The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-19

court session before Judge McKenna in
the Southern Pacific Company's suit
against the Railroad Commissioners.
There are three factions represented
- the two which furnish the title
to the action and the United States
Government, which has filed bill of in
tervention with view to the protection OF
It's interests.
AT one time yesterday afternoon United
States District Attorney H. S. Foote for
the Government, Attorney General w. F.
Fitzgerald for the State of California and
Attorneys John CARRIER and J. c. Martin for
the railroad all seemed fast asleep They
had battled long and hard to keep their
eyes open during the monotonous reading
of the Pattison Commission report. Like
so many children kept away from their
cribs after their usual bedtime, they tossed
about, blinked their peppers" few times
and then lay back in various attitudes
more or less of comfort, oblivious to their
surroundings.
There appeared faint smile of satisfac-
ton on the corners of Judge McKenna's
mouth as he surveyed the field before him.
1t seemed to intimate that the sentiment
passing through his mind was
We'll, you wanted to have the full re-
port of the committee read, did you? Well,
you shall have it."
On Friday the court suggested that the
reading be curtalled somewhat, as he did
not think it advisable to follow up the 1900
pages OF ancient history if he could help it.
But the attorneys, and especially Mr..
Foote for the Government, thought other
wise. The latter claimed that he had
never been able to secure copy of the
COMMISSIONS report, hence the reading
must be proceeded with, as it was the ONLY
means OF his obtaining knowledge of the
testimony
Mr.. Foote is no longer a young man.
and his circulation OF blood is rather slug
gish. He stood the mornings reading
fairly we'll, but in the afternoon he sue
cumbed and even snored.
few moments before the adjournment
Assistant Acknowledgement Anderson.
who was reading the ponderous docu-
ment, suggested that as the testi-
mony OF an important witness had
ing would spread into another days pro-
ceedings he thought it might be a good
place to stop.
II entertain the idea that almost anv
point in this reading would be a good
place to stop" calmly said Judge Nc
kenna.
This remark on the part of His Honor
was greeted with laughter by the cou nseI
who were not asleep, and all the others ex-
cept Mr.. Foote awakened. He might have
renamed in the "land of Nod" much
longer but for a friendly nudge from ex-
Judge DAILY.
Wha-what's the matter?" he ex-
claimed, with a start. He was all right
again in few minutes.
Clement Bennett, the courtly court
stenographer, earned his $40 per day quite
easily. His presence in court is I'm pera-
tive to take down in shorthand any re-
marks between the attorneys and the
court. 1t is not necessary to take down
the reading of the committees report.
Hence, Mr.. Bennett is enabled to square
his well-nurtured frame away in his COM
Portable armchair and become dead to the
world, providing he does not snore.
That is one thing Judge McKenna OBJ
jects to. He will not permit even the ex-
haling whistle let alone the inhaling snore.
When the noon recess was announced,
the day being Saturday, the general i'm
preston among counsel was that the usual
custom of half holiday would be re-
spected. But no. Not by a great deal.
Judge McKenna felt it his duty to con-
tinue the reading since the attorneys de-
sired to have so much of it to go in evil
dence.
The evidence of Senator Stanford, inter