St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-22
A Stenographer's Break in
Reporting the Wheat In
vestigation.
Frank Irons Refuses to An
sWer Alleged Reiterated
Questions.
His Arrest for Contempt Sug-
gested, But Ignored by
the Committee.
Attorney Erwin Explains His
Position and the Course
to Be Taken.

When the wheat investigating COM
mittee assembled yesterday morning
there were but four members present,
Messrs. Geissel, Zelch, Caswell and
Barrett. Attorney Severance had hob
bled up to the senate chamber on a
crutch. to be present at the eXamina-
tion of ID. A. Christy, agent OF the Lake
Superior Transit company, and was
naturally hostile when some one sug-
geSted an adjournment. He thought
the committee might proceed with less
than quorum, and it was so decided.
Senator Smith came in later, but had
been in attendance only few minutes
when Mr.. Barrett went out to dinner,
saying that he had breakfast at o'clock
in the morning and was hungry. The
suggestion that the committee would
again be without quorum didn't stop
him in his search for q lunch counter.
Mr.. Christy was one of the witnesses
before the original house investigating
committee, but sent to the present COM
mittee an affidavit in which he pointed
out the numerous errors in the trans
script Of his previous testimony. He
was present Yesterday with his books,
and although he testified that they were
the same books he had before the house
committee, and although he substantial
ed the accuracy of his affidavit by them,
the discrepancies were so great that Mr..
Erwin professed to believe that they
were different books. Mr.. Severance
objected to the intimatiOn that Mr..
Christy was perjurer, and Mr.. Christy
declared again. very emphatically, that
they were the same-were the only
books of that kind that the company
had, or ever hld-and that they had
not been changed. Mr.. Geissel and
Gen. Barrett declared that the witness
was an honest one, and the manner of
giving evidence made this very evident.
The discrepancies were numerous and
egregious. There were errors in the
number of bushels of cargo after cargo,
and, in some cases, errors of entire
months in dates, while In one or two
cases the names of boats were wrong,
at least two boats being named which
did not enter the port OF Duluth that
year. The evidence was in regard to
The Mysterious Shipments
of the damaged grain, which was the
start of the whole investigation. Mir.
Christy corrected all the errors of the
old record, and when asked about ship
plug grain without attention 10 grades,
said that his company never did such
thing except by direction OF the ship
per, who very frequently. in the case OF
4. 1. nj in hnn no
he had right to do after he had pur-
chased 1t and taken it from the elevator.
Mr.. Erwin sought to show that over So,
600 bushels. as shipped according to the
BOOKS. hae not been mentioned in the
original testimony, but Mr.. Geissel
thought it was due to careleSsness in
marking the point reached when the
committee had taken a recess.
Mr.. Geissel referred TO the old record
in scathing terms, and SAID that so
many inaccuracies had been shown
that the committee could not depend
upon a particle Of it.
Mr.. Erwin intimated that the books
were erroneous. and said the committee
could find out whether they were or not
if they wanted to.
This one now have, he said, 'is not in
any shape the same book.
Mr.. SeVerance-OOn Cali MI. CnIlety
perjurer.
Mr. Christy-Itis is the same one and the
only one.
Chairman Geissel-The stenographer ad-
mts some of the errors.
Nh Erwin still contended that the book
could not be the same. because it did not
compare with the stenographer's typewriter
copy OF the original evidence.
Let Rome Howl.
Mr.. Christy-I declare emphatic6lly and
positively that it is the same book.
Mr.. Severance wanted 10 shut the whole
thing off.
Chairman Geissel-We tried that once. II
we tried il again they would make Rome
howl.
Mr.. severance-Let it howl. This is all
Finally, when Mr.. Christy had con-
cluded, it being then nearly 8 o'clock,
proposition was made to adjourn until
today without calling Fir ank ii. Irons,
who had been IN waiting all the morn
ing, and Mr. McGhee declared that if
this was done Mr.. Irons would not
answer single questlon-not even to
his own name.
Gen. Barrett was asked as to the nat
ure of the questions he proposed to ask
Mr.. Irons, and said that he wanted to
ask him about how he got his prices
from DuIuLn, anu dS GO WHelntI COl1-
mittee met there to determine the clos
ing price, as in Minneapolis. He also
wanted to know about the travelling
agents who went about the country see
ing that prices were maintained. Also
if the witness knows anything about
any settlement between the companies,
or if record is kept of the number of
bushels of grain bought at the various
stations by the yarisous companies?
Also as to whether or not fthe railroads
paid any part of Mr.. Irons salary?
Mr. lrons-I can answer all that batch of
questions in a single word-no.
And" added the general, "many
other questions"
Then, at $50 o'clock, the committee
took recess until o'clock.
IRONS AGAIN TO THE FRONT.