Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-15
"A MODERN INSTANCE"

Suit Brought Against Senator MCPHERSON
of New Jersey, Which. if the Allegations
are Proven, Evidences Well-Plenned
Piece of Political JObbery-The Inside
History of Some Alleged Humanitarian
Legislation by Congress.
New YoRK, Jan. 13.-An action in equity
was begun this afternoon, when complaint
was filed in the United States court by
Joseph S. Rushing, of Pennsylvania, against
Hon. John R. Mcpherson, of Kew Jersey.
The complaint sets forth that early IN 1877
the defendant was elected by the New Jer-
sey legislature q United States senator.
Previous to that he dealt in live stock and
their transportation; the slaughter of live
stock: sale of meat; and had contracts
from railroad companies, among
others from the Erie railway and
its receiver, Hugh B. JeWett. In
consequence of certain complaints made
by humane persons regarding the treat
ment of live stock while in transit over
the railways from the West to New York
the defendant devised ? plan by which the
railroad companies should be compelled
to use certain patented appliances, some
OF which defendant contracted and others
of which he intended to purchase and con-
troll. and should be compelled to make
terms which should accrue to his benefit;
also that for the purpose of bringing
about this object the defendant proposed
that the statutes of the United States
should be SO amended as to compel
shippers and transpOrters of live
stock to incur great expense or
delay in such transportation, or else to use
cars fitted up with the patented appliances
in question. That by an agreement with
defendant on July 8, 1877, he, the com
plainant, was to bring the subject to the
attention of congress by petitions and ar
range the forming and managing Of cor
poration which should become the owner
of the patents in question, etc. It was IN
derstood between them that company
should be formed with q paid up capital
of 100000 and that complainant should
receive $4,000 of the stock at
par for his com pensation; or, if the COM
pany should not be formed, then, that
complainant should receive for his com
pensation one-ffth Of all the net proceeds
received by the defendant from the sales
of patents from dealers and transporters of
live stock. This was to be paid whether
or not congress took action in the matter.
In pursuance of such arrangement com
plainant says he frequently visited
Washington during tha= sessions of
congress in 1877, 1878, 1873
and 1880, and, under the direction of de-
PENDANT, brought the matter to the notice
of members of congress and others. The
complainant alleges he derived much of
mis- information in regard to these matters
secretly from the defendant, who, in pub
lie disavowed any connection with him,
and, IN his place as senator, declared he
was Influenced only by motives
of humanity for suffering brutes and de-
sire to promote the public health and had
10 interest IN the matter. The complaint
further alleges that or the 18th Of January,
1880, when the subject was under discus
sion in the senate, defendant said, among
other things, "When you undertake to say
there Is something in the shape Of pat
ent car that we intend to impose on the
people it is the simplest nonsense in the
world because the bill does not state any
such thing. 1t says that if inventive
genius can or has devised q car,whereby that
very same thing can be done without the
delay incident to and attendant upon m
loading them, then you can run them sixty
consecutive hours" The complainant then
set forth the organization of the Mont
gomery Palace Stock Car company, the
capital stock of which was fixed at &c.
100000 in shares of 500 each and alleges
that prior to the organization of that
company defendant had negotiated with it
for the sale of his patents for 100000,
payable in installments. 1t is also charged
that defendant has received $4,000 of
that sum in cash and $4,000 par stock of
the company. The complainant AYERS
that he has frequently applied to the de-
PENDANT for an accounting, but the latter
has refused his application or to make the
promised payment, but gives out that the
sale of the patents to the company had
been rescinded, and at other times says
the company is about to be reorganized
with a reduced capital of 100000. The
complainant asked that the answers to a
number of interrogations touching several
exhibits attached to the complainant,
among which is this one: "Who is Scott?"
Does it not refer to the late Thomas A.
Scott, at that time president of the Penn
sylvania Railroad company? Who are
butcher and Depew? Is not reference
made by that language to John B. butcher
and Chauncy NJ. Depew, officials of the
New York Central and Hudson River Rail
road companies? And did not these three
threaten to denounce defendant before a
committee of representatives as being Sc
cretly employed in assisting complainant
in the passage of house bill No. 2'2O6 in
March, 1873? The complainant prays for
an accounting on the part of the defend
ant.
.u,-,,.., ~ r,,,-,o