The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-25


bed, bridges and engines and rolling stock
of the system, 70 the effect that these
officials, having also been In the employ of
the Central before the lease, are fully ac-
quainted with the condition OF the road, or
the particular sections Of which they have
charge, and, that with few mentioned
exceptions, are equally as good. and.
in some instances, better, than under
the Central regime. Master Mechanic ANTI
testified that the engines, cars and rolling
stock, generally. of the road after his super
vision, was IN equally as good, il not better
condition than under the Central control.
An affidavit to the effect was submitted by
Master Mechanic McGee OF Macon.
THE oESTRAL's SECURITIES.
An affidavit was submitted from T. M.
cashier of the Central Rail-
road Bank, to the effect that since
the lease OF the Central TO the Georgia
Pacific it has not parted with any OF
the stocks or bonds or securities of tho
Central except the New England and Sa-
vannah steamship stock, which is held by
the Central Trust Company Of New York
in escrow to await the determination OF the
claims OF the Richmond and Danville for
some $500, 900, except such securities as are
placed for collateral for loans.
An affidavit was submitted from u. B.
Harold of Americus to the effect that in
his business as a merchant he had found the
Central railroad and the East Tennessee TO
be competing companies, and an affidavit
from Col Phinizy of Augusta. as president
of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Com
pany, that this road was also q competing
line of the Central.
An affidavit was submitted from c. N.
West in behalf OF A. G. Guerard, George
j. Mills, Jacob Phinizy, A. G.. Solomons,
the Telfalr hospital, John j. Cohen,
9ohn John, ~ J. r,ISs Neviss, IT.. the L Savannah
number Of other stockholders all over
the state, holding altogether 6,S35 shares of
stock, protesting against the appointment of
a receiver as injurious to the interests of the
system.
AN IMPORTANT AFFIDAVIT.
Mr.. Erwin submitted an important
affidavit 90 the effect that since the filing Of
the bill under the order of the court to
examine certain papers in possession OF the
receiver he made an inquiry Of Gen.
Alexander, the temporary receiver, for the
inventory, il any, of the property and
equipment and money in the hands of
agents which passed into the possession
of the Richmond and Danville under the
lease OF the property OF the Central Railroad
and Banking Company to the Georgia
Pacific, aud that Gen. Alexander exhibited
what purported TO be a voluminous In
ventory of the property and equipment of
the road when it was turned over, which
appeared on its face not to have been made
by the employees Of the Central, but by the
employees of the Richmond and Danville
after that company went into possession;
that Gen. Alexander admitted that there was
a large amount of money In the hands of the
local agents of the Central OF which the
Central had not taken an Inventory and had
no account of for the reason that undnr the
lease the lessee took the road as a running
road.
A number of other affldavits not of special
Importance was submitted by both sides.
TWO INTERESTING POINTS.
Judge Pardee made two interesting
points during the reading of the 'affidavits
which are considered as good seed straws
When the deposit of the New England
Steamship Company's stock as security
against the claim by the Danvile for $780,
600 was announced, he asked some very
sharp questions. and 1t was rather difficult
to explain the situation to him. He said
that 1t was very strange that the
Central should put up securities to
pay debt it did not owe.
While Mr.. Lawton was reading affidayits
and amendments on the part of the de-
PENDANTS Judge Pardee asked him If he in
tended to put in anything touching upon the
February pay rolls of the employees, and
when Mr. Lawton replied that he did not,
Judge Pardse intimated rather broadly that
IL would be well for somebody to do some
thing of the kind. at may be an impor-
tant point in the case," he said. "One OF the
best signs OF the deterioration of a
railroad l know of Is the
non-payment of its employees"
The point was noted by all present, and
great stress was laid upon 1t as intIInating
the judges belief of the charges as to the
condition of the road.
AMOUNT OF THE PAY ROLLS.
Capt Jackson stated that the February
pay rolls amounted to only SlS8, ,89S, and
not $500.000. There was recess Of twenty
minutes taken at o'clock for lunch. At
the conclusion of the recess Mai. Bacon Of
fered piece of testimony, which he said he
had just come into possession of during
the recess. 1t was the report of
the Southern Railway and Steamship
Association, showing the movement
of cotton from various points to the ports.
by which he proposed to show that at the
competitive points where the Central rail-
road has equal and even superior advan-
tages the bulk of the cotton has gone over
other roads, carrying almost no cotton out
of Atlanta. Out OF Montgomery the Geo.
tral shipped only 1908 bales, while the East
leuu5SSeet WHICH mas no llIlo into Mont
gomery, shipped $1,000 bales from that
point.
THE sPEYER LOAN.
The Speyer loan was submitted by
Mr.. Erwin as showing the need of receiver.
Mr.. Erwin called the attention of the court
to the fact that there were statements of
on file overdue by the Richmond
and Danville from three TO six months.
The minutes of the directors meeting
we're read with regard to action upon the
bill for receiver, to show that the board was
fully decided as to what course 1t would pur-
sue. and 1t would have been needless for a
stockholder to apply to them against the
lease.
MIR. Erwin submitted an affidavit from
John w. Hooks, an engineer, testifying as
to the bad condition of the engines and
inability of the shop forces to keep them In
condition. Mr.. Lawton submitted an affi-
davit of Master Mechanic MoGee of the
Macon shops as to the number of engines in
the shop.
THE ARGUMENT BEGUN.
The evidence was closed and the court
ordered the argument to begin at 80
o'clock. Mr. Rountres began his argument
by getting or q little pun on corporations
having no souls, but the Danville having
shown its soles and heels at the very
first note of the tempest. The facts and
had shown that from begin
ming to end the course had been a course Of
illegal and unwarranted proceedings. He
charged that a plot was made from the be-
ginning four years ago 10 wreck and despoil
the Central railroad, and that is was