St. Paul daily globe., 1893-03-23
EXPLOSION Al HAND,
And the Coal Combine Com
mittee Is Ready to Touch
1t Off.
Three Witnesses OF Impor-
tanee Coolly Fail to Come.
to Time.
The House Takes Steps to
Call Down the Act Of
Judge Brill.
C. D. O'Brien Makes a Caustie
Reply to the Resolu-
tion.

committee resumed business last even
ing at the old stand in the parlors of the
Astoria hotel, but its operations were
greatly curtailed by the fact that three
of the most important witnesses failed
to respond to the summons sent them
to be present. These were Messrs. E.
n. Saunders, Of the Northwestern Fuel
company; Z. E. Wales, of the Pioneer
Fuel company, and John j. Rhodes, and
the decision arrived at by the committee
was that in failing 20 appear they
simply took advantage of the statutory
provision in relation to subpoena
issued by court which requires that
witness fees or mileage must be paid or
at least rendered before the service can
be considered complete. In the case OF
these gentlemen no tender of witness
fees or mileage was made, but some
members are of the opinion that this is
not the only reason for their absence,
and that it will be extremely diff cult TO
secure any further testimony from
them. All three of the gentlemen
named have appeared before the COM
mittee at different times, but the
members Of the committee feel
means told all that they can.
The committee is determined to put
MessrS. Rhodes, Saunders and Wales
through as far as possible, and to 90 to
the fullest extent of the law in enforc-
ing testimony on their part. The fed
eral trust law has been consulted, and
as the combine is said to be an inter
state affair. embracing Wisconsin as
we'll as Minnesota, its very drastic pro-
visions will be called into service.
The committee declines to make its
proposed course public, but its members
freely declare that something is ''g0ing
to drop" The first onslaught will be
made upon Mr.. Rhodes alone, and it is
evident that II he has Vulnerable point
the committee is determined to reach 1T.
Fhe Solitary Witness.
Humphrey w. Armstrong. of Mime
apolis, was allowed to give his testi,
mony first, owing to the fact that he is
an old man and desired to return home.
In answer to questions asked by Mr..
Walsh, he gave his place OF business as
1900 Linden avenue. Minneapolis. and
stated that he had been doing retail
coal and wood business since 1879 at
that address. He had known John }.
OilOuOS iOl IWO JCOlO puOU, Quo A0lA
been member of the Minneapolis An
thracite Coal association for this length
of time. The first year he paid 500, of
which S75 was returned. His firm had
been a subscriber to the Minnesota
Bureau of Coal Statistics and Informa-
ton. He stated that he had received no
writings from John j. Rhodes further
than receipt for the money paid by
him; but, when questioned more closely,
admitted the receipt of letter from
Mr.. Rh odes dated Oct. 81. 1892. and in
which Mr.. Rhodes stated he had been
informed that Armstrong IL Co. had fur
nished coal to Z. E. Smith & Co., of
New Boston, and requested him not to
do so any more until this firm had be-
come member of the bureau"
This letter, he said. bad not been
answered. or at least he did not re-
member having answered it.
Mr.. Horton then took the witness
and asked him what he paid the S25 for.
NOW you're too hard for me; l don't
satisfy Mr.. Horton, who tried by putting
his question in various other forms to
obtain some sort of ineligible and di-
rect answer. The only result was that
Mr.. Armstrong stated he had put up the
money because the others did and that
they all paid this money for the in
formation with which Mr.. Rhodes fur
nished them. Chairman Donnelly then
asked. WAS the money paid to make
Mr. Rhodes behave himself ?''
II think they paid Mr.. Rhodes the
money so that he would make them be-
have themselves" suggested Mr.. Walsh.
"Well, that's jutt about the way of
it," replied Mr.. Armstrong with laugh,
which was echoed by all present.
Mr.. Armstrong further stated that he
did not know who L. E. Smith IL Co.
were, and that he had never sold them
pound OF coal.
When asked as to whether an attempt
had not been made to force the retail
dealers out of business. Mr.. Arm
aware Of anything of the kind.
During the past two years
he had secured contracts to furnish 250
tons of pea coal to the Minneapolis pub
lie library, and 800 tons of soft coal to
the Consolidated Mill company, of
Minneapolis. There had been no OBJ
lection on the part of the wholesale
dealers and he had not departed from
the prices recommended by Mr.. Rhodes.
Mr.. Armstrong appeared unwilling to
answer any questions excepting those
which he could not avoid and Mr.. Walsh
said:
1T is perfectly plain that all of these
retailers have been coWed and bulldozed
into state of almost absolute serfdOm
and do not dare to testify as fully as
they might"
The Absent TrIOa
Chairman Donnelly called the name
Of e. n. Saunders, and echo answered
Saunders" The Sergeant-at-arms eX-
planned that Mr.. Saunders had failed TO
appear. John j. Rhodes and G. E.
Wales were also called with the same
result, and upon investigation it was
found that in the cases of Mr.. Saunders
and Mr.. Rhodes the assistant sergeant
alarms had made personal service of
subpenas and Mr.. Wales subpoena had
been served upon his chief clerk.
Mr.. Donnelly said: ~ suppose the
next thing is to apply to the house OF
representative for speakers warrant
for each of these gentlemen and to have
them brought before the house for con-
tempt"
Mr.. Lockwood did not think this could
be done, unless witness fees and mile
age bad been rendered at the time of
service.
Mr.. Donnelly questioned this point on
the ground that the law pertaining to
courts did not apply to a legislative
body. He could readily see, ,howeveT, now
the missing witness would be advised
by counsel to take advantage Of tbs
point to raise a bubble. The lawyers
of the committee snant some time indis-