St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-30
Growing Out OF the Late Min
neapolis Excursion to
Washington.
Claimed That the Kansas City
Violated the Passenger
Agreement.
A Travelling Hat That Will
Figure at the Great Ex-
position,
After Having Been Vised at
Hundreds Of Express
Offices.

The much-talked-of washington spe-
cial' rebate, in which Chairman Find
ley charges the Kansas City road with
furnishing a rebate to the members of
the delegation of Twin City citizens
who went to Washington last week to
get the neutrality-suspicious. convention,
will have an airing before the board at
Chicago today. The chairman charges the
Kansas City with violating the passen-
ger agreement in two incidents-irst, in
making an excursion rate of one fare
and third to party of less than the
number specified by the Western Pas
Senger association; and second, in fur
nishing special train to party of less
than fifty persons. as agreed by the as
ISOLATION. These charges will be brought
before the meeting to-day, and affida-
Wits provided to Substantiate the
charges. Chairman Finley has collect
ed this evidence against the Kansas
City, and the case will be tried princi-
pally on these charges.
The case will undoubtedly be an in
teresting one, especially if the Kansas
City shows fight. The chairman has
brought these charges against the road
himself, having sent special agents to
investigate the matter. The competing
lines wrotes to Mr.. Finley demanding
that he investigate, and see if the Kansas
City was all straight in the matter. The
chairman sent detective to st. Paul for
the purpose, and by giving a fictitious
name. succeeded in passing himself off
as hustler on the st. Paul delegation.
1t is also learned that he made an ap-
picatiOn to the committee for free
transportation for his ''wife" on the
train. What evidence the detective sue
ceeded la getting will not exactly be
known until the meeting today, but 1T
is said that the ticket agent of the Kan
saS City at Minneapolis handed Col.
McCrOry d number of envelopes con-
tanning money and got off the train at
Randolph. Then the colonel Iaughingly
said. Boys, step up and get your re.
bates; it's all right" 1t is pretty well
understood that the members of the
delegation received H.65 each; in fact
President Egan admitted this, but says
the money came from the fund raised
TO meet the expenses of the delegation.
There is a suspicion around that a
rival line had ''spOtter' on board the
train, who got on at Minneapolis. His
testimony will probably be heard, too,
by Chairman Finlay. today.
The actual number of passengers on
board the train was put down at thirty
seven, which the chairman will claim
does not warrant special train under
the agreement made. Rule 8,Section A,
of the agreement of the Western Pass
enger association, says:
The rate for a special train for a party
shall not be less than the sum of ffty-fuiI
regular first-class fare fol each person.
Under this rule will the Kansas City
be condemned if the party carried is
not over the number specified in each
charge. On the other hand, the Kansas
City people say they are innocent of
any wrongdOing, and will appeal the
case If it goes against them. They have
not been asleep since Finley presented
the charges to their general passenger
agent at Chicago on the morning of
the arrival of the Washington special.
President Egan and Assistant General
Passenger Agent Holdridge have been
vibrating between the Twin Cities fora
day or two looking up the delegation,
ticket agents, ETC., who took part in the
AGAR. securing evidence for the benefit
of Chairman Finley today. 1t is under
stood that all information desired TO
vindicate the company has been pro-
cured, and that the chairman will
be put on the defensive before
the case is half over. So much
TO the credit of the Kansas City. They
claim that the regular fare from St
Paul to Chicago was paid for each and
every ticket sold by the company, and
that no money was refunded by them
afterwards.
They also claim that Chairman Finley
has no right to investigate the matter
himself; that the charges must be pre-
sented to him by a competing line,
which shall have the right to investi-
gate, and that the chairman shall hear
arguments only and render decision
accordingly. Article Kill, section A,
of the passenger agreement, SAYS:
ANY company having knowledge Of an
alleged violation Of the agreement or of the
interstate commerce law. may report the
same to the chairman, and he is hereby en-
powered and instructed to employ such
means as he may elect TO ascertain the facts
and to prefer charges if the agreement or the
law has been violated. The intent of this is
that any company may bring charges itself
in its own name. or may refer the case to the
chairman to have charges made and sus-
tanned by any agency he may elect
1t is rumored that the Kansas City is
to make the issue tomorrow before Fin.
ley, and il the willy chairman is too
saucy, they will withdraw from the as
ISOLATION, which, if they do, means a
thorough decentralization of the Western
Passenger association, for they cannot
stand another loss.