St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-12
CHANDLER EXCITED.
Knight Rather Takes the Wind
From His Sails.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE examina-
ton of Col. Knight, general manager of
the Superior Lumber company, was re-
sumed this afternoon. The most inter-
esting feature was one which will not
appear in the record. During the course
of long crosS-eXamination by Senator
Chandler, witness was asked to give the
history of the company and the names
of the largest stockholders. He pro-
ceeded with the history and named sew
eral gentlemen among the leading stock
holders, but declined to state the
amounts of stock they owned, on the
ground that he had no right to exploit
their private business affairs. He made
an exception in respect to Col. William
+. Villas, who, he said, owned 240 shares,
of the face value of S24, 000 and himself.
whose investment was S63, 900, or $50
shares. Senator Chandler insisted upon
having further information, and Sena-
tor Faulkner objected. Witness, in re-
ply 10 Senator Faulkner, stated that all
the stockholders were Republicans eX-
cept Mr.. Villas and himself, and that
none of them had any connection in any
way with the matters under investiga-
ton. Senator Faulkner then repeated
his objection. Senator Chandler said
that in general the place for argument
was IN the committees report and on
the floor OF the senate, but here was a
witness who had come on,
NOT BY INVITATION
OF either side, and had thrust in the Su-
perior Lumber company. Now he
tChandler) wasn't willing to take Just
what that the witness might be willing
to say and stop there. That was not the
kind of an Investigation he was con-
hnnflnp II a oil III,
the Northwest that Gregory had been
appointed by the influence of men con-
nected with the Superior Lumber COM
pany, and that he was favoring that
company in the matter of securing con-
tracts with the Indians under his charge.
Here were letters written in the COM
pany'S office by the company's book
keeper by direction of the company's su-
perintendent, showing that the company
had dealings with the Indians. The
witness had once said that the letters
were forgeries, but now admitted that
they were not. He explained that they
were signed by mistake. He (Chandler)
= did not believe it, and he was going to
get at the bottom of the matter if posi-
bic. He proposed to inquire all about
the stockholders and the amount of
their Investments. Resuming, the ques-
ton being repeated. witness said he
could not remember the amounts of in
veStment OF other shareholders, and
would not furnish them from the COM
pany's records unless compelled to by
law, except as to Mr.. Villas and himself.
He would not draw in the affairs of
men not connected in any way with the
matters under discussion. He said he
had recommended Mr.. Gregory YER
bally to Secretary Villas for appoint
ment to the Indian leadership, but did
not remember whether he had written
letter in his favor or not. He would.
however,
CHEERFULLY HAVE DONE so.
Senator Chandler asked witness
whether in case the Superior Lumber
company had seen fit to buy the logs of
the Indians he (witness) would lave
thought it improper or illegal, to which
witness replied that there would be
nothing improper or illegal in such
transactions. The senator asked why
then witness had come on to Washing.
ton in connection with the matter, and
questioned witness as to why the Su-
perlor people were sensitive. Witness
said there was no reason, except that
the committee seemed to be fishing
round to connect the company in some
way with these matters and he wished
to state the truth to the committee.
Witness was also questioned at length
about kennedy'S connection with the
company, his functions as superintend-
ent, etc, and in the course of the
further examination repeated that the
company never had any interest in Ken
nedy's purchases Of logs from the In
dians, Which were all made Oh his per-
sonal account. Clark, the company's
bookkeeper, was also Kennedy's clerk,
but the payments for logs on Kennedy'S
account were never made at the COM
pany'S Office. Kennedy had once
handed in his resignation as superin-
tendent, but had withdrawn it on the
understanding that he was at liberty to
buy logs Oh his private account. Mr..
Knight was thereupon discharged. The
chairman said, for the benefit of MIR.
Knight, referring to an occurrence of
yesterday, that the investigation was
not instigated by Gov. Pound, but he
chandler had report made by an
agent of the committee who went up
into Wisconsin before he (Chandler)
became chairman of the committee. The
investigation was based upon that re-
port. George e. Ellison, VINO was ap-
pointed by Commissioner Atkins to be
an Indian trader at the Usage agency,
Indian territory, was before the COM
mittee at his own request to deny GER
tain statements made by witnesses eX-
amined year ago in the territory
These were TO the effect that Ellison
sought to secure a partnership with
several Of them by improper means,
that he boosted of his influence at WASH
ington, and said that the licenses of
traders who were on the ground would
not be renewed. Mr. Ellison made ex-
plicit deniais that anything of the kind
ever occurred, and declared that all his
proceedings were straightforward and
Upright. Adjourned Sllhicct To ell