New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-15
The Erie StOckhOlders-COuch's State
ment.

A New YORK dispatch reports the 1Oilo"
ing:
George Couch. who formerly represented
the English stockholders in the interest OF
Fisk and Gould, and who is now apparently
on the other side, gives the following 10 the
press: Gould and party say that tins is al
a conspiracy and combination III the III
terests of McHenry, and that a SNORT 'ine
ago. if we got a chance, we wouid put IN
aii FngIisbmen. which is c~ontradicted by
our putting in all Americans. The talk
that the interests of the road are TO be
suhservient to those of the Atlantic and
Crear Western is merely a weak assertion
of the enemy. r
As TO the alleged conspiracy. TIE names of
the men we have here now on the re board
are those OF men not likely 10 60 into any
underhanded conspiracy. 1t would not pay
them to do it, and they would not be here
to take opposition II they had not known
this was done on a sound basis and sOunG
legal advice. Tie manner in which it was
done was this: The English stockholders
were determined to have it settled one way
or the other. They made the mistake of
sending the wrong man first. They made
blunders in the Legislature and the courts.
The money of the company was being
wasted. and they did nothing. But at tho
downfall of Tammany there was a grand
rally. and they determined to take legisla-
tive action again, thinking that the down.
fall of Tammany was a triumph of virtue
over vice. and that they would carry every
thing before them, and that the downfall Of
Erie would follow the downfall Of Tanmany
by legislative action, that elections would
be ordered in July. and the road would be
thrown into bankruptcy. They determined
to make another move.
General Sickles was coming over for the
Republican party at Albany TO press other
Republican measures. lie had been acting
for some time as counsel OF the English
stockholders, and he was appointed head
centre. General Sickles moved his column
still fully forward, and gained ground IN the
Legislature. and was supported by Attorney
General Barlow by flank movements in the
courts.
All the time 1 was travelling with the
corporators here, not in the employ of
Fisk & Gould individually, l was travel
ing over the line; and the more / saw
of Gould, the more l was convinced that he
was not pursuing the line of Iolicy we ex-
pected.
Conversing with other directors, the old,
solid men who helped up the company, they
all along lamented that this state of things
existed. and that most things were done by
the executive committee, and hat the di-
rectors were not able to find out half the
time what was going on; and some of them
stayed away altogether. but were longing
for a change. Nearly all Of them had warm
personal friendship for Fisk, which delayed
their action.
The bullet that killed Fisk killed Gould's
friends: and we have not heard to-day ii
Single regret from any man. l went over
to London in November to confer with the
and to bring about the settle
,o,I e .1:r tI,pr This n,aftar u-aC RI tho
commerce of the two countries what the
Alabama claims are in politics. No Ameri-
can could get an enterprise carried through.
The disclosures in regard to the Erie
checked everything. People
who never owned a dollar in Erie used it
Just as an excuse. To have the matter
settled, | undertook to take charge of their
affairs, and l said that there were a good
manv here who, if convinced that this move
ment was Oh the part of bona fide holders OF
stock. would do all in their power.
But the majority were poor men, and
would have resigned long ago. bur they felt
it their duty to stay and watch the interests
they were elected to watch.
General Sickles, as l said. was the head
centre Of the movement, and worked IN a
mastery manner, and all the credit Is due
to him. for he worked night and day. He
was pushing his columns victnriously for
ward when | returned to America and gave
him an inside view of Erie and told him
what had already happened TO the stock
holders, aud it surprised him as much as
Ever since | landed | was watched by
Gould's detectives. and | was approached
with brides of any amount if i would only
work in Gould's interest. and Gould wanted
to get me up to the house: but all the time
/ managed to direct their attention away
from here and directed it to Albany, look
for some astounding developments. But
| found the people all the time determined
to put an end to Gould's rascalities. The
that is the good directors of the
old board. with the exception OF Eldridge,
and Drake, determined 10 call a
Gould put it of by every possible
DELAY for lie knew that these men would
not follow his course, and he attempts to
put in men who would carry on his schemes,
and for that purpose had already put in
Sherwood and Drake.
The truth was he wanted 10 stave OFF this
meeting. and threatened to throw the road
into bankruptcy, and made other threats.
for rule or ruin was his determination.
Delay after delay took place in this despotic
until at last a meeting was called
by nine members OF his board. On Saturs
day last they called the meeting, and find
ing that he could not any longer oppose
them. lie summoned a meeting at twelve
today.
The members Of the board, that is the
majority OF the board who were disposed to
the proper thing, met: and tie minority,
men. stayed away under his direc-
They were here in the building. such
as Sherwood and EIdridge; but they didno
dare to face the music, and Gould himself
IN the council room, and Henry VI.
Smith was running backward and forwards
orders.
We knew what the enemy was doing. and
.halt-past eleven O'Clock the new
members of The board, G. b. Mcclellan and
We're rendezvoused at Barlow's
accompanied by General Porter and
Counselor Mcfarland, all the time acting
under legal advice, acting as a kind OF
Uhlan duty. and before Gould got lis sen
tries posted, my men took up their places !
next the directors room, where Gould and
the directors were in session.
The meeting had scarcely commenced
when in rushed a parcel of men under com
OF the sheriff and attempted 10 clear
US all out. There were about twenty or
thirty of them. We thanked them by send
inc a notification to the directors that an
order had arrived from Gould to clear us
out, and they invited us to remain. and we
told the men in charge, and they did not
Know now 10 ACT. Uou!u ehoA S'hU "oiu
clear out the whole lot of us, and the
force made a rush for the directors room.
Mr.. Archer behaved nobIy. He had con
tested Fisk's orders before that, and he was
irm and collected: and when the sheriff
his men found such men as Mcclellan
others sitting around the board, men OF
and standing, they dared not
move. Gould sent order after order to clear
he men out, and the fact was the sheritf's
men would not obey the orders; they were
Once the new members We're IN.
hey elected the men l have named, and
hey went in and took their seats one by
me. The others resigned.
They Oniy wanted to have their accounts