The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-05
PAN ELECTRIC STOCK.
Garland Before the Congressional
Investigation Committee.

Garland Before the congressional
Investigation Committee.
Attorney-G General Garland has testified be-
fore the Pan Electric Telephone Investigation
committee of Congress at Washington. He
said that as far back as February, 1883,
Mr.. Atkins, the present Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. suggested that witness,
being a Door man like himself, ought to
enter into the Pan Electric enterprise.
Subsequently he met Senator Harris, Casey
Young Mr.. Atkins and DR.. Rogers at the
latter's house, where they talked about the
general idea of organization Of the Pan Elec-
trio company, and he concluded to go into 1t.
When, later on, parties urged him as Attor,
ney-General to bring suit against the Bell
company by the government ne az once
refused to do So He had looked into the
matter carefully, and concluded that owing
to his interest in the Pan Electric company
he could not and would not touch It
Mr.. Garland declared the organization of
the Pan Electric company simply an under
taking by five or six impecunious men VINO
wanted to better their condition IN q Iegltl.
mate business enterprise. He never INTENDED
to use his official position (being then
United States Sepator) iu the interest of the
company. The original stockholders had paid
in their assessments and went ahead
in proper manner to bring out
Roger invention They had never tried
to Boom the business. He for one took hold
of it as legitimate business venture, ana
regretted that it had not turned out better.
He had never looked into the question OF the
legality of issue of the Bell patent. He re.
earded the Rogers patent as All Improvement
over the Bell, and as no infringement
against the Bell, and therefore patentahle:
Init he did not want to be drawn into DIS
cussion about the validity of the Bell patent;
Van Beathuysen and Others Mr.. Garland
said, came to him in July, 1888, representing
Acknowledgement to bring suit IN the name
of the government He simply told them
that he could not have anything to do with
il. as he was >stockholder in the Pan Elec-
tric companv, q rival of the Bell company.
That was the last talk he had with any
body about it until after his return
f,oIa Arkansas, and the thing had gone out
of his mind until he received dlspatch IN
Lutte Rock from parties III New orleans IN,
forming himthat he was being compllmented
for having directed suit to be brought
against the Bell company. He never told
anv. one that in his absence an application
could be made to the solicitor General.
He never mentioned the fact to Mt.
Geode that an application for suit
was on tile In TACT. never mentloned iele-
phone matters to Mr.. GoOde until after his
return from his Arkansas trip. Mr. Gar
land denied positively that he timed his visit
SO that he might be away from Washington
while the Solicitor General was considering
the application. In reply to question Mr..
Garland said that at the time his name was
first mentioned, and subsequently, nothing
was said to- him by any one about the office of
Attorney General being advantageousto the
Pan Electric company. Il never dreamed
of such an idea, and l have never tried, and
never thought of trying, to use the office OF
it's powers to benefit the Pan Electric COM
pany."
Mr. Garland could see no impropriety in
taking the interest he had taken in the com
pany. Other government and Congressional
officers were interested in all kinds of pri-
vate enterprises
During his cross-examination by Mr.. Ran.
nev, the Attorney General stated thatIhe acted
as attorney for the Pan Electric company to
the extent of examining and in some instances
making papers and documents. He often
met gentleman come ted with the Pan Elec-
tric company in his comnittee-room of the
Senate but there never was meeting OF
the company held in his room. Mr.. Garland
reiterated that he had refused to converse
upon matters relating to suits against the
Bell company since he assumed the duties Of
his present Office.