, 1896-12-23

- 'AN any, ~ VAi"
ployes' petition asking for an account
ing of the hospital fund. to which they
contribute 40 cents a month, was be-
gun yesterday morning before Master
i~n-Chancery Cornish, says the Omaha
Pee. There was a large attendance of
interested railroad men present. Cen
eral Manager Dickinson, General Sup
erintendent Nichols, Superintendent OF
Telegraph Korty and General Solicitor
Kelly were among the Union Pacific
officials present. the last named rep
resenting the interests of the railroad
company. Grand Chief Powell of the
Order Of Railway Photographers was
Jhere from Peoria, Ill. Assistant Grand
Chef Dolphin acted as attorney for the
telegraphers and succeeded in bringing
out some sensational testimony.
The first witness called by the petit
TONERS was F. E. Gilliland, formerly
employed by the Union Pacific as sta
ton agent at Papillion, but who was
discharged on May -, 1896. His testi-
mony merely showed the origin of the
investigation into the n of hand
ling the hospital fund, requested by
himself and other contributors to that
fund. He told how the petition had
been made and how the matter had
been brought before the court.
w. D. Powell was called to explain
the aims and purposes Of the order of
which he was chief executive officer.
The import Of his Testimony was to
show that the organization had for its
chief object a fraternal protection Of
its members and aid them when in
sickness or trouble. Asked II he knew
of any dissatisfaction among the menu
bers of the order employed on the I'M
ion Pacific regarding THE manner OF
handling the hospital fund he said that
he had received letters from employees
showing some grievance at the man.
agement Of said fund. He was asked
to produce these letters alleging dis
satisfaction. but replied that he could
not because they were in his desk in
Peoria.
CHARGES MISUSE OF FUNDS.
j. f. McMullen of Chicago was then
called by the petitioners. Until April
last he was the chief clerk to Chief
Surgeon Galbraith of the Union Pa,
cifc. Prior to that time he was the
chief clerk to General Manager Burt
Of the Elkhorn railroad in this city.
His testimony concerning the meth,
DDS Of the medical department Of the
Union Pacific produced quite a stir in
the court room.
He said that the hospital fund, when
he was last in the employ of the de,
partment, April of the present year,
amounted no $50, 900. This none was
deposited in an Omaha bank, but was
not drawing any interest. He had once
asked DR.. Galbraith why the money
was not placed somewhere where 1t
could earn more money for the fund,
and received the answer that it was
O important that the money should
be in a safe place than that 1T should
draw interest He testified that whisky
had been purchased at Foley's for use
on a private car and charged up to the
hospital fund. Surgical text books OF
the value of from S. to So each had
been purchased for DR.. Galbraith's up
town Office and paid for from the hospi-
tai fund. 1t was the custom of the med
ical department to have all prescrip-
lions filled at the drug store of J. q.
Fuller. The witness said that between
1920 and $3.50 was paid each month for
these prescriptions, no matter what
number of prescriptions were filled
during hat time. He said he had told
DR.. Galbraith once that 1t would be
cheaper to make a different arrange
ment with a pharmacy, paying for just
what vas actually obtained.
McMullen testified that a man named
Sweeney, the superintendent of a coal
mine on the western part OF the road,
had been paid SITS a month until the
sun aggregated nearly 1890, while he
was sick. Sweeney was in Kansas
City. Hot Springs and other places
when the money was paid him. Wit
ness said that while he was in charge
of the office, during one OF DR.. CAL
braith's hunting trips, he refused to APP
prove a voucher for the payment OF
this monthly check in favor of
Sweeney. He later received orders
from DR.. Galbraith to endorse all such
vouchers, the chief surgeon saying that
he had an understanding with Super
intendent Megeath OF the coal depart
ment on the matter.
PRESENTS TO FRIENDS.
The witness further testified to the
purchase Of several sets Of surgical
knives by DR.. Galbraith. These knives
were charged to the hospital fund, and
were later presented by the chief sur,
geon to some medical friends. The
witness said that he was discharged
from the service of the cumpany IN
April. DR.. Galbraith told him that
there was no for his dismissal.
He did not work during khe month Of
April, but received $3.50 pay for that
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