The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-14
HUNTINGTON TO co FREE
The Indictment Against the
Railroad Magnate VIII
Be Dismissed.
SENTIMENTS OF THE A. R. U,
Coils p, Not Afraid of the Outcome,
but Thought it Better to Be
Sure Than Sorry.

Coils P. Huntington will be free man
at IL A. NJ. to-day. After that hour he can
come and go in the State OF California
without fear or favor. AS he is expected
here before the end of the week this means
a great deal to the railroad magnate.
The indictments against him found by
the United States Grand Jury are to be
dismissed. and no one will be more thank
full than Coils P. Huntington. He is &C
cused of issuing pass TO Attorney FRANK
M. Stone, calling for free transportation
over all the lines of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company. Stone used the pass
as far as Red Bluff, but no farther, so the
matter did not come within the purvlew OF
the interstate commerce law. Huntington
was afraid of the matter, however, and
when he heard that a warrant was out for
his arrest postponed an intended trip TO
California
After waiting and waiting, until patience
ceased to be a virtue, United States District
Attorney Foote and United States Marshal
Baldwin determined to act. The warrant
was sent on to New York and served upon
the railroad king. He demurred on the
ground that no offenSe was proved, and
the Eastern Judges took that view OF the
case. In consequence the railroad king
went free, and Immediately afterward took
q pleasure trip to Europe. On his return
he came to the conclusion that his business
interests demanded a visit to California,
but the warrant for his arrest stood in the
way That document was still in the
hands of United States Marshal Baldwin,
and directly Coils ?. Huntington set his
foot within the jurisdiction of the north
ern district of California he was to be ar
rested. That was the intention of the
Marshal, and his deputies have been on
the watch ever since the, news was tele
graphed that Huntington was on the way.
All Marshal Baldwin's plans have been
changed, however and his deputies are no
longer on the lookout. Huntington has
arranged matters with the Attorney Gen
eral and the authorities at Washington,
and in consequence instructions have been
wired here to dismiss the charges.
AS soon as the United States District
Court opens this morning the District At
torney will arise and move that the indict-
ments against Coils ?. Huntington be
dismissed. Judge Morrow will ask on
what grounds, and the ruling OF the New
York courts will be quoted. The fact that
Frank Stone only used the pass issued by
Huntington in the State of California will
also be cited, and the end will be the dis
missal of the charges. Thursday night or
Friday morning Huntington will arrive in
San Francisco and will wave a graceful
howdo-you-do to the men who hoped to
make him a prisoner.
Coils ?. Huntington is running no risks
and losing no tricks in the game OF rail-
roads VS.. strikers. With the indictments
against him dismissed he can come and go
as he pleases and no one can say a word
unless the present United States Grand
Jury finds new indictment against him.
Harry A. Knox surprise last night was
quickly followed by an outburst of indigna-
ton when he was informed of the action of
the Federal legal department. He said:
1t is the same old story-one law for the rich
and another for the poor. They tried us fell
lows under the same law-the interstate COM
merce law-but they take good care that they
don't try c. P. Huntington. And why? The
reason is very plain: He represents capital
and we labor. That is all there is to it, The
legal machinery of this Government is partial
toward man who can command capital, and
IL discriminates against any man who has
simply his ability to perform labor to show.
Frank Stone had pass which was good on
all the tracks OF the Southern Pacific. wherever
they ran. He was on his way from this City to
Ashland, Or, on his pass, when he was stopped
at Red Bluff, and he SO testified.
The company used its own discretion as to
whether it would keep the interstate commerce
law violate it, for when ], as one of its en-
ployes, wanted pass to Medford, Or. 1 was
told that could get pass only to the State
line, and that would have to pay my own
fare for the rest OF the way.
There are any number of people who
travelled on passes issued by the Southern
Pacific, and, so far as they were concerned, the
interstate law was practically dead letter.
This is a notorious fact, which even the
scribblers under the pay of that corporation
cannot deny.
The District Attorneys office here so juggled
with this indictment matter that no better re-
suit might have been expected. The first in
dictment was all right, but a cat could be
thrown through the second Now, why does
the District Attorney, representing, as he was
supposed to do, the people OF the United States
work this indictment matter in this way Is
it not as plain as the nose on a mans face that
the financial superiority of Huntington was
the thing which turned the scales of justice
do not say, mind you, that any of his
money was used, but 1t was the recognition oil
his standing in the business world and his
possession OF money that warped the mind OF
the prosecuting officers of the Governments
sort of toadyism to capital that is very common
among public officers.
am satisfied, however, that before the bar
OF public opinion Huntington has been
weighed in the balance and found wanting.
And the public, too, know full well that CAPT
tai has advantages under our judicial system
which the people will sooner or later be called
upon to rectify.
The American Railway Union will have an
Indignation meeting soon-probably at Metro
politan Temple this coming Saturday nipht-to
express its sentiments respecting Colonel Ora.
hams action in the soldiers monument mat
ter, and we will then consider the quashing oil
the indictments against C. p. Huntington.
Huntington is now on his WAY to the coast and
mind II we cannot get any other kind Of just
ice. President Marlatt and Mr.. CrandalI are
now making arrangements for the indignation
meeting
An open meeting will be held by the
American Railway Union tonight and the
action OF the Department of Justice will
be then incidentally discussed.