, 1881-03-09
1IARDING'S CHARGES.
The House Committee Takes Up
Its End Of the tnvostiga-
ton.
Tho Same Complaints Having
Been Filed with tho Senate
Committee,
The Question Arises as to the
Propricty Of Acting on
Them.
After Debate It Is Decided to Adjourn and
Sleep Over the Situation.

After Debate It Is Decided to Adjourn and
eleep Over the Situation.
Special Dipateh to 7ht Cnieapo 1Stbuns. |
sPn1ss,rlEtp, ILL.,, March a-The McWIllntna
Investigating Committee. appointed by tho |
1folsp to Investigate certain Charges ngHinst Tho
ltn,Eruad Commissioners for hot preventing nj
iegc.l uxtortion on tho part OF certain railroads.
met this evening. The Clerk rcal commune |
cnt[on FROM Harttcsdn s. GIlfuolir. Of Macombs
charging tho Burlington fsoad with oxtortfon.
George r.. Harding. Of Chicago. was chilled
upuu. lie stated thMl he had alel certatt, eotn'
plulnts with tho Senate Committee and dill not
kuuw whether It would hc proper to lilo tho
sumo With tho ffnuec Enttnlttee.
McWIu!a,ns called Apnn ll@stllng to hc swortt,
mud tl1on called upon him to prefer his chargeS.
llnrdtng thoreupun submitted thu chHrgcs
which hr subllllttpl to tho Senate Committee,
M,.d which wcru printed In THE TRIBUNE Ut Fiji
1My.
1lio Clerk thon road tho printed document.
lIar,3!ng WIZ then chilled to the stand, md tes-
ttou that ho complained Oh behnlf Of
THE rEonfA STARCH COMPANY
against tnu Burlington And reOriA:H Springfield
ltairoAds. 4 copy Of tho complaint Twas FUR
nIshcd tho burlington. aud WIS answered by
Ripley, tho General Freight Agent.
Murphy. Of Perry, suggested that Harding tnke
up his cbnrgcs scriatil.
Iiurdlng said be could not support the charges
under bis uath. lie was rcndy to prove thoin
BY witnesses. 1Ie Ind specified In tho chnrges
Smith Asld nopue, bpcauso they wcro bGforo the
t2cHate fur confirmation on tho continuance OF
tuer ollce. He did not propose to AttAck Ober-
~. lie did not come bcIuru tho House Commit
teo OF his own mutton. Ilo camo in response TO
u subpHnA.
McWIlliums cur,ly remarked that tho exam.
iuatIon would proccotl.
tIarslng said that Ripley In htH letter had Do
1fcd in-toto tho charge Of c1tortlon. Tho Eosl-
1ntssloncrs had wrttton witness TINT they wunid
bc ut Peoria Il week frpm Tomorrow and Inves-
tixate tho complaints. There was
MUCH COMPLAINT IN PEORIA
because the railroads cUntcrlnR there Ind per-
,m!ttcI Hnothor coniplny to do tho switching
there Oh chasge of 81 per cur. This chnrGc he
prun3uuced MI cxtortion, and In conflict OF Sec.
Ut tho Railroad l,sw. The witness read tho
section. but, rs ho read It, failcd to cover his
complaint, and be thor fell back on Sec. ..
The Chulr asked II tho lutter section applied,
and tho witness ead ho thought it did uppIy to
grain. Tho extra terilpat charEcs shouid only
uppiy when extra suryEce was performed llo
believed grain should bo delivered Oh any
Bwttch wherever tho Rraln is consigned.
vAr!ous members Of tho Committee asked
questions nbout the switching as 10 who owned
the switches aud ade-tracka. etc.
Tho witness shtd tho reoru j. pekfn Uniou
1eased tho switches and imposed tho switching
chargcs. Every nlllroud company In Chlcuxo
might lease its switches md
THUS DOI,UE TIE DUTY
OF delivering tho grain On sdc-trnck. Witness
did not know IT. of his own knowledge. Witness
produced I'LL Gxtrnct from u Peoria paper
1itrd " 1tailroaI ltnoket to back up what hu
shid. Witness did not know how long tho ter
ul!nal ehurges compHiuud OF existed.
The Clerk rcud tho extract frum tho Peoria