Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-17
THE TELEPHONE INVESTIGATION.
HOW AND WHY WITNESS DISTRIBUTED HIS
PAN-ELECTRIC STOCK.

The special telephone investigating commit
tee OF the House to-day examined DR.. j. w.
Rogers. He said he was practicing lawyer;
had been connected with the Pan Electric COM
pany since its foundation%1ts formation had
been suggested by Mr.. 6. Hines to witness
and his son. That wasNn 1881 or 1882. Mr..
Hines waited upon SOME parties with view of
purchasing the old Chase mansion for an cleo
trical laboratory to develop inventions. He
discovered some defectk M the title, and at that
tune the project was abandoned. About the
ns1 Of sanqtary 1889 ON In the preceding De De
Eobitt house. They Learned that fine house
on 41a street could be bought for 81 900, and
out the onal IL idea sgse sHd by Mr. Hines.
They bought>she hogAe, but found that 1t cost
great deal OF money to hire skilled electricians
instead of using their own slender means
they should form stock company. They
naturally turned their attention to the subject
OF great names-Of men of influence. In that
view witness wrote to or called upon Gen. At
kins tthen chairman of the appropriation COM
mittee). Atkins seemed pleased with the idea.
a Jew days later witness saw Senator Harris,
who had already talked with Gen. Atkins on
the subject They came to witness house with
something like 500, 600 of tie stock on basis
of $5,OOO.OOO.
SENATOR HARRIS HEsITATEs.
They had hesitated-at least Senator Harris,
more than any other, had hesitated about
going INTO IL, ana nOtnlng was done at that
meeting.
Mr.. Boyle-Did he give any reason?
The witness-No, sir; but suspect
Objection was made to the witness stating his
suspicious.
Thereupon he said it had occurred to him
that Senator Harris might be apprehensive
that there might be possibly some Improperly
in his advancing the enterprise, and witness
had written to Senator Harris to INQUIRE
whether he entertained any feeling of that
kind: He had replied in letter very frankly
that he did.
ANOTHER SEARCH FOR THE LETTER.
The witness was again stopped while an un-
availing search was made for the letter. Then
ne continued, saying that Senator Harris in his
letter had replied that he had duly considered
the matter and saw no Improperly in
persons situated like himself and Gen. At
klnS taking part In scientific enterprise
such as had been proposed. But still he did
not go in; there was nothing in his letter to in
dictate any such intention. Subsequently u
meeting of the gentlemen was held at the Four
and-a-half street house, probably at witness
invitation. There were present Senator Harris,
Gen. Atkins and Casey Young Witness pro-
posed that each take $500, 900 in stock. They
agreed, and entered the enterprise.
$4,000 OF STOCK TO THEIR CREDIT.
several other gentlemen had previously con-
with them to select their associates. None of
gress. One of the pei SONS was Father Roche
fort. his sons patron, another Gen. Marcus
Wright, another Richard Wintersmith.
There was also C.. G. Schneider. merchant of
this city; Gen. BAIL Duke, of Kentucky, Nicho-
las Shea, of this city. Those gentlemen had
allowed their names to be used and for them he
had reserved the $4,000 stock 10 be put to
their credit.