The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-07
Examined bY Mr. Smith:


Companyp
A.. Yes a preliminary contract in March,
1856.
Q. Was it with the company
a. Yes.
Q. Did you make the contract with the
company without making any inquiry as to
what Was It's status9r -
A. Yea, sir. sawi.s charter. or za4st
q. Did it strike you as ,indiscreet to do
this2 of .a
A. No, sir. We could incur no risk.
When the road was completed, then a con-.
tract was to be made for the working of the
roads together. :
q. Was 1t in the Senate committee that
you heard all or nearly all that you know
of the irregularities of the Alexandria and
Fredericksburg Company? r.~E @" IL"
4. No, sir; heard something about It
from Col. Braxton. ..
Q. Did you not hear, then, while you
were advocating the Alexandria and Fred
ericksburg bill, that the company was an
illegal organization?
A. No, sir; heard it denounced as
------ A sw1NDL1Na CONCERN,
in having swindled persons; but I had no
evidence of, nor do I recollect that any
charge had been made then of illegality in
its organization. I knew that parties in
Pennsylvania were negotiating, through
MIR. Lincoln, to purchase the franchise of
the road. Mr.. Lincoln said he was their
agent, ,and intimated, but did not assert, that
it was the Pennsylvania Central railroad.
I did not hear that in the Senate commit
tee. got into the committee room some
time after its session commenced.
@. Did you summon Col. Braxton here?
A. did.
@. Why? .,
A. Because 1 heard him say that Mr..
johnson had told him that the Alexandria
and Fredericksburg Railroad Company
was an illegal organization.
Q. Did you inaugurate this investiga-
ton?
A. did, and furnished the resolution
which Mr.. Kelly offered. I heard from
Mr.. Kelly what Mr.. Stevens had said about
CAS SOlApauJs IuC olC-AauU1id 1uu II 1CuC-
ricksburg. Railroad Company was seeking
to build road parallel with that of my
company with a view of coercing the lat
ter, and it was my official duty to oppose it.
Q. What would be the effect on the gen.
tlemen who have invested their money in
this company if the Legislature should de-
clare this charter void?
A. Well, suppose if they had spent
any money they would lose it, though be-
lieve they had only done some surveying.
O.. Have you not heard that they paid
some money for the road?
A. had heard the sum variously esti-
mated at from 100000 to S150,00O, though
1 knew nothing about it.
Q. Were you not willing to treat with
Mr.. Roberts as President of the Alexandria
and Fredericksburg railroad?
A. In the matter Of preliminary contracts
or memoranda / was. That was in the
early tall. The memoranda would have to
be perfected in a future contract, when a
resolution of his Board of Directors author
izing it would have been required. ...
Q. Your opposition to this bill is on the
ground that this road would injure yours
A. Of course. 1t is my duty to protect
my company, though have always said in
the committee that if the Richmond, Fred
ericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company
had not one cent interest in the matter the
bill ought to be defeated for the honor and
credit of the State.
Q. understand you that you would op-
pose any road between Richmond and
Washington
A.. That depends upon where it was
built.
@. If it was alongside of your road?
A. Certainly would, unless my road
was inadequate to accommodate the pub.
| lie. -..
@. Is your road adequate to accommo.
date the public9 .,
A. 1t is adequate as far as it exists.
| @. Has not the Potomac been frozen, and
you been unable to send passengers te
| Washington -... ..-
| A. Yes, about week. That has occurred
only twice in five years.
Q. Do you solicit through freights'
! A. No, sir +; and for the reason that unit
the past few years through freight woult
have TO be wagoned through Richmond
and Petersburg, and it was against violent
opposition that the Richmond, Fredericks
burg and Potomac Railroad Company
had these gaps filed up. There is still
gap at Washington of two miles, and 1t il
for, that reason that we do not solicit
through freights.
| THE READING OF THE RECORD.
| The record in the case of Jos. B. SteWar
| Us. the Alexandria and Fredericksburg
Railroad Company was read. 1t included
letters from Mr.. Lincoln to Jos. B. Stewart
in which he gives history of the working
with the Legislature to get the bill through
The reading created much amusement
Lincoln maligns both friend and foe. O
one of his friends, who refused
to 60 on till some statements h
had made on Mr.. Lincoln's authortt.
were substantiated, he says che il
always fuddled and horrible liar" an,
begs Stewart to "keep him away" Of
member of the Senate, one of the. oppo
nents of the bill, he says he is an " ass ant
scoundrel;" and he disposes of the New
York bankers, who were anxious about tn
value OF the company's bonds, by sayin
that they "might 60 to helt" l.. q.
After the reading, the committee ad
Ijourned till Monday evening at 7 o'clock.
AS COOP AS ToM CoRwIN's.--Judg
Cooley, of New Orleans, tells the following