The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-28
THE WILSON MATTER AT
THE EVIDENCE SHOWS.

been printed. 1t makes two pamphlets
of something like $50 pages. The com
mittee sums up that the evidence OBJ
tanned justifes the reinstatement of
both Major J. w. Wilson and s Otho
Wilson. 1t is unfortunate that the evil
dence was not printed earlier in the Ses
sion, as il is equally unfortunate that the
committee did not extend the taking of
testimony, particularly as to S. Ohio Viii
son. However. a careful examination
of the evidence viii disclose seven facts
either directly proved or necessarily in
ferred by the weight of attending cir
cllmstanccs:
/. That the Round Knob Hotel was
valueless unless it was made an eating
house by the railroad.
. That it was not made an eating
house until $. Otho Wilson, Railroad
Commissioner. rented it.
g. That he never rented it until he
had information-an understanding -
that the trains would stop there for
dinner.
T. That S. Ohio Wilson from evidence
admitted by his attorneys was the real
manager of the eating-house, even if
it was leased In the name of his mother.
The evidence is overwhelming on this
point The fiction that the profits he
was to use to pay his debts was due
him by his mother is worthy of place
in dime novel.
). That Major Wilson borrowed mon
ey and was under obligations to Vice
President Andrews because he was
surety on his note.
6. That Major Wilson applied FOR spe
cial rates to carry Otho's freight, con
trary TO the law. and that the railway
authorities offered Ito dead-head" it IF
necessary Did this mean IF neces
sarily'' to secure Otho's vote against Il
reduction Of railroad rates? If not, what
did it mean?
Z. That Major Wilson and VicePresi-
utHI .AHuFtWS ONHcu INC ltouuu Nlcb
Hotel in common, and that it. was not
leased by s. Ohio Wilson until an off
Ger of the railroad had told Major Will
son that the trains would stop there
for dinner.
One of the propositions is: Was the
Round Knob hotel worthless unless the
railroad established an eating house
there?
If that is true, Major Wilson had
such an interest in railroad matters as
to make it of at least questionable PRO
priety for him to sit as a juror on the
case. 1t also shows that when ). Otho
Wilson leased it he was doing an inn
proper thing.
The testimony of j. III. Lange tsee
pages 40 and Al of the printed testi-
mony) shows that it was worthless IN
less made an clearinghouse.
Q. What is your occupation? A. | am
manager of the Glen Rock Hotel here
in Asheville.
q. How long have you been mana
ger, the manager of it! i. Five years
and little better.
Q. Has your hotel ever been rail-
road clearinghouse? \. Yes. sir
q. When was it an eating-honse for
the Southern? A. just before the Round
Knob Hotel was opened up.
Q. How long before that had it beer
an eating-house? A. | could not tell you;
suppose sometime like eight or ten
months, or a year, though [ am not
positive About that.
q. How long had Round Knob been
closed before it was reopened? A. |
could not tell you.
Q. Was it closed as an clearinghouse
two or three years before? A. / suppose
it was two or three years; / do not
know just how long | fed the trains; |
never paid any attention sufficient t"
remember the exact time.
Q. And the railroad company ceased
TO patrOnize your place as an eating
house when tho Round Knob Hotel was
opened? A. They stopped II and IL,
which took dinner at Round Knob; but
my best trade was on the other train,
those ON the Murphy line and the a.
and S. Zine.
Q. You know how that hotel is situa-
ted at Round Knob? A. Yes, SIT.
Q. You have seen the hotel there: A.
Yes, sir
Q. You have been in the hotel bust
ness for several years? A Yes, sir:
going on six years.
Q. What do you think :, lease Of that
hotel at Round Knob would be worth
without an assurance that it would be
an eating-housf? A. | think it would he
about one thousand eight hundred dol
lars per year loss, if there was any rent
paid
=. On what rental would such. loss be?
y. Almost ON nothing: that is. if the ron
ter had any expense attached to it. Say
the rent should be ten to twelve dollars
per month. | should think that at even
that rent the loss would .he, that much
per year.
q. Would it be a matter of importance
to such Il house to have it recognized
as an eating house? a. That is the
only way in which, / think, it could
exist at all, judging from the CONVERSE
tons | had with the last man that ran
it.
q. Who was, that last man? \. He
was a Frenchman by the name of Nh
see: he just stayed there, think, as u