The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-29
EMF KENNEDY AS A FIGHTER.
A High Old Meeting in the Office Of the
Peoples Railway Company.
A Brisk Fight in the BOard-ROOm-The Ar
gument Between Kennedy and an
Ex-AttOrney of the Road.
pr,nci.oo Chronicle, April p.

America. The lie direct was given, horsewhips
were fourished, pistols drawn, blows exchanged
and such free ventilation of unsavory charac-
tiers that nothing except the open windows saved
those present from asphyxiation. What the
forces leading to the explosion and what the di-
rect cause of the outbreak, may be learned from
few predatory words ofexplanation. In yester-
days Chronicle there appeared an article on the
Peoples Railway, in which it was very plainly
shown that the road was an illegally organized
company; that it was without board of direct
ors or bylaws that it was a bubble on the
point Of bursting and that the president,
Emf Kennedy, had refused to make a financial
exhibit of the condition Of the company. re-
porter of an evening paper had on Saturday last
directed Mr.. Kennedys attention to the rumors
that were on foot concerning the insta-
biity and and IsEdd of of the concern n9gTD
nation, but this the president said he was disin-
clined to do then, although he promised to make
a full statement on the coming Monday tyester-
day., at 1890 p M. The reporter, with pre-
monition produced by the Chronicles article that
he might need stiffening at the approaching in
terview, sought out James S. Reynolds, who
had at one time been the company's counsel but
who had retired on discovering the feather-l like
character of the institution, and asked him to
accompany him to Kennedy's Office at the ap-
pointed time.
Reynolds refused at first, but having learned
that Kennedy had telegraphed to the country
directors to be at 4O7 California street at noon
Monday to attend board meeting at which
porters would be present, he agreed to go with
the young man. His idea was that Kennedy
would fix up an exhibit, override the reporters
and get some free advertising in the other papers.
When he presented himself at the board-room
yesterday at IL o'clock, however he found that
he had been mistaken in his surmise of the
scheme and that a deeper game was on foot.
The board-room was crowded. There were
nTnna IInrl
Friend of San Francisco, Beazeley
of Fresno, Miller Of Indiana, Loomis
of Alameda and Sherman of Los
Gatos, BESIDES the president himself. Chief
Engineer Borie and two or three clerks e, A.
Girvin, the stenographer, was present officially.
Having prepared for the occasion by an execu-
tive session and cut out the work to be done
Girvin, Reynolds and the reporter were called
inside
Now, then said President Kennedy, pomp-
Ously turning TO the newspaper tyro, you have
announced that you wanted to interview me- l
am ready to be interviewed"
An interview of the kind that it was necessary
to conduct is never the easiest thing to manage,
but when it was proposed by the subject to carry
it on in open meeting the reporter shrank from
the job, and turning to Reynolds, asked him to
conduct it.
No said Reynolds, ''carry on your own in
terview. but if find that anything is said that
ought to be corrected, why, I'll do So"
With that the reporter asked Kennedy how it
had refused to take the So. 600, 900 bond of the
Peoples Railway Company as trustee.
THAT Is easily explained, said Kennedy, air
lily; ''the negotiations fell through because 1 re
fused to pay the fee of $500 to the attorney for
examining the bond and drawing up the con
tract
THAT said Reynolds; quietly, sis the first
incorrect statement that l must correct. You,
Mr.. kennedy, sent me to A S. Booth the at
tornoy of the Safe Deposit and Trust Company,
and reported in writing to you that Booth had
said he could do nothing with the bond as it was
deficient in every particular as a railroad secur
ity General Thompson, the president of the
Trust Company, said precisely the same thing,
and there is no truth in the $500 fee story"
There were some angry murmurs around the
board table at this plain talk, the majority of
those present being Kennedy men,
Then Director Hardness spoke out. and said:
Look here Reynolds; didn't you tell this re-
porter that the Peoples railroad was sham and
a fraudr
mo, sir, replied Reynolds, 81 never said any
thing of the sort to him, but if you wish to know
my opinion of it here, am free to state that 1
believe il to be ramshackle concern and
swindle."
Kennedy had been keeping very ugly eye on
Reynolds as he was speaking, and as as he
concluded he leaped to his feet and drawing a
short, oak handled dog-whip from his breast
pocket struck savagely at the attorney. The end
fiicked him sharply in the face, just under the
right eye, and snapped out little piece of skin
and flesh. <,
AS he felt the sting of the cut, Reynolds. who
was a tall, bony, sinewy man, dashed at Kenne-
dy, and, leading with his right in true prizering
style, plugged Kennedy, who is shorter and not
very heavily built, right between the eyes The
blow was q RATHER, and Kennedy flew backwards
some seven feet, landing in heap on a lounge
behind him. Quick as flash he gathered him
self together however, and with snarl eircled
the whip-lash about his head and brought the
burning end on Reynolds left cheek. Again the
skin and flesh were Clipped and again Reynolds
raised his great fists and rushed on Kennedy.
Throwing his long left arm around Kennedys
neck, he got his head in chancery, and hammered
away at Kennedy's face like fourteen-stamp
mill The battle was raging so viciously and
the parties were changing their positions so rap
idly, that The excited directors had been so far
unable to Interfere, but at this juncture some
one caught Reynolds right hand, as it was flying
through the air, and held on to it. Without
wasting q moment, Reynolds flung Kennedy
from him, and then, reaching behind, let out
lefthanded clip that struck the president as he
was falling, and that sounded as though an extra
supply of quartz had been thrown into the mill
Nothing, it would seem, could ever bring the
meeting to order again after this; but by the in
terposition of the board, Kennedy and Reynolds
were led back to their corners and both having
wiped off their faces sat down glaring at each
other.
"Ill-horse-whip-any- body-who-s saws
anything's- -swindle-that l have-to do
with" painted Kennedy, setting his nose in
place.
-you-can't- horsewhip- me-" gasped
Reynolds, picking out scrap of whip-eord from
his wiskers
Then there was general hard talking all round
the room, some accusing Reynolds of fomenting
trouble and others calling for fair chance for
every one. Some one said that swindle and
fraud were hard words
81 know it, said REYNOLDS starting TO his
1eet but, gentlemen right here right here"
striking a memorandum book that he had drawn
from his pocket, right here. gentlemen, 1 am
prepared to prove by Kennedy's own words that
he is swinder or thief"
:, With that he walked up to Kennedy's desk to
lay the papers down on it, when Kennedy, with
hghtning-like movement, threw open a drawer
and drew out of it pistol. 1t was up leveled
ana snapped before any one could interfere
Fortunately, however, the cartridge failed to ex-
plode, and in another instant Reynolds had
grabbed for the pistol Others seized the two