The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-13
PEARSON WAS THE MAN
NO MORE INVESTIGATION OF
HOTELS WANTED.
THE GOVERNOR WAS CONSULTED
Or. Abbott Arrived Yesterday and Was Very
Mad When He Found How ShamefulIy
He Had Been Treated, and
He Says So.

The Railroad Commission meets this
week-next Thursday. This announce
ment within itself is sufficient notice to
the initiated that there is fun ahead
great gobs of it.
But it's coming sooner than expected
it seems. DIR. Abbott is the first Com
missioner TO arrive. He came yeGter-
day and brought with him, though he did
not know it, a sensation. But he soon
found it out, and last night he was
mad-mighty mad. The lighnings of in
dignati0n flashed from his eyes and not
one of the newspaper men that heard
his story but thought he had due cause
to be indignant.
1t rs far from being a secret here that
the Governor hates DIR. Abbott and his
course as Commissioner" He has gone
so far as to charge, almost in so many
words, over his own name, in a New
York paper, that Dr. Abbott can be
bought. Nor have the two new Com
missiOnerS much love for the Doctor. II
was Chairman Caldwell who recently
told Salisbury paper that DIR. Abbott
talked one way down the street. and
then voted another way with him and
Pearson.
Later Caldwell explained that he
meant no reflection, but still the re-
mark showed the feeling that animates
the Commission as now constituted. DR.
Abbott has gone along amid it all though
quietly and conservatively, sometimes
voting with the new Commissioners and
sometime against them.
But yesterday afternoon came the
straw that broke the camers back. And
this is how it all happened. aF
A week ago the News and Observer
published exclusively that DIR. Abbott
would have notices served on officers OF
all the roads to show, next Thursday,
whether or not they had been giving
special rates to hotel keepers along their
lines This was read by Commission
ers Caldwell and Pearson, and Mr.. Pear
son at once hurried TO Raleigh, found
that the notices had not yet been served
and, after consultation with the. Cover
nor, ordered that it be not done.
While this was going on Dr. Abbott
was at his home in Pamlico county, and
knew nothing of what had happened
until he reached here yesterday. and
Clerk Henry C. Brown explained to him
why the strbpoeIias had not been served.
1t was then that the Doctor waxed
wiroth @4'
II am indignant at such treatment =
he said last night. II consider Mr.. Pear
sons act an nnwarranted assumption
of authority--a piece of impertinence.
can't account for.dt, in any other way, on
the part of either the Governor or Mr..
Pearson, than ~as an attempt to stifie
investigation want a full and com
plete investigation of all the roads and
am unwilling to have it confined to one;
for the investigation as to special hotel
freight rates has thus far been confined
to the Round Knob incident"
This little incident, it may be stated
here. has started the story again that
the Governor is trying to make life
such burden ia, DIR. Abbott that he will
resign. In this connection also it is in
teresting to remember that DIR. Abbott
was chosen by Governor Russell for the
place he now hOlds-his special candi-
date against all other Corners. Now he
says DIR. Abbott is not in sympathy
with him or his plans.
Altogether the prospects are fine for
hot time in the old town next Thurs
day.