Q. State whether or not you were coroner in July last, at the time of the difficulties here among the railroad employés?
A. I was coroner; yes, sir?
Q. Still holding that position?
A. Still hold that position. I was elected at the same time that Samuel J. Tilden was elected—elected, I say, that is my opinion.
Q. Can you state what day the first difficulty among the railroad employés broke out here, or commenced?
A. No; I cannot. I cannot state the day. I presume it was within a week or somewheres about the 16th—15th or 16th of July. I would date it about a week anterior to the time these men were killed, which was on the 23d, Monday. The excitement ran very high throughout the day of Sunday.
Q. Will you please give us a history of how it first started, and then trace the extent of the difficulty and troubles along up until you come to the date of the conflict between the strikers and the militia?
A. Well, I don't know that I can answer that question with much accuracy. There had evidently been for some time before considerable contending between these engineers who were suspended and the Reading Railroad Company. It is that, I presume, that led to the difficulty.
Q. What time were the engineers suspended by the railroad company?
A. That is more than I can say.