The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-06
SUED FOR BY SUCKERS In A
COTTON SWINDLE.
Costing Grabs a Gang OF Thieves
COrraled at Corpus Christi.
GREEDY GALVESTON SELFISHLY
SCHEMING TO SECURE THE
STATE DEMOCRATIC
CONVENTION.
Reports From the Raging River
The Waters Wiekedly Working
Waste and Wrecthedness.
Special to The Statesman.

Special to The Statesman.
DALLAS, February 28.-Suit to-day |
was filed in the district court by Oliver |
& Griggs, bankers in this city, against |
the Texas & Pacific railroad company
defendant, and Joseph Lehpstein Co |
defendant with railroad company to |
recover Sis, 100 advanced 10 LehDstein |
on Texas and Pacific bill of lading is
sued to him for three hundred bales of
cotton by E. d. Easton, the company's
agent at Sherman, Texas, October "a,
1888, and consigned to c. e. Stoddard
& Co, Philadelphia, Pa. A copy of
the bill of lading accompanies the pc
tition filed in. court. Messrs. Oliver
Il Griggs pray for $4,000 damages.
Petition sets forth that the bill of
lading when negotiated to them was
regularly signed by the company's
agent and endorsed by Lehnstein. but
that up to the present time the cotton
livered, although frequent de-
etc. This suit is of course one
originating out of many fraudulent
bills of lading issued by Easton last
fall at Sherman, which have created
such a sensation throughout the
country, and for which transactions
E. ID. Easton, Morgan, Cammack and
F. Baum are now in the Dallas jail,
and Geo. Lehnstein is under heavy
bond. 1t is the opinion that other
suits will be brought at Dallas, and
New York, Philadelphia, New Or
leans and other points against the
same defendants TO recover the whole
amount representing about % 600
bales of cotton. on which fnlly $4,000
| was fraudulently obtained by the con-
spirators. The case creates great inter-
est here, as it pl esents a new question
| in law as to whether railroad CON-
pany is responsible for fraudulent bills
| of lading by agents, and if bills of lad
| ing are neg otiable papers-pointS on
which no decision has ever been rem
deaed in Texas.
Baum's examining trial comes up
| tomorrow. The keenest interest is
felt by the public, as being the
| first examination in the cotton swim
die. 1t is thought proceedings will
develop the key to the ground occu-
pied by prosecution and defence. A
number of witnesses arrived to-day
from Sherman. The report is current
here that Ea>ton I'D Cammack had a
falling out some time ago, and hat in
consequence the latter quietly divulged
to the railroad people where the
money was secreted, and that the
agent of the company went to Ocean
| Spring, Miss, and brought it to Dial
las. Everything indicates that Cam
| mack will be shown leniency and
Easton prosecuted to the fullest ex-
tent
Doran Bros. to day fled suit against
the city OF Dallas for $4,000 damages
by destruction of property from de-
fective sewerage recently constructed
AS many other people suffered from
the same cause it is likely number
of similar suits will be filed and the
city involved in much litigation.
The republicans to-day concluded
to take hand in city politics, and is
sued call for convention to meet
March 22d and nominate city ticket.
With the present scrub race among
democrats. they think they stand
chance of success. They think the
democrats will be forced to hold d
convention for self protection.
About eight o'clock tonight fire
broke out in the old st. Charles hotel,
corner of Jefferson and Commerce
streets, owned by Frank Cockrell and
occupied by A. Lider, retail grocer.
The interior of the building was gut
ted by fire, and the walls will proba-
bly, have to be taken down. Cock
rells loss is $1,000. Lider's loss is
$1,000 /; partially insured.