A. That I could not say. I had no right to compel the closing of them—none whatever. I could only request.
Q. You had a riot and disorder in the city then. Do I understand that you had no right to order the saloons closed?
A. No, sir; I have no right to order them closed, under any circumstances, except upon Sunday or upon election days. Then the laws forbid them to be open.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did you have any knowledge of the disturbance, and the extent of the disturbance during Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, out in the vicinity of the Union depot, on the railroad?
A. I did not know of any disturbance occurring.
Q. During any of those days?
A. None of those days, except what I told you as having occurred on Thursday. I had reason to believe that there was no disturbance from Thursday afternoon until Saturday afternoon.
Q. Didn't you know of a large collection of people in that vicinity?
A. Oh, yes, sir. I knew they were coming there—went there to see the soldiers—what was going on. People went there as they would to a county fair or a boat race, to see what was to be seen. Men with their families, women with their children, even children in their arms, went there from curiosity.