be-
cause of his insisting on stating his
general custom of doing business, and
that people who didn't move and
didn't understand movings, couldn't
understand what he was talking about,
al lof which brought upon his head
| objection from Mr.. Lenahan. He was
rescued by the court, who said that 1t
was his way of telling the story. And
! it was.
| Il couldn't explain to you gentlemen,
unless you understood what moving
! is." the witness rejoined.
| g. State briefly what you found, what you saw,
and what you did? A. | found the incest fur
niturc moved out of three hundred movings.
bfD ol.olitfS fEkFt'llON.
| Q. Describe particularly what kind Of furni-
turc it wss2 A. The beds were white enamel
! with brass furnishings and stands. polished. The
| bed clothes were Il matter OF perfection. Every
| thing neat. and everything clean. But when it
| came to their furniture and rocking chairs
| their mirrors were a hevcl glass, and hat racks,
| and he had book cases that YOU never in a
| private house, hassocks. mattresses. carpets, end
| in fact all of the furniture is superb; and when
| it comes TO boolls, will mention those specially,
| because he had half van foil OF books. l
couldn't enumcrate them, that is, what they were
but anyway there was fifteen shoe boxes full.
Q. What kind OF books were they with refer
encc to the binding? A. There is gilt edge, some
were. you know, know what they call the bind.
| ing, Morocco and half Morocco binding; in fact,
| it was Just picture to the sye that library was.
| And that is no exaggeration, not in the least,
| Mr. Lenahan. No cXaggeration at ALL
Q. How many loads of furniture did you take? e?
| A. Three
| Q. About what the size OF each load OF
| furniture? A. There is no van in Scranton can
handle what can.
| Q. That is where you step ahead of Scranton, is
! it? A, We beat Scranton, every time; we defy
| Scranton; We beat Scranton every time.
Cross examination by Mr.. Lenallar.
Q. That a very magnificent library, it
George2 A. Yes, it was,
O. Books bound with gold? A. Some, | seen n
| whole set there in the gold edges; don't know
what that was. But tell you it was striking
| effect especially TO the eye
| O. guess you can go, George; that is all
The witness manner coupled with
his eloquence, kept the whole court
room in laughter during his stay OH the
stand.
Others who testified yesterday were
Mrs. Thornton, wife of the plaintiff;
Miss Name McNealis, slster-in-law of
the plaintiff; Attorneys ID. r. Reese
and ID. w. Davis, personal friends of
Mr.. Thornton; A. A. Miller. drayman;
Martin j. Geary, book dealer; Charles
| Strong and w. Fl, Benedict. furniture
dealers, and e. l.. Crisman, real estate
dealer, who told of the condition of the
property in suit, either before or after
| the fire.
Mr. Geary who appraised the books
| that escaped the flames, placed Il value
on them of $l522S. Mr.. Strong, who
appraised the remnants of the house,
hold goods and auctioned off the books
and household goods. fixed the value
of the latter at sll7G3