The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-11-12

nature Of a fair and candid investigation.
Your early answer TO this proposition. in
writing, is respectfully requested
CHARLES OAKLEY.
State Trustee
CHICAco, Oct. 80, 1917.
Charles oakley, Esq, State Tiuaee:
SIR-We have received your cornmrni.
cation ofthis day, upon the subject of the
charges preferred by You against the ChicI
Enginee at the meeting of the subscribers ia
the loan of 81 100000 held in New York on
the 18th inst.
The charges were referred TO the trustees
Tor investigation and report by that meet
ing. and we have come to this place. as YOU
Know, to collect the necessary Information
for that purpose.
At the meeting yesterday. when Won
were applsed that the board wished TO pro
coed with the examination, you expressed
yourself willing TO 90 on with such witness
ses as yon might be able to find in town. bu,
that the majority of those whose TESTIMONY
You require. were not here.
You now propose in your written COM
mumcation 10 present the matters complain
cd OF against the Chief Engineer ..in the
form Of regular charges and Specifications. :;
The Chicf Engineer stated AT the meeting
last evening, that he made no objection TO
the form in which the charges are how pre-
scented In the paper referred 10 US by the
New York meeting, but that he was ready
and willing to meet them in the same man.
ner that he would moet then if drawn up
with rigid technicalty. If the party accu-
Sed does not except to the form, we do not
perceive any necessity on your part for
wishing to change the form Of the charges.
You express the opinion that more feeling
exists on our part than is consistent with i'm
partial investigation. This we diSclairn;
our duty in the matter is simply 10 ascertain
facts, and that can only be done by collect
ing testimony. Butte guard against allim
putatl0n ON this point, we propose TO invite
the Hon. Judge Dickey to sit with the Board
to aid in the investigation, and thus secure
an impartial examination of all the witness
eS which may be produced either by You or
by the Chief Engineer. He may also de.
eide upon any legal or technical points which
may arise IN the course of The inv, siigation.
Ills standing is such, we suppose. that all
parties will have entire confidence in anv
decision which he may DC called upon 10
make.
You ask forthe appointment of commits
sion by the Board to examine witnesses.
We deem this step quite unnecessary. if not
The particular charges which
we hold, were referred to the Board hy the
New York meeting to investigate. We do
not feel ourselves authorized TO substitute
others for them. We are now on the line
of the canal where all the alleged miscon.
duct Of the Chief Engineer has taken place;
1t Is mere we suppose, that the witnesses
Hre TO be found. Why then ask us to dele
gate to commission the power TO examine
witnesses who can probably be found at this
lime. and who can appear before the BOARD
and give their testimony?
we propose to proceed with the examin-
alton OF such witnesses as can now be pro-
cured on the part Of both the State Trustee
and the Chief Engineer. If after the exam
nation OF all the witnesses who can by due
diligence be produced by both parties shall
DC completed, either party shall make it ap.
pear to the Board that there are other wit
lcsses whose testimony is material, and
hat it can not be obtained at this time, fine
Board will take such order in the matter 10
secure the testimony of such witnesses as
shall appear to it to be just; provided the
names Of the absent witnesses and the facts
whichitis intended to establish by their tes-
imony be in the first instance exhibited bv
he party requiring the evidence.
we propose to commence the invcstira-
ion at the Canal Office on Monday, Nov.
LIST, at , O'Clock \. NJ, ut which time we
'equest that you will produce such witness
IS and testimony as you may desire to bring
Onward
We are your obedicnt servants,
W. II. SWIFT,
ID. LEAVITT.