Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-28
pANELECTRIC TESTIMONY
PRESIDENT FORBES TELLS OF
HIS VISIT TO CLEVELAND.

HIS VISIT TO CLEVELAND.
Influencing the Presidents Action not
uts Obiect-OfFered the ''WOrid" Let
ter Before 1t Was Published-A soap
Manufacturer Perpetrates a Joke on
the Newspaper Men.
WASHINGTON, April 27.-Nearly every
newspaper man in Washington received
a telegram early this morning. signed
Dnlv by initials, requesting them 10 De
present at the telephone Investigation To-
day. A great many obeyed the summons
and found they had been VlcumiZeo oy
the advertising agent of patent soap
who had sent to the chairman OF the COM
mIttee a box of his samples with request
TO distribute. Prof. Alex. Graham Bell,
his father, and uncle, VIM. H. Forbes,
President, and w. K. Driver, Treasurer
Of the Bell Telephone Company, were in
attendance when the committee met.
Mr.. Forbes was the first witness, and h e
occupied nearly the entire session of the
dsv. He said he mad been President OF
tine American Bell Company ever since
it's organization in 1880.
OMISSIONS IN THE REPORT.
The Chairman suspended the examina-
ton to call attention to statements made
in the New York Tribune, alleging that
the official report of Attorney GEN
eral Garland's testimony showed import
ant omissions. He said he had yesterday
been requested by the Attorney General
10 supply the omissions as noted IN the
Tribune. One change of date mentioned
by MIR. Garland had been made at the
latter's request, and also few changes of
phraseOlogy, but most of them had been
made by the stenographers themselves.
The testimony mad been submitted to Mr.
Garland to secure accuracy. The Chair
man remarked that there was no rule to
the contrary that ne knew of, and Mr.,
Ranney added that be did not believe the
reporter intended to do any wrong.
GROWTH OF THE COMPANY.
The examination OF Mr.. Forbes was
then resumed. He told OF the growth of
the American Bell Company and the con-
solidatiOn of the original New England
and Bell Companies. Gardiner Hubbard,
Prot Bell and Mr.. Saunders, he believed,
we're the original associates who con-
rolled the patents. He believed Messrs.
Hubbard and Bell held two-thirds in
5erest, and that Mr.. Saunders held one
third, which he received for money adj
Vanced to develop the invention. The
witness did not know that any officer OF
Inc EbNCl uHiGn1 VI AuCLAbCl VI ObB Aitso
had been connected with the original
companies. or held stock at the present
time in the National Bell Company.
The Chairman put number Of ques-
tons to the witness to ascertain whether
he or his company had procured news
paper publications concerning the Pan
Electric Company, or had done anything
10 procure or affect the investigation now
proceeding, to which he replied in the
negative.
MILLIONS AT STAKE.
The witness estimated the total stock of
focal companies licensed by the Bell Com
pany at $50 900 900. of which the parent
company held about $4,000, 900 par value,
or between S16,000,0 900 and $4,000, 900
market value. Secretary Manning, who
held stock in the Troy company, was the
only government officer he knew Of who
held local stock.
To Mr.. Ranney the witness said that no
newspaper owned stock in the Bell Com
pany, and the company owned no news
paper interest that he knew OF.
To Mr.. Eden the witness said that ma
terial similar to that which had appeared
in the World had been offered to
the Bell Company tor use several days
before 1t had appeared. Gardiner Hub
bard had sent it from Washington, and
the witness did not know where he OBJ
tanned it.
READ TO THE DIRECTORS.
The witness believed he had read the
article to the Executive Committee and
Board Of Directors. Ii did not contain
the Rogers letter.
Dir. Eden-Did You ask the price Of il?
The Witness-NO, sir; / refused to have
anything to do with it.
Continuing. he said that the article bad
been received two or three weeks before
publication. He had some idea of learn
ing the price OF the article with view to
buying and suppressing 1t. lie did not
want it published. but it had appeared in
The World before he had taken any action,
lie did not wish that agitation, because
he didn't think it would be proper after
his interview with the President in re-
gard TO the Pan Electric matter, so he
had handed the article to Mr.. StOrrow,
counsel for the company.
THE VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT.
In an extended crosse denomination con-
Corning his visit to the President, MIR.
Forbes maintained that his object 10 visit
my the President was merely to put him
lnp0ssessiOn OF the facts as the Bell Com
pany saw them, and he had no intention
Of influencing the action Ofthe government
III regard to the suit which was proposed to
be brOughta gaInt the Bell Company. MIR.
Forbes was unable TO see my impro-
priety in his action. He declined TO say
what reply President Cleveland had made
TO bis representations. The stock list OF
the Bell Company was presented. 1t was
shown that Mr.. Ranney held stock in
must. but held none in bis own right.
Frof Bell will probably testify tomorrow.