The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-05-08
JOHN WARDS MISTAKE.
Clever Way in Which the Manager
outwitted Sharp Director.

Clever Way in Which the Manager
Outwitted a Sharp Director.
John Ward was a somewhat cranky
stockholder in the p, O. & X. railway.
Any company having large number of
=, stomkferlers is sure to have among that
number some disagreeable crank who is
always against the management OF the
company. and who endeavors at the an
nual meeting to make himself as OBJ.
poxlous as possible andJohn Ward was
one Of this kind Of people. One day he
had attempted to give some advice to
themanagcr of the road, and that advice
had not been received in d kindly man
Nor Mfr Plurnkfns, the manager, told
=Mr.4Ward rather shortly that he had
been engaged for the purpose Of manag-
ing the road, and he proposed to doit
Mr.. Ward called the managers attention
to fSTt that he was a stakeholder In the
road affd Interested in its financial well
fare Mr.. Plumkins admitted that and
told him II he had any thing to complain
Of he might bring it forward at the.
meeting OF stockholders, and in the
meantime he would be very glad to have
Mr. Ward s reom~rather that his com
pany in the office, as he had business to
attend to. This made Ward the deadly
enemy Of the manager, and he tried his
best to have that gentleman dismissed,
but without success.
Now, Mr.. Ward was persistent crank,
and when he set his mind upon a thing
he generally managed to carry his point
and n Mr.. Plumkins knew this, which,
perhaps, he did, he showed very little
diplomacy in making a bitter enemy OF
Mr.. Ward. At the annual meeting a
dead set was made against the manager,
but Mr.. Ward could not bring up enough
proxies to overthrow the directors, and,
! consequently, he was defeated. He had
: Dragged too much about what he was go-
mg to do, and, accordingly, the disap-
pointment was the more bitter. How
ever, Mr.. Ward set about his next cam
paign with more deliberation. He took
trip to England and interviewed diff
ierent Stockholders of the company who
lived there, and just before the annual
meeting was to convene it was discov-
erred by the friends of the manager that
Mr.. Ward held in his pocket enough
proxies to overthrow the directors and
put in whom he pleased as manager. All
this happened at a critical time in the
history of the road. Big negotiations
were just about being completed, and II
-fhemanager had another year to serve
twas thought that the road would be
out-of its difiiculty. and on such high
way of prosperity that his place would
be secure for long time after. The
directors felt that II they were over
turned at this critical moment and q new
manager put in who might not be able
to carry to successful conclusion the
negotiations which were then about
completed, the result would be dis
astrous for the interests of all the stock
holders and disastrous for the road.
However, the trouble was that there was
no time to communicate now with the
English stockholders and explain to
them the true condition Of affairs and
-get them to withdraw their proxies or
give their proxies to some one else, for
the latest proxy given renders all given
before null and void. There was con-
saltation at the managers office, and 1T
waselear that the directory had been
eutwtted, and that while they had
rested in peace and security, the enemy
had been going around gathering in
proxies.
81 tell you what must be donc,' said
the manager to the president of the
road, you will have 10 see. Ward, and,
II possible, como to terms with him.
lie is not SO much an enemy of tho d.
rectors as he is of me. Let us adjourn
and see what terms can be made with
the gentleman.
+ shortly after this the president re-
turned to the manager and said: There
smoothing for it, Plumkins; il we are to
get the bencit sof Wards proxies we
shall have to throw you overheard"
That is his ultimatum, is it?"
YES, that is his ultimatum. He says
he will consent to re-elect the present
directory only on condition that each
one promises him to vote against you as
managcr.."
The manager unused little. "Well,"
ne SAID, Il would accept those terms"
But my dear sir, said the president
we are not going to desert you in this
way The negotiations which promise
sven success have been all your doing,
,ne scheme has been yours, every thing
mas been yours, and il the roadds to be
brought to success the credit ought to be
yours, You sec, il we make xaose terms
WIN Ward itwill be impossible to get
oUt OF them, for he has insisted that each
1"e oil the directors shall sign written
s.esy.ilafa1l9as *. vote against you when the
VIC lnr- manager comes up. .
r All right said Plumkins, s'you .ac-
e'Ft those terms. should like to see
.opy OF the written document that he
wishes to exact before you sign it,
Wen haye-o here" said the pres
went, and he reluctantly drew from his
PocKetbook acopy written in Wards.
..sha~riting, which was to the effect
a VA. the Undersigned promised to vote,
@salhst Mr. Pfumkins as manager Of the
- q y X. railway. b
~ mats all right" said Plumkins.
vel each Of the directors to sign that
nv; w get ct IN return Wards written prom
~ 10 vote his proxies for you, ard
nm nm the board is reelected will have
consultation with YOU" I'll gs&a. /
put" said the president, ..you know,
" course, MIR, Plumkins, that II we do
s'en this we can not 90 back on our
s, na, In the matter.''
tsn VII, certainly, certainly" said Plum