St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-27
CHARACTER ASSAILED.
The Mankato Board Of Trade Makes Sc
riOus Charges Against Gen. Baker
and Other Gentlemen.
Gen. Baker Vigorously Defends His Ac-
tion in the St, Cloud, Mankato &
Austin Railway Matter.
Charges the Attack to Unscrupulous
Politicians, and Makes Plea
for Mr.. Campbell.
A Telegram Sent to Washington
Which VIII Need a Good Deal
of Explanation.
Many Regulations at Stake

Many Regulations at Stake.
Special to the Globe.
MANKATo, Mimi, April 26.-The board
of trade of Mankato has unanimously
adopted report on the st. Cloud, Mankato
d Austin railroad matter, rejecting on w.
N. Campbell, j. II. Baker, g. a. Gilman,
w. II. Officer and II. w. Page. The es-
sential points of the report are as follows:
That the aboye-named persons, directors
of the road We're instrumental in obtaining
the transfer of the stock of the original
holders, some roo shares, at SO per share
to the Construction Company of North
America, with the proviSo that if the con-
tract was not carried out the stock was TO
be returned to the stockholders; that the
representations OF the aboye-named direct
OrS We're not made in good faith; that said
construction company, finding itself unable
to carry out its contract, returned the stock
to said directors; that said directors fraud
ulently, and without any authority from said
stockholders, sold and conveyed the stock to
the Railway Improvement company, Gen.
j. W Bishop of ST. Paul, president, for a
sum CT money. believed to be $40, 900; that
none of the directors have denied that this
was the sum received; that no report has
holders, but the whole subject of this trans
fer has been envelOped in cloud of mys-
terry; that cloud OF huge proportions, al
most a cyclone, rests on the reputation Of
Directors Campbell, Baker, Gilman and
Officer in the matter of this transfer, and
that the purity of the public service requires
that W. II. Campbell should not be con-
firmed by the United States senate until he
satisfactorily clears up his connection with
the Questionable transaction OF this trans
fer.
THE CONFERENCE
between Gen. J. II. Baker and the Mankato
board of trade with reference to the railway
scandal occurred at the common council
rooms in this city to-day. at which the gen
eral delivered a speech Of two hours dura-
tion. 1t won universal admiration for its
rhetorical finish and many fascinating fig
ures and numerous ciimaXes. Mr.. Baker
said
Mr.. President and Gentlemen OF the Board
OF Trade: Recently this board adopted reso-
lutiOns for Gn invl igatiOn in the matter OF
the St. Cloud, Mankato u Austin railroad. l
trust that it is being held with an honest pur-
pose i'll ire promises to do justice to all con-
cerned, ard that il is not inspired and con-
Quoted by those who have no personal and
malicious purposes to serve. I think that
fairness and justice in this matter would be
this body il LETT free in their own motion.
But from my past experience and from the
very select few who are the animating spirits
of this movement, there are far other inter-
eSts 10 serve than the ends OF Justice. Has
this honorable body paused to note who it is
that has brought these accusations? Has it
occurred to any one of you to observe, what
everyone else now sees, that this body is be-
ing used as an appendage to political ma
chine? Boards of trade are noble institu-
tions when confined to their legitimate OBJ
jects. But they must be kept free from per-
sonal and political schemes.
THE RAGE FOR SENSATION,
the appetite for gossip, the distorting offacts,
the falsifying inuendOes-these do their work
when handled by malice, and lies travel Il
thousand miles while truth is getting on its
boots. This is the entertainment furnished
to the people who read as they run. How
many pause TO reflect, ''whdt is the real
charge? What is the evidence?'
Mr.. President, the sentiment Of justice and
equity is not wanting TO this board, or to this
people. The men of this city will be amazed
to know that have never been furnished
with u single charge or specification of wrong
doing. 1 have never been notified by your
committee that they were investigating my
acts. Whatever their processes are, they are
of the star-chamber class, if thay are proceed
ing at all. Is not every element of justice
wanting in this? At no time, at no place, by
no person or body ever authorized to inquire,
have / ever before been asked to explain my
connection with this road. 1 am not q MEM
Der nor an officer of the board of trade, and
am therefore in no wise amenable to it, nor
the proper subject Of its inquisition. I ap-
pear, therefore, here, not By virtue of your
authority, but voluntarily, and out of respect
to the people Of this good city, among whom
have lived for twenty-siX years. without
charge against my life or character till this
political screed was promulgated.
THESE ACCUSATIONS
are brought originally by a person
Tho is strictly a politician; who is
not a members of the board; who
never owned ca share Of the stock of this
railroad company, and who has not, in this
connection, a single grievance of which to
complain. He has no earthly interest in this
matter, save that which is purely personal,
political and malicious. Gentlemen, it is one
of the curiosit1eS Of this whole affair, that not
one of the former stockholders, who it is al
legged have bOen so wronged, have ever over
their own Signature, at any time or place,
made complaint to the directors of q single
wrong act. Full opportunity was given them
to go before legislative committee. Not one
of them ever appeared there, or elsewhere, in
his own behalf. 1t any StOckholder was
aggrieved it was always in his power to speak
for himself. But just preceding the time of
holding conventions and elections, then the
Van Leuvens and !. 7. Williams emerge from
their obscurity, and the st. c., NJ. g. A.
wo-'s OF terrifying honest people about some
thing which has never yet been defined.
propose to show that when the politics are
wrung out of this there is nothing left to
cavil about.
SOME BROAD DENIALs,
MI. Baker read letter from Hon. r. B.
Langdon and a statement from Hon. r, L.
Frazee that they had no knowledge of the
sale of the stock in question and letter
from Mr.. J. j. Hill denying that the stock
had ever been sold to the Manitoba. He
then gave a history of the corporation in
question and the transfer of the stock to
the Railway Improvement company of
North America, and said he could submit
dozen letters, any one of which would DEM
Onstrate the latter'S purpose and good faith.
The company, he said, had failed " build
the road because Of financial difficulties
He next spoke briefly of the bonuses and
then proceeded as follows ON
THE CHARGES OF IRREGULARITY:
take my stand upon this simple propo ST.
ton, that all our efforts, arrangements and
contracts were made and entered into in per-
feet good faith, with the sole view of securing
the building Of the road; that no misrepre-
eentations were made by any of us to any one
affecting the transaction, and the burthen of
proof must rest with our assailants to show
this is not true. Planted upon this funda-
mental maxim, fear no fair investigation of
my conduct, or that of any of my associates
in any matter connected with it. You have
assumed IN your resolutions that we have
done grievous wrong, amounting to GRIMM
ality. 1t becomes you to prove it. Generali-
cations will not do. The proof must be
specific, definite and absolute. Vague de-
clarations will not answer. 1t is no part of
the functions of this, or any other boa.d of
trade, to faint character. There is no pro-
vision for the assassination of character
And when you travel outside of the pale of