New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-23

|Frlc.., JOURNAL or THE UNITED STATES
ser,c,al JOURNAL or THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
vxsK ON THE WITNESS STAND
His Railroad Testimony.

His Railroad Testimony-
We copy the following dispatch from the
Louisville Courier Journal:
NEW YORK, March I'm the great sui
of the Erie Railway Company against Van.
derbilt, to recover the money paid fol
certain shares, on conditions which, az
alleged, were not fulfilled, James Fisk, Jr.,
better known as Prince Erie, was on the
etand this afternoon. His quaint answers,
all given with an air of Comlcality, kept the
court and audience in continuous roar OF
laughter. Upon being asked what Wander
bilt told him at an interview had IN jersey
City, Fisk testified as follows:
He said to me that he wished to ascertain
from me if the matter could be settled; that
itseemed to him as if about all the directors
in the Erie Railway Company wanted to
trade with him, and he wanted to know
which was the right man: that ne thought
I was the one he wanted to see. tod MN
il he wanted good trade, he ought to
trade with me. Uaughter). He said he
thought had about as much power as any
of them: that the old man Drew was no
better than butter pudding; that Eldridge
was demoralized entirely, and that there
was no head or tail to our concern. l told
that that as my opinion also. He enter
ed into long conversation. He said to me
that | must always take my position as
keep these bloodhounds (referriDg to Clark
and the lawyers) on our track; that he
would be damned if he didn't keep them
after us if we didn't take the stock off
his hands, l told him that if | had my way
I'd be damned [energeticallyl if | took
share off; that he had brought the punish
ment upon himself, and that he deserved 1t.
This entirely melowed him down. Then
he said that the differences could never be
{pip IN
act together. / told him we could act TO-
gether if he didn't try to rob this corpora
ton; that ne was d robber, and that 1
would not submit TO it under any circum-
stances whatever; that | was dumfounded
and thunderstruck to find, on coming into
his presence, that he admitted engaging in
such transactions on the part of the direct
ors, whom had before considered as having
some spark of responsibility, and endeav-
ored to coDsummate such trade. Those
were the words told him. When / came
into the other room he repeated virtually
the same thing.
On cross examination, Judge Davis asked
Mr. Fisk:
When did you cease to reside in Boston
A. At that time. Nsughter.)
The witness was examined at length IS to
the various changes of officers of the Erie
company.
I went into the directory October Is,
1867. ] can remember that, because it was
an episode in my life worthy of being fixed
in my mind, because had no gray hairs at
that time. daughter
@. You had gray hairs from that time?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You say this is your first experience
as witness
A. think that testified once before in a
COW case in the country, when l was a boy.
[ Laughter
The witness was questioned infinitely in
to his first interview with Wander
bilt, and, while be was describing the Com
mocore as getting On his best, and being
slip shod, Judge Barnard said :: /" You had
better leave them at this place until to-
at eleven O'clock" The court then
adjourned.