The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-08-12
IN THE RAILWAY WORLD.
Secret Meeting Which Mas Held in
Houston.
SuElNG FOR OVER HALF A MILLION
VIM. NJ. Barnett Wants Damages From
tho southern Pacific. Alleging False
PrOsecution-The Conference.

new orleans. August n.--When ihe pri-
waite car of President A. G. Hutchinson
pulled out over the Southern Pacific last
Thursday night bearing as its passengers
General Passenger Agent S. +. B. Morse.
his stenographer. and Secretary u. NJ
llollingsworth, United States Postofhce
Inspector George ~. Dice and Major Ram
sey as an invited guest. all the railroad
men looked wise. but none said anything
Yesterday the party returned TO the city,
and Mr.. Morse was down at MS office
early In the day.
1t now develops that MIR. Morse and
Inspector Dee went to Houston, in ac-
cordance with Il mutual agreement of all
persons concerned, for the purpose OF
meeting the United States oincld,s. the
other raalroad men and the Texas at
torncys for conference over the big half
million dollar lawsuit brought hy Waiter
NJ. Barnett of san Antonio. against Ter
tain OF the Southern Pacific officials.
The conference was strictly secret. and
no one in Houston knew of ITS tNlaten e,
and but few learned Of the presence of
the various officials. There were present
United states District, Attorney. tuiper-
Hamilton of san Antonio. Assistant Gen
cral Passenger Agent l.. j. Parks of the
Southern Pacific at Houston. Attorneys
ton, Harrisburg and san Antonio railroad.
Postoince Inspector George \. ljIce,
General Passenger Agent 5. +. j. Morse
and Stenographer lloiliugSWorth.
! he story Of the suit brought by Will
am Barnett In the United States District
court at san Antonio on June %, TO re-
cover the Immense sum of SOL. SIS nam.ng
as defendants Gcncr~l Passenger Agent
Morse Inspector Dee. two passenger
clerks. Pagan and Dudley. and Assistant
General Passenger Agent l.. j. Parks of
Houston, is sim fresh in the minds of the
pGbic
The fling of this suit created pro-
found surprise. II came at time when
the noted countcrfetting CAGES. thcn Oh
tr.ll in New York CITY, were at their
heighih oil interest. in which two Of W.
NJ. Barn1ts brothers were defendants,
although later oae of them turned states
evidence.
False prosecution" was given as ;hc
basis Tor wanting something like q half
million dollars damages.
I he southern Pacific officials said they
were not responsible for the alleged false
prosecution. If there had been any, and
that they couid not understand tho
grounds upon which suit was brought
trial OF Barnett and Werar in New York
CITY, charged with counterfeiting South
ern Pacfic advertising tickets, and the
matter was dropped for the time being.
Clarence Earne,t one of the brothers,
and the one who turned states evidence
In tho New York cNses. dropped In the
city about that time. and acre was a
revival cf the whole case but he denied
any knowledge OF the big suit filed by his
brother in San Antonio
II was In order to get at the lay Of the
ground and u talk over the situation, as
concerns this last and newest dcVelDpncrt
Of the great countVfeiting case Wnirh
has been growing and broadening in It's
scope and power ever Since August, 1898.
Gle year ago, that this quiet little meet
,ne of impor'an officials got together in
Houston last Friday and Saturday, ana
that the private car Morgan pulled out
Of the southern Pacific station without
any of the unaar men knowing its dvs-
tinaton or its mission
The result of tho conference was that
Postcfhce Inspector Dice male a state
ment telling the government side OF the
and NJ. II. Levisou of Houston, who was
arrested at the tine, happened to take
place. IT is said that the United States
authorities practically eXon0ate the rail
road men from any responsibility N caus-
ing tho arrest of the plaintiffs and that
the passenger agents were drawn into the
trial only as witnesses in order to sustain
the alleged charge that thu tickets found
were actually counterfeits Of the company
in question.
In his statement before the meeting at
Houston, Mr. Dice is said 10 have review
81 the history of the case. He told how on
August 81. 1925, he and other inspectors
working on the counterfeiting busness
found in the mails for the finn of Barnett
and Wenar letter from one w. NJ. BAR
nett, containing three tickets which We're
thought to he counterfeit advertising tick
cts of the Southern Pacific company. In
the same mail. II $ alege d, that n letter
was found from man named NJ. b. Levi
son containing one susricious ticket.
Inspector Dice related how he had walk
ed over To the telegraph office and wir-l
the United States authorities at Houston
and san Antonio &c apprehend Lcviscn
and Barnett. This he thought, was tho
history of the whole thing, so II is re-
ported.
The case came to trial and General Pas
soreer Agent Morse Assistant Gcneial
Passenger Agan. Parks and the two pas
senrer clerks figured in the trial as Wit
ncssos. etc, Barnett said he had bought
the tickets from customers and was for-
wardng them to the main office, and II
they were counterfcits he was not aware
OF the fact.
The Judge reviewed the evidence and
found that the evidence had failed TO
make out case and he discharged 5he de
PENDANTS.
Having been discharged by the court.
Mr.. Barnett turned around and brought
his half million dollar suit.
All the interested parties made state
ments before the assenblage IN Houston
and they were taken by n sten 1graphcr,
to he placed i'm the hands of the proper
attorneys aud to be used in case they
should be needed.
This was the first netting with the at
tornevs for the Galveston, Harrisburg
and San Antonio railroad AMI the first
exchange of evidence In the case. The
New orleans party later went on TO san
The ,latc of the hearing has not been
set.