St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-21
CROSS STANDS PAT.
The Sessions Of the Wheat In
vestigating Committee
Resumed.
Reform er Stoekwell Given an
Appointment at so Cents
an Hour.
Ex-Deputy Inspector Cross
Under Fire Of the Eleva-
tor Peoples Attorney.
He Comes Out of the Test
With His Previous Testi-
mony UnShattered.

was resumed yesterday at the capitol,
and at the opening of the session the
subcommittee to whom was assigned
the duty of appointing men to examine
the books of the elevator companies re-
ported. The appointments recon-
mended were: S. a. Stockwell and II.
S. Furber for the Duluth elevators, and
T. S. Dickey and George Robinson for
the Superior elevators. Attorney Sey-
erance sraised small sized row by re-
marking that the elevator people were
not acquainted with these men, and Sug-
geSted that John T. McClaren be added
to the committee to examine the books
of the Duluth elevators. Mr.. Moore
thought this was reflection upon the
committee, but this was denied by Mr..
Severance. and the name of Mr.. Nc
Claren was agreed to. The experts will
receive so cents per hour for their work
on the books.
j. w. Cross was again placed on the
stand and re-examined by Assistant At
torney General Childs. He testified that
it was not common practice for the
elevator companies to ship out grain at
a higher grade than that at which 1t had
been received. A number of companies
had had their grain reinSpected and
graded up, however. Among them
were Van Dusen 81 Co. and Moore &
Co. Fulton held them down On grades
for time, telling them they
Were Too Liberal
in grading. The differences in the price
after the grain had been raised in
grade, went to the parties buying the
wheat. The elevator company receives
no benefit where it is simply handling
the wheat.
MIR. Cross was asked to state his
grounds for believing that Mr.. Fulton
sent him over to the Wisconsin SIDE TO
get him out of the way, and, in reply,
he said that for some time prior to his
transfer he had avoided meeting Mr..
Fulton as much as possible, and the
witness supposed he wanted him out OF
the way altogether. "There was some
ill-feeling between us at that time"
Ibid this ill-feeiing come from any knowl-
edge you had of irregularities on his part?"
Yes sir; since you are bound to have 1t
out of me, ii tell you how 1t was. After he
was appointed was one OF the old inspec-.
tors and Mr.. Barnard was another one Mr..
Fulton followed us around, and after we had
inspected cars he ordered them down. One
day Mr.. Clausen came up and found two cars
of No. 2 Northern which had been graded
down to NO. 3. He called me back and want
ed to know why 1 was grading wheat that
way. l told him l did not do it on my own
judgment 1t was Fulton's work. Fulton
denied this, ard after that tried to avoid me
altogether. About June l, 1890, / reported
some Irregularities at the elevators to Gen.
Becker by letter."
When asked to give the dates when
these
Irregularities
occurred the witness could not remem-
ber, and recess was taken while the
letters were secured.
The first letter was dated June 6,
1890, and stated that the elevators were
shipping out wheat at night and billing
it out as screenings. The letter stated
that the witness had Known of this for
some time, but was afraid to report, as
he could not afford to lose his place. He
thought the railroad companies must
Stlnd in with the companies on the
deal. When asked why he did not re-
port the matter directly to Mr.. ClauSen
or his Immediate superior. he said he
thought the railroad commissioners
were the proper persons to be Informed.
He did not report the matter until he
was compelled to do so by Pattinson and
Lynch, who threatened to do so if he
did not.
Chief Grain Inspector Clansen was
granted permission 10 question the wit
ness regarding the mixing OF grades.
His statement that the grade was raised
OH 100000 bushels was an estimate. He
did not think any wheat was shipped at
a higher grade than that to which 1t
was entitled.
Cross Under Fire.
Attorney Severance had charge of the
witness during the afternoon session,
crosS-eXamining him in very search
ing manner. Mr.. Cross, however, main
tanned the correctness of his testimony,
and very little additional information
was adduced.
The crosS-examination was largely
upon technical points respecting the
disposition of wheat in the elevators.
He was severely questioned about Full
ton raising the grades, and admitted in
one case where the grade was raised
that the wheat had been cleaned. Wit
ness accused Fulton of having him
transferred to Minneapolis, because
Cross had reported alleged Irregularities
on .Fulton'S part to Gen. Becker. He,
however, subsequently admitted writing
TO the warehouse commissioner asking
to be removed TO Minneapolis. doing so
at the instigatiou of Chief Inspector
Clausen on account of unpleasantness
existing at Duluth. In October, 1890,
he told an Alliance man about the
alleged illegal shipment of wheat. He
admitted having told Grain Inspector
Higgins that the result of that investi-
| CATION would be that Fulton would lose
his place; that he Gross would get back
to Duluth, and that then there would be
a chance for Higgins to get place
there.
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