The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-18

Company and had never been engaged III
the business of common carrier, although
its charter would have allowed it to do so.
His attention was called TO the requirement
of the charterof the Reading Railroad Com
pany which required that its president
should reside in Philadelphia
AMAN or MANY HOMES.
Mr. Corbin aid: "I live here"
where elsefn was asked
81 have residences in New York, in New
Hampshire and Long Island rs we'll"
Mr. Anderson--Wher do you have your
washing done!
Mr. Corbin, Indignantly think it is
devilsh impertinent TO go into my personal
affairs.
Mr.. Corbn appealed to the chairman and
and was told that it was his own pleasure
as to answering the question, but that he
supposed that Mr.. Anderson was seeking TO
get at his residence.
Dropping this line of inquiry, the com
mittee sought to obtain from Mr.. Corbin
| something of the history of the former iinan,
cal difficulties of the Reading Railroad
Company. He said that the last dividend
of the company was paid in 1876.
"And, said Chairman 1illman, "it Will
be cold day when it pays another"
NETTLED AGAIN.
Mr. Corbin objected to this sort of in
quiry claiming that the committee had no
power TO go into the possibilities of the
future, and was considerably nettled when
the chairman insisted that it was a fair
part of the committees Investigation to ask
for any information whatever, although
the witnesses could of course refuse TO
answer.
II supposed - said Mr. Corbin, testify,
beginning to lose his temper, that this was
a fair investigation. | did not think you
came here to personally abuse everybody
connected with the Reading Railroad Com
pany and to call them thieves and robbers" ]"
The Chairman don't do that; ! am a
gentleman and can answer for what say
or do
"Well," said Mr.. Corbin, 'I will answer
such questions to the people who own
the Reading Railroad Company, and not
to the public, who have no business and no
interest in il"
Mr.. Corbin absolutely denied any knowl-
edge whatever of any combination now
existing or that ever did exist to limit the
output of coal and to keep up prices.
HEATED ALTERCATIoN.
At this point a very heated alteration
took place between Mr.. Corbin and Chair
man Tillman. Mr.. Corbin had become
somewhat indignant over several ques-
tions put to him by the Chairman,
who sought to obtain from the witness
a statement of the total interest-bearing
|
! sponslble The chairman pressed his ques-
! tions aggressively, aud Mr.. Corbin finally
! appeared to lose his temper. II don't
! think y said he, "that | should be treated
in this way, and | should like to ask this
committee a question about the report in
| the New York Times this morning in which
| the chairman refers to the Reading rail-
road officers as robbers or thieves. What
! business is it of this committee to know, as
it has sought TO find out, when we propose to
pay dividendsg | am responsible to the
owners, and when they are not satisfied with
the management | viii TO get out.
CoRBIN's PRIVILEGE.
The Chairman-This committee wants to
| know whether you will answer our ques-
| tions or decline. j am above using my po-
sition to abuse anybody and you have per
| feet right to decline TO answer these ques-
| tiOns
Mr.. Corbin (excitedly)-Then l decline
| to answer those questions. 1 will answer
anv proper question, but / deny the right of
this committee to go into our private busi-
| ness.
Mr. Tillman then proceeded to ask the
| wi tness by what means the company hoped
| or expected, in view of the loss of so per
| cent of its business, to pay the enormous
interest and fixed charges of the company
and its running expenses. He pressed the
question further, and asked Mr.. Corbln
| what assets, what monies in hand, what
expectation of money, what promises OF
money, the company had by which it could
paw its way when it was being operated
| with a loss of so per cent of its business.
Mr.. Corbin said that that was none of the
business of the committee and he ABSOLUTELY
! declined to answer.
! WHAT HE WOULD TELL.
After further questioning Mr.. Corbin
! s i'd 81 wish the committee to understand
that am ready to furnish any information
| that / can in reason be expected to, but
don't acknowledge the right Of the public
! TO know the particulars of the financial
condition Oh the Reading Railroad Com
| panv." The witness also refused to say how
| much of the stock of the company he
| owned. 81 think now" said Mr.. Corbin,
"the Reading Railroad Company has passed
out of its muddy state and will stay out"
Mr.. Tillman-A former president of the
road who testified this morning did not
| think So
Mr.. Corbin-Well, I do. and / ought to
know ! have good deal Of stock in it and
| believe in it, or | would not have it.
A PERSONAL MATTER.
Mr.. Corbin at this point took from his
pocketbook clipping Of the report of yes
! terday's proceedings in the New York Times
! in which Mr. Tillman had interrogated
Keim en- Thursday and referred to the Off
GERS of the Reading Railroad Company and
| the Coal and Iron Company as robbers, etc,
and wanted to know whether that report
correctly quoted the chairman. The com
| mittee declined 10 entertain this question,
! and Mr. Tillman and the other members of
| the committee said that it was a personal
matter and had no business in the proceed
ings.