The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-26
DBBS KEPT FROM TESTIFYING
The STRIKERS WANTED HIS EVIL
DENCE ON THE ORIGIN OF
THE STRIKE.
He PROVED THE CORPORATE ExIs-
TENCE OF THE SOUTHERN Pa
CIFIC COMPANY.

There was considerable excitement en-
gendered in the trial of Cassidy and
Mayne, the strikers, in the United States
District Court yesterday. The Govern
ment had gained permission to prove the
corporate existence of the Southern Pacific
of Kentucky, and as this practically re-
opened the case Monteith, the attorney
for the strikers, stated that he would call
Eugene V. Debs as a witness. In conse-
quence there was large crowd in atten-
dance, all anxious to get look at the
leader of the great strike of railroad en-
ployes.
When the case was called Gerrit L. Ian
sing, secretary and controller of the South
ern and Central Pacific Railroad COM
panies, was placed on the stand. He testi-
fed that various lines on which trouble
took place during the strike were either
owned or controlled by the Southern Pa
cific Railroad Company of Kentucky. He
produced certified copy of the articles OF
incorporation, and also the timetables OF
the company.
When he had completed his testimony
Monteith moved that it all be stricken out
on the ground that it was immaterial, in
competent and irrelevant. The motion
was denied.
Under cross-examination Lansing said
he remembered kilograms being sent by
Superintendent of Motive Power II. j.
Small to all the workshops which said.
"Close up your shops and shut down on
everything" Asked how it was possible
to move trains when the motive power
was gone he answered he did not know
Ii any mail was transported between the
Sd and 10th of July it was moved by the
Southern Pacific, according to him, in
c,,ifa IF ha faa hot q II fha
s'killed.''
In answer to other questions Lansing
said he had been with the Southern Pacific
since April 1, 1885. He knew of a line
called the Southern Pacific of California,
which ran between San Francisco and San
Jose, via Palo Alto, but it is controlled by
the Southern Pacific of Kentucky Asked
if he knew anything about the strike OF his
own knowledge the witness said he did not
Monteith then again moved to have all
Lansing's testimony stricken out, but the
motion was denied.
Monteith next began to ask the witness
about the land grant made to the Central
Pacific by Congress, but was shut off by an
objection made by the United States Dis
trict Attorney. Getting back to what he,
had been doing during the strike, the
Southern Pacifc's secretary said he was
nearly all the time in the building at
Fourth and Townsend streets. In answer
to an objection Montelth said that he
wanted to prove out of the witness own
mouth that he did not know anything
about the movements of the trains nor the
strike. Judge Morrow said that the point
raised had nothing to do with the owner
ship of the railroad, and sustained the
| objection. Lansing was then excused, and
the Government closed its case once more.
Monteith then called for Eugene V. Debs,
and everybody was on the tiptoe of ex-
afoft TTnifoH CfataS Dictriaf ffnrr1au
Foote at once objected, and the court sus-
tanned him. The strikers attorney then
explained that he wanted Mr.. Debs' testi-
mony so as to get before the jury the origin
of the strike and who was to blame for it.
The court refused to allow Mr.. Debs to be
called, and the case closed. Assistant
District Attorney Knight then began the
argument for the prosecution, and was still
talking at the hour of adjournment. The
case went over until next Thursday to give
one of the jurors an opportunity to attend
a case in the Circuit Court.