The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-28
MIR. PLANT ON COERCION.
Says the Statements Were Mnnufac-
tured For Political PURPOSES.


A rumor was circulated some time ago
about the Plant systems employees being
compelled under penalty of dismissal from
the SYSTEMS service, to vote for McKin-
ley and Hobart in the coming election. The
rumor, purporting to be the order of Pres
ident H. B. Plant, travelled widely and
1t seems, gained credence in many circles.
Several of the newspapers made capital
of it and in some it was stated as a fact.
An issue of the Morning News some two
months or more ago published a Clipping
from the Baltimore Herald that stated.
as a dispatch from this city, that all of
the employees had been notified of their
resulting discharge if they did not vote
for Mckinley. Following this Ginning
came the emphatic denial of the officials
and employees of any knowledge of the al
legged instructions. An official said at the
time that the report had emanated from
a man who had been dismissed from the
SYSTEMS employ, and that he was actu-
ated by feeling of revenge in circulating
the report
1t seems that of late, Notwithstanding
the denlals that have been made, the ru-
NOR is still being entertained as proba-
bic. President H. B. Plant has taken
cognizance of the matter and has written
letter to the Jacksonville Times-Union.
In the course of his letter he saws:
Some time since 1 learned that a GER
tain newspaper in the south had publish
ed statement that a circular had been
issued by me to employees of the system
lnstructing them to vote for Mckinley I'M
der penalty of dismissal for refusal. At
that time did not consider it worth while
to take any notice of the statement my
self, as it was 80 entirely opposite to
the truth, but now that I have been in
formed that the opinion is taking root and
is Being used by campaign managers for
their own ends, I think it but right to
myself that I should openly deny, in the
public print, all such rumors, and state
for the information of your readers that
such statements are manufactured by in
terested parties for their own use and
capital"
Superintendent B. Durham, of the Plant
system, has gone north on a business trip
Mr.. w. H. Wright, trainmaster of the
second division of the Plant system, with
headquarters at Waycross, spent yester-
day in the city.
Mr.. H. E. Hutchens night yard master
VI AAS CCllll oil dill Odu DIT &AIldnld, Is re-
ported by his physicians to be resting as
easily as could be expected after the Sc
rious injuries he sustained by the accident
in the yards last Friday
Mr.. Hutchens went between two cars
that were standing still at the time, when
an engine backed into them, catching him
between the drawheads and severely in
juring him. His hips were badly crushed.
Mr.. I. M. Fleming, division freight and
passenger agent of the Florida, Central
and Peninsular, returned yesterday from
a trip to Columbia.
Mr.. ]. B. Glover, one of the receivers of
the Marietta and North Georgia, spent
yesterday in the city.
The Plant system is carrying many Sa-
vannahians every day to the gala week
festivities at Charleston.
Mr.. H. Schweikert formerly general
yard master of the Georgia and Alabama
railroad, has been appointed general yard
master of the Seaboard Air Line railroad,
with headquarters at Portsmouth, Va. His
family will join him this week.