The morning call., 1892-12-09
LEEDS DID 1T.
The SIlively Bubble
COllapses.
REA HIRED RICHARDS.
A Put-Up Job, So 1t Now
Seems.
THE WHOLE THING EXPOSED.
Mr.. Leeds Declares That Mr.. Rea
Caused the Complaint to
Be Drawn.
THE WHOLE THING EXPOSED.

A big. ugly bombshell exploded in the
! rooms of the Railroad Commission yester-
day and wrecked every vestige of pre-
tense for the ''lnvestigs ton" of the South
ern Pacifc's rates and fares, which has
been carried on two or three days every
week since November 10
j. S. Leeds. the traffic manager, was the
bomb-thrower. and whatever damage is
| done to the three Commissioners cracked
regulations and to poor Mr. Huntington he
alone is responsible for it.
Like the man who a few weeks ago
walked Into a dynamite storerOom with q
| lighted pipe and caused terrific explosion.
/ so Commissioner Beekman picked up d
| frebrand yesterday which resulted in 9
terrible shaking up.
Leeds was on the witness-stand ard was
about TO finish his testimony, when Beckmar
arose maiestically and 10 a voice which he
intended TO b. impressive offered the re-
Gently issued report OF the Traffic Associa.
ton as evidence in the Shively case.
Now, since this document is on file as
evidence" said Beckman, II want TO ask
you. Mr.. Leeds. whether the following
| paragraph printed therein is true or false"
Then be read that portion of the Leeds
report which denounces the Shively inveSti-
| cation as a farce, and which handles the
Our refusal 10 file a complaint before this
board resulted I'm showing them up IN their
true light before the people OF the State. In or
der to escape tie exposition 10 which they were
being subjected they had Complaint prepared
by one Of their Eired attorneys who procured a
stoopgeon TO file II before Tue boarc.
Leeds listened undls.uTbed To Beckman's
bluff and then he said:
81 am perfectly willing TO answer that
| question, but / think you had better. for
your own sake, wait until have given all
my other testimony before you call on me
for reply 10 the query"
All right. L Will wait" said Beckman,
blind to the evident signs of distress which
were plainly visible on the countenances of
his colleagues and the representatives of
the Southern Pacific Company.
Litchheld had nervous attack aud trem-
bled ali over, Rea got red in the face Stubbs
frowned. Lawyer Martin twisted uueasiiy
in his chair aud Richards looked like a de-
feated priZe-fghter after he had in the
language Of John l.. Sullivan. fought once
too often"
Gathering himself together, however.
Shlyely'S attorney made desperate plunge,
ard declaring that he had no further ques-
tiuns 10 ask OF the witness, he wanted Beck
mans question answered. and he desired TO
know on what reasons Leeds based his as
sertiOns 10 the effect lha: he Rlchards) was
hireling of the Railroad Commission and
Shively a stOolpigeon.
Before | answer these questions desire
your permission, Mr.. Richards, to reveal
matters you have told me coB6dentially.
said Leeds.
"All right" responded tie san Jose law
yer; nothing passed between you and me
that desire TO conceal here. and you have
my permission TO repeat all l have told
you"
In that case" said Leeds, 81 state that
Mr.. Richards himself has told me that he
was Mr.. Rea's attorney, aud that ne had
drawn mp the complaint filed by Porter of
POrtervile some time ago. which asked for
reduction OF rates. When Porter weak
ened and withdrew his complaint. Richards
told me, he drew ND another paper of the
same nature and had Mr.. Shiyely swear
TO it, making the latter the Omplainant
Both men, Porter as well as Shively,
we're procured by Richards, as / understood
him. while he was in the employ of Mr..
Rea. the chairman of the board, aud with
the latter's knowledge"
The effect of this statement was fe arful
TO behold.
Richards face assumed an asheu hue
Beckman collapsed completely. Litehfeld
wept bitter tears. and MesSrs. Stubs and
Martin exchanged despairing glanees.
But there was more 10 come.
Lilchfield rashly criticized Leeds. because
in his report he had accused the whole
commission Of employing Richards, when
Rea alone was his employer.
To this Leeds answered that the presi-
dent Of the board. being instrumental In
procuring a man TO file a complaint on
which he himself {Rea) was to sit in judy
ment, the whole business was so extremely
hlmsy and insineere that he Leeds would
have nothing to do with the case.
Answering question put 20 him by
Richards. Leeds acknowledged that the
latter had tried very hard to convince him
that Shively was thoroughly in earnest and
would push his case TO the bitter end
"But / didn't believe him." laeonically
added the witness, aud then he smiled
at his discounted audience, closing his an
swer with remark TO the effect that the
proceedings Of the alleged investigation
had justified his disbelief since he ex-
pressed il.
Richards, seeing the necessity Of doing
something 10 soften the blow his pretenses
had received, and staggering under the
effect OF the complete EXPOSE Leeds had
made Of bis methods, addressed the board,
and In a discouraged sort of q manner man
eyed TO make a statement.
de had, however. only lame excuse to
offer. and he did not attempt to deny Leeds
statements.
Il was employed by Rea." said he, ''and
u was / who introduced Shively to the
president OF the board. But this was after
the complaint which forms the basis of this
investigation had been drawn up.
We wanted an honest investigation, and
Shively asked Rea whether he could get a
lar show from the commission.
''Rea assured him that he would get every
possible opportunity TO present his ease in
good shape. and l consulted Leeds for the
purpose of getting him to assist us. Rea
had nothing to do with procuring Porter or
Shively."
Litchfield then jumped into the breach.
and, standing on the ruins of what once
was tile Shively case. he declared that he
considered 1t quite in order that the presi-
dent OF the board should m AXE it his BUSH
ness 10 hnd some one 20 file complaint.
"a ffa hs.o a
and that could not be had without plaintiff
Then Bailiff Stafford came along with a
broom and swept the fragments of the shat
tered Shively case into the fireplace.