Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-20
MR.. CoRBIN H~ARRASsED.
THE READING PRESIDENT AND THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

BE Kept out of the Hands of Recelv-
ers- Testimony of an XVI Presi-
lent as to Pooling.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 19.-After a fnan-
cial statement of the company had been
submitted by President Corbin, of the
Philadelphia s. Reading company, Chair
man Tillman continued the investiga-
tica. He asked if he did not say when
on the stand before, that the debt was
in the neighborho5d of twenty million
dollars?
"Well, then, what do you ask me to
state it again for? / cannot see what
business of yours it is, said Mr.. Corbin.
why, sir, to find out just whether
you expect to pay a dividend again"
ut is none of your business when we
pay dividends. / intend to treat you
fairly, if / can, but I do not think you
are treating me fairly. l might ask you
to explain yourself in relation to a charge
that is attributed to you in the New
York Times, that you branded the people
connected with the Reading Railroad
company as thieves and robbers"
"Why, sir, 1 am above using my public
position to abuse any body. Do you de-
cline to testify before this committee?"
"No, sir, l Go not"
s'Now, | want to ask yon a plain ques.
ton, and / want a plain, direct answer.
Unless there is some pooling agreement
among the coal miners and the common
carriers by which the railroad and iron
companies shall get a profi3 or increase
from mining and transporting coal, will
not The railroad company be unable to
pay interest on the debt, and go back into
the hands of the reaeivers2 In other
words, where will you get an income
sufficient to meet your obligations"
"The increase will be derived fl. m
various sources"
"Haye you any assetsfs
"You have no right to ask me such q
question"
II think 1 have, sir, and you can an
swer 1t or not, just as you please"
"Well, 1 do not think you have, and ]
decline to answer the question:
Judge Chipman-sI wish to put a
statement on record, in fairness to Mr..
Corbin. The one question in the public
mind is, whether it is not in the interest
Of the company to have a strike at this
time? Now, am suggesting this in all
fairness, and if you choose to explain you
can"
Mr.. Corbin (evasively)-'I wish the
committee to understand that I an
ready to furnish any information I can,
but I do not know What right the public
hos IN yho1r tho -ea-solE l;lsL. =.
the Reading Railroad company, except
the stockholders and bondholders. What
l have TO say on hat subject is for the
benefit of the people who own the prop,
erty, and not for the general public that
bin objected to tell how much stock O.
viously. Judge Chapman alluded tc
| Sweigard's inability to say whethe,
Workman Lee had been drawing pay
from the company and the Knights Of
Labor at the same title, and said: ssIeu
man Sweigard was SO thick-headed he
could not catch; you would have seen the
point easily yourself, and / am free to
say that l would not keep such a man in
my employ a minute.''
"Wall, it Is not probable" retorted
Mr.. Corbin, stthat we should manage the
road the same way"
AS he was leaving the stand Mr.. Cor
bin requested permission to ask the chair
man whether the words imputed to hin
in the New York Times, that 'it seems
to me you are robbing the company, and
the public to give false salaries to people
who know nothing about the facts Of the
company" were used by him or not:
II should not answer that" said Mr..
Parker to the chairman. ssThat is q
personal matter sir,n said Mr.. Mr.. Till.
man, looking at the railroad president
squarely in the face, and with that ended
one of the most sensational incidents OF
the committees sojourn in the city up to
this time. In leaving the stand Mr.. Cor
bin said that he had heard on the street
that the strike would be off in a week.
John W. Jones, an ex-vice presiden,
Of the railroad company was sworn. He
said that he had hear-say knowledge Of
the coal pool which first existed in 1872,
for the purpose of sustaining prices.
This was broken, but was formed again
to regulate the working days in the
month, and was thought to be in opera
ton still.