Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-16
services from the gentlemen to whom the
shares were assigned?
OFFICIAL INFLUENCE.
The witness-Yes sir.

The Witness Yes. sir.
The ChaIrman-Was ANYTHING said
about official influence!
The WItness-I don't think any of us
ever looked for legislation in the begin
nlng. We did not depend on il or care
for it.
The Chairman-Did you assign them
an interest because Of the official posi-
tlons they hold, or because of their stand
ing as lawyers and because you expected
to De benefited by their servicesI
The Witness-TheTe We're three rea-
sons. One reason was that they held 0 fiji
clal position, and from this fact they were
widely known. The second reason was
because they were lawyers. The third
reason, last but not least, was because
we had known most of them for many
years and we were satisfied they would
conduct everything on an honorable basis.
We wanted none but such men associated
with us.
The Chairman-Did you expect to bene-
mt by the exercise on their part Of any
power their official positions gave them,
or did you look at their official positions
simply as giving them standing?
The Understanding that is all.
THE PERSONAL DIFFICULTY.
In his testimony Saturday Mr.. J. H.
Rogers, the inventor Of the Pan Electric
patents, described the personal difficulty
between himself and Casey Young at a
board meeting of the Pan Electric direc-
tors in February. 1t seems that Col.
Young had said that some of the Pan
Electric patents were an infringement on
some OF the patents owned by the National
Improved Company. This statement pro-
voked controversy between ROgefs and
Young, which ended in the knocking
down Of Young by Rogers. After con-
siderable trouble Senator Harris and Gen.
Johnston, who had been appointed a
committee ON hOn0r,7 so to speak
succeeded in composing the difficulty
and inducing the combatants to shake
hands across the bloody chasm. This
was source of great relief to Commits
si0ner Atkins, who had been holding the
blood-thirsty Young to prevent him from
Staying the man who had Tnsulted him
by blow. MIR. Rogers then reverted to
the negotiations with the Bell Company
which fell through. He and his father
told Harris that they were informed that
the Bell Company might be induced to
take the Pan Electric patents, water it's
own stock to the extent of some S., 5,000,-
600, and pay the Pan Electric Company
with the new stock.
NOT WHOLLY WATER.
"Then the Pan Electric stock was to
consist of water" suggested Mr.. Ranney.
"0h, no." replied the witness. ''Itwa
argued that the Pan Electric patents
would greatly enhance the value of the
Bell property"
When the Rogerses called upon Senator
Harris about the matter he informed them
that he had already been in correspon-
dence with manager Vail. and that in q
short time they would go to Boston and
have practical test OF the Pan Electric
instrument. The test was satisfactory
but the negotiations failed. Mr.. Rogers
said that the suit OF the Bell Company
against the Rogers Telegraph
and Telephone Company in Phil
adelphia was allowed to go
by default upon the advice of Casey
Young, who reported, after visit to that
city ,Ithat it would be impossible for the
Pau Electric Company to obtain Justice
in the United States Courts in Pennsyl-
vania. Prior to that time it was expected
that Senator Garland would go to Phila-
delphia to defend the suit, but he never
seemed to be ready. On one occasion SEN
ator Harris said that che would have to
put live coal on that old turtles back to
get him started, he was so lazy"
Mr.. Ranney-WhO was the old turtle !?
The Witness-Senat0r Garland.