Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-15
THE RAILROAD INQUIRY.


PROCEEDINGS OF THE SPECIAL conf
M1TTEE.
Special Correspondence Of The BKl.
Tho public has already been in.
formed by THE BEE of the manner in
which this committee was appointed; !;
how Speaker Humphrey ignored all
parliamentary usage, trampled upon
the rights of majority of the MEM
bers and did the behest of the railroads
in appointing the house members.
Happily for the cause of truth and
justice the men representing the SEN
ate are of the right stuff and are re.
solved that the object for which the
committee was appointed shall be car
rled out. 81 Boo tP
On Thursday the meeting was held
in the room of the committee on ways
and means. Two spectators were
present. The proceedings were unim.
! eorsans c,lcsls for ths stre-ncue -. \
OF MIR. Gray to secure postponement
of the investigation for several days
or until after the senatorial election.
He exhausted every device for the
purpose but Reynolds, of Butler, held
the members to their work and steps
were taken to secure an efficient clerk
and to call witnesses,
The next day Mr.. Gray himse'f war
put upon the stand and in reply to
questions by Senator Reynolds,
acknowledged his unlimited enjoyment
of trip permits over the Union Paci.
fc, but gave as the reason for this
discrimination that his brother was
general freight agent of the Central
Pacific, and that the general freight
agent of the U. p, Mr.. Shelby, was
his particular friend.
The next witness was Mr.. ID @.
Brooks, late of The "Omaha Repub
lican," who being sworn was examined
as follows by Mr.. Reynolds.
Question, Where do you reside
Mr., Brooks2
A Omaha.
Q-What is your buainessl
Al have no business now. Oh
late I was editor of The Republican.
DO you know Mr.. Brooke
whether any # the stock of The "Om.
aha Republican Co." is owned by U.
p. thcer42
Chairman (Grout, of Otos, I don't
believe that is a pertinent question.
After little discussion upon this
point In which Brown, of Lancaster,
remarked, 81 don't suppose Mr..
Brooks knows anyhow"
Brooks taking the cue.)
A I don't know anything about it,
Q,-I will ask you Mr.. Brooks; II
while you were acting as editor of the
Omaha Republican, whether you were
on the pay roll of the Union Pacific
railroad companyi
Brooks, looking fiercely at his tor.
menters, exclaimed, "What Is this in.
yestigation?'
Britton, of Wayne think that
is an improper question.
Reynolds. Il presume to differ with
the gentleman.
The chairman. Mr.. Brooks is here
as private individual. don't see
that it makes any difference whether
he was on the pay roll or not. We
are here to investigate the public con.
duct of the railroad, and don't see
what this has to do with the matter,
Reynolds. Well, we shall see how
much it has to do with II.
Brown, OF Lancaster. Well, il
would effect the public a little. anG
as Mr.. Brooks is here he can answe,
if he wants..
The witness, Al should decline
to answer any such questions.
don't know whether the conmitte,
would desire it or not.
In the discussion which arose "a to
whether witness should answer, Mr..
Grout (the chairmsn) thought the,
were going outside the resolution
under which they were appointed.
Mr.. Dech, of Saunders, thought
considering the great Influence news
papers were welding In this state
that If they were the property c f tn,
railroads, or II their editor. wa.a I,