The herald., 1895-02-22
PRESIDENT NEWTON TALKS
He Tells About Major Barrett's Schemes
at Sacramento
The Gentleman VIII Not Say Whether the
Ex.Superirtendent OF the Electric Road
Favored or Opposed the Bill

The story published in yesterdays
Herald concerning the passage of Speaker
Lynch's bill, whereby Agricultural Park,
n this city, and on the other agricultural
association grounds in the state, may re-
vert to the original stockholders, created
considerable of a stir in sporting and
real estate circles.
meeting of the directors of the Sixth
District Agricultural Association was
held yesterday ut 107 North Main street,
at which J. C. Newton presided. Prior
to the meeting the story as published was
discussed, but very little was said, for the
reason that E. V. Wright and Lewis
Thorne secretary of the association, who
admitted having bought up considerab. q
stock during the last few months, pre-
sumably in anticipation of the passage of
Speaker Lynch's bill were present, and
those members OF the board who are op-
posed to their methods preferred not to
discuss the matter with them at this
time.
Captain J. C. Newton, president of the
State Association, and who has taken
more interest in the prosperity of the
grounds in this city than any one else
connected with them, was seen after the
II have read the account in today
Herald" " said he, land the story is sub
stantally correct, save in one place, where
| am wrongly quoted. This matter is of
great importance to the people of this
part of the state, and | am satisfied in
my own mind that jobbery has been re-
sorted to, and at the proper time the
whole matter will be exposed and the
guilty parties held up for public censure.
4 The feasibility of offering Lynch's bill,
continued Captain Newton, Originated
with Mr.. Wright, l am quite sure, and
when he bought up all the stock from the
several stockholders, with whom he was
the law would be so changed at this ses-
sion of the Legislature that the park prop
erty would revert to the stockholders. The
stock so purchased by Wright and Thorne
cost them about 500 a share, and if the
park is today worth $240000, as is
claimed, the 100 shares would be worth
nearly $4,000 a share. Had these stock
holders who sold known that the Lynch
bill was going to be introduced they
would not have parted with their stock
for so low price
When asked what Captain A. W. Bar
rett, the well-known politician. had been
replied that he could not tell.
"All l KNOW said he, lis that re-
ceived letter from Barrett some time
ago to reply by telegraph what | thought
of Assembly Bill 449, which had then
passed in the Assembly and was on its
third reading in the Senate. | at once
went to Sacramento, and when got there
l found that Barrett was out of town.
The proprietor OF the hotel where he
was stopping said that Barrett had gone
to San Francisco in the interest of his
scheme, the application of which term
l thught in itself little peculiar.
Did Barrett oppose the bill in the
said he did by Mr.. Thorne?"
II cannot tell about that, said Captain
Newton, but l do know that he tele-
graphed to Nick Covarrubas the very
night of the occurrence that Governor
Budd had signed the bill and that it was
then, law. Before the newspapers
could print the news Nick Covarrubias
had the facts and whether by Barrett in
sructions or not / cannot say, he at once
set about securing some stock. All the
stockholders save those. on the inside,
were in ignorance of the impending
change and hence were not prepared to re.
tain their stock as they would have done
if they had known that in single day
ii had multiplied in value. Whether
Covarrubias got hold of any stock or not
| can't say, but | know he endeavored
to secure some in any event.
Mr.. Dillon of the firm of Dillon &
hneally contractors, was surprised yester-
day when he read of the passage of the
Lynch bill, and remembered that he had
sold his stock to his friend Wright. To
another stockholder who is exactly in the
same boat he stated yesterday that he
had been done up.
1t is a strange thing" said c. F. A.
Last yesterday to Herald reporter, that
Wright secured my stock last January
and the book shown to The Herald man
did not show the entry -
. Is it possible" asked the reporter
that the transfer OF stock recently has
not been kept entered for the reason that
Secretary Thorne expected that his mo-
tives in securing shares OF stock would be
called in question later on and that he
had the book as bluff, to show to the
reporters?"
Il can't say" said Mr.. Last, "but if
the transfer of my shares of stock does
not appear upon it it is not straight -
Many persons who have recently sold
their stock are on the warpath, and il is
hinted that the directors of the State As
sociation will not let go their hold until
they have taken the case to the conrts
A well-knonw local attorney has already
been retained in the matter.