The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-22
ERIE vs.. VANDERBILT.
Tho Commodore on tho witness
stand.


The examination Of Cornelius Van.
derbilt In the suit Of the Erie railway
against Mr.. Vanderbilt, on charge OF
having defrRuded the Erie railway
Company out Of 5000, 900, took place
to-day. Mr.. Vanderbilt testified as fol-
lows: VI received In July, 1868. aeer-
titled check from Mr.. Gould for 81, ,0OO,-
600, and o bond Of the Erie d Hartford
road for l,250,000, that was on con-
tract with Mr.. Drew for selling $4,000
OF the Erie ut W. CAn't say whether
that was the price OF Erie then or not.
could not have purchased 80 large o
block without running up the stock;
can't say whether that purchase was
made az the time Of the litigation; I
thought II then good stock 70 hold;
sold It to Mr.. Drew for himself; made
up my mind that would have nothing
10 do with the Erfe road; did not sus-
pect that he was acting for the Erie
railway; how 1t came that Gould filed
his contract I don't know, 1t was some
arrangement between Gould, Drew and
Eldrldge; Mr.. Drew was TO pay me In
money aud Mr.. Eldridge had q good
many OF Erie aud Hartford bonds, and
/ suppose wanted some OF Mr.. Drew's
money; the Erie shares were paid
for 10 six hundred and twenty
i've bonds Of the Erie and Hartford
Railroad at half million. Mr.. Gould
paid In certified check for half q mill
lion, and told me II would send the
stock down to Work, Barton Il Co.,
they would give me two and half
million for 1t. l seut II down to them
and they passed that amount to my
credit. have no doubt heard OF the
settlement Of the Erie litigation, but
had nothing TO do with the litigation In
any shape. Part OF the arrangement
was that l should give an option to
purchase i've millions Of stock OF the
Erie Railway Company. 1t was not
made with the Erie Railway Company
MIR. Field read an agreement OF the
Commodore's, to deliver 10000 shares
OF stock 10 the Erie Railway. The Com
mOdore stated that he had not supposed
this was with the Erie Company; he
had supposed he was selling call at
70; he had heard nothing further from
that contract; he did not know or be-
lleve when he received the check for a
million that II came from the Erie
Railway Company; he only looked at
the certihcation; he thought there was
but one check In The transaction, The |
check was shown 10 Mr.. Vanderbilt. |
Il don't remember what this check was
given him tOr.' Another check was
shown howu him, on which he said he
could not tell whether II was his or not;
he couldn't recollect the check, and
would not swear to II without looking
At hla bank book; he couldn't tell
whether the signature on the back was
that OF Work, Davis Il Barton; he was
q very pour hand at recognizing sigma.
lures; the check was one Tor 500, 600, |
drawn by the officers Of the Erie Hall.
way to Jay Gould's order, aud endorsed
over TO and by Vanderbilt. Witness
could not remember the check or trans.
action, without reference to his books;
he could not tell whether Mr.. A, |
on the back. was certihcAtion or not.
10 another check shown him. he made |
was for $4,000. Vanderbilt said 1T
stead OF one. His impression is
still II was but one. A third check
for 81. SOC, 900 was produced drawn To
the order OF Work, Davis d. Barton, but
vanderbilt had never seen II. Saw
U ould several times, lie thought, but
did not remember what was said. He
should probably remember any mat
Iers Of business. Never had anything
TO do with the SuiIs against the Erie |
Railway Co. While Mr.. Drew was
In New jersey, he came once or twice
to visit him. lie gave hlm no advice.
He did not say II he was relieved OF this
SO 900 OF stock the litigation could be
settled. He did not want to be relieved
OF It. He would not have sold 1t for Il
dol lar less than what he got Tor 1t. He
had some stock afterwards OF the Erie
Railway Company, but Its amount was
II matter to be- kept to himself. He did
not know what arrangements were
made between Drew. Gould and Eld.
ridge. He did not insist on approval
BY the Erie Board Of Arrangements.
lie did not know that they had approx.
ed ofit. He had received 625 more OF
bonds Of the Boston, Hartford
and Erie RaIload. This was in
payment for the call for 10000
Bharee OF the Erie, and pretty cheap
call too. He had had nothing to do
with the Erie, he had not examined
the checks, or rather the check, for he
still believed there was but one, as he
had sufficient security In his hands II
they went wrong, Mr.. Field proposed
to suspend the examination iii MIR,
Vanderbilt could examine his books,
These checks are signed across the
face by Mr.. Allalre, paying the
teller OF the Manhattan bank. AT
the foot Of the agreement for a call Is
an assignment oft from Mr.. Aldridge
to Mr.. Fisk. AttwoP N. Vanderbilt's
examination was resumed, he stated
that he had been mistaken about the
one check, there were two checks and
the two checks produced were the two
he still owned portion Of the Boston,
Hartford & Erie bonds, he did not re.
member how much, he guessed be
owned a million Of them.
This ended the examination, 1t being
arranged that Mr.. Vanderbilt should
sIgn the examination when written out
h. 4. l. t..