New-York tribune., 1875-08-06
AN APPEAL TO ERIE SHAREHOLDERS.

CIRCULAR or THE PROTECTIVE COMMITTEE.
A circular letter addressed to the Erie Rail
way shareholders has just been issued by the
Erie Railway Protection Committee. of which
John Hooper, President OF the North River
Savings Bank at No 474 Hghth-aye is President. 1t
reviews the history OF the Company during the past ten
years and calls for immediate action on the part OF those
who are bona fde holders OF Erie stock 10 assist in
deemng the road from the hands of the Ring" into
which, IL is claimed II has fallen. Among the statements
Of the circular the following:
Since 1865 when Erie paid dividend OF seven per
cent upon the preferred and eight per cent upon the
common stock the line has not been m nanaged Gr ,he
eats OF NewYOrk WI ether after numerous experiments
and failures its affairs shall be differently conducted
must be determined by shareholders. OF ihe II gentle
men who claim 10 have been elected TO the director
and Packer, own not single share; seblns ha" none
absolutely in his own right; eight namely Joinston
Hotchkss own one share each Roberts owns two, and
Ramsde six shares-the total held by the whole hoard
e. st<bbins 4 SOM being only AIS shares. Receiver
Jewett save, N effect that Erie has no bona hde share
Ioent, but is frequently, and largely changing
SsSS 81 TIT If. G MaS hS 49, s waa Sa
taught him by his master, Samuel L. M BARLOW But the
allegation; for it shows Elie has thousands Of share
holders resident IN the United Kingdom upon thc Cont,
WHO II Mr. Barlows oath is true. not only lold for i'll
yesmcnt but enaciously retain their stock for years
Proceeding to anayze Mr. Barlow's connection with
Erie the circular says: Samuel L. NJ Barlow, who with
his client William Butler Duncan) the controlling
element OF sO-cacd direction OF 1872 having obtained
possesslun Of the line through improper and legt
mate procedure, wholly outside of and unknown TO the
hw-by fraud and bribery and coi1uption-coud not ia
the nature of things have been honest III his designs IL
seized The property not Or Its welfare hut TO make
OF its for the promotion OF his clients Interest
in Bsoyen swinde corporation, the rottenest and
most thoroughly financed concern In the Union
Joining with GOuds directors, bribed by Samuel L. VI.
Barlow at an cxpense OF S750oO (which he has wrong
fully caused 10 he reimbursed from the E1e treasury in
an evil hour the sOcaed coup dedt OF March H. 1872
resulted in placing The line under his tBarlOw 81 con
trol az sentative and counsel OF the BschOf
theim Atantic GrHt- cetern clique In
February 1873, Bsrow's Board declared fiyi-
6ehd, accompany ing its announcement by the most
glowing hut untTuihfnl statements or President
Watson the effect that thereafter the road would earn
and pay semaunua dividends upon all It's stock that
SgOOOOOO had been recovered fvom Gould; that by ill
10 Ttoc khoders Upon such false dividend and declara
tons they hastened their emssaries To Europe; esta
lshed au Erie Office in London and sent agents through
out the United Kingdom for iTrovOcae proxies in the
Joint naEes OF Peter H. Watson and Samuel l.. NJ Bar
low. With these proxies thus obtained by means OF
ktat1ments and dividends alike false and iraudI-
lent Barlow, as the chief cOnsplratOr, has peYpet-
uated power by voting hislf his tools, reaners, and
figure heads into the Erie direction. Some who executed
the proxies supposed them valid FOR only one election
But although the stock still stacs IN their names upon
the stock edgers and transfer books II is known that
many al present bona hdc holders The entire
capital could be bought held, and owned by person
without that fact appearing Tie transfer books on
tansfer the stock, except tO vote upon.