A. It might have been half past eight or nine. We could see the smoke from down where I lived. That was the first I knew of the burning, when I got up next morning, and came up to see what was burning. I got to Twentieth street about the time, or just before the police made their appearance there to stop the burning of cars.
Q. How far had the fire progressed towards the depot when you got there?
A. I am not positive the street, exactly, but it was in the neighborhood of Twentieth street.
Q. Was there any effort made by the police or any other parties to stop it there?
A. In the vicinity of Twentieth street, the police came along the wall that holds the embankment the tracks are laid on, and drove parties away from the cars. Just as the fire would catch a car, the rabble, composed of all parties, not rioters, but thieves or whatever you choose to call them, they would break into a car and commence carrying the things off—men, women, and children. The police drove the parties off the wall. Some of them fell down, and one, I noticed, got hurt, and, apparently, the police at that time had possession, and I thought it was going to stop, but in a short time I noticed smoke starting up below, further down, and the police went down that way.
Q. How many policemen were there?
A. I am not positive of the number, but there must have been twenty or thirty, the mayor at the head of the police.
Q. The mayor at the head of them?
A. That is my recollection. I am almost positive of that, because I know the mayor by sight when I see him.
Q. Did they succeed in clearing the track and driving them away from that point?