The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-03


instatement.
II stand here tonight to plead for
that old man. | ask you not TO put
blot on his name that must forever rest
upon him. ! ask it in his name. ask
it in the name of his children. l. ask it
in the name of the State. | ask you to
judge him as YOU would be judged. l
ask you TO judge him in the light of
human frailties."
1t was an eloquent, Il powerful speech.
followed by one equally rs powerful and
more eloquent on the other side. 1t was
by Senator Ward. the first member to
oppose the committee report.
To him it looked like there had been
an effort made by the friends Of the
report to monopolizc the time of the dis
cuSsion.
we are ovcrmatched in argument
and in oratory, ! know. SO | come
armed only with a just causa.
Il have never seen Il discussion CON
Quoted as this has been tonight, | have
seen men get up here ana begin by ask
ing that this ease be tried rron the evil
dencc and the law, and hen close with
the most imprisoned appeals III when
Maj. Wilson's gray hairs and bent form
and palsicd hands are made TO do duty
+ II have seen men get MP here and
plead for strict construction of the law
because it passes upon mans rights
and character Then they have gone on
to argue the question as if the word
intent" were in the law.
Il don't care what witnesses say. |
don't care what men swear to. When |
own n hotel on the side Of a railroad and
the trains stop there every day, twice Il
day and -FOUR into its doors men TO eat
my meals at - cents Il meal | am in
terestcd in the prosperity of that road
Interest means benefit flowing from.
1T is attempted not TO be disclosed
here, but still it crops out that the money
Mai. Wilson borrowed did not 20 to the
benefit OF his sou. as claimed but to
the corporation in which Maj. Wilson
owned a controlling interest. And it was
secured from the bank of which Col.
Andrews was president.
1T also appears that Mai. Wilson
sought over his own hand and seal to
bring about and did bring about a viola
ton Of the very law he had sworn to
support.
"Thc committee in its report says:
Mr. J. w Wilson, in 1897, requested
that n special rate on shipment Of goods
be granted to Mr. S. Ohio Wilson.
This referred TO the shipment of house
hold goods, furniture and horses to
Round Knob.
I'm attempting to explain this the
committee goes on to say: 1t was not
the custom of the railroad company to
grant these special rates from Raleigh.
Then why did they give them to Ohio
! The Munson letter explains it: To give
the rate to s. Ohio Wilson. or if Major
Wilson requested il, 10 dead-head.'
Senator Daniels wanted to know if
determinations in rates were a violation
of the law.
Senator Ward: st most certainly is. y
Again | read ON page 10: The fourth
| ground is, that he had passes over the
various railroads of the State, and used
them for his benefit. and that of his
! family. We find as Il fact that he did
have passes. We find as further fact,
that he did not use them for his family
at ALL and that only on one occasion
two of his daughters rode to Weldon on
complimentary pass from the railroad,
under circumstances which negatiyed
any idea of Improperly.
7 L
were? Why didn't they put them down
here for me to pass on: Why didn't
they tell the facts and leave us to say
about the improperly?
They try to make it appear that
there's no harm or Improperly in passes
/ anyway.
! They point to Senator Vance and say
that he used passes. Maybe he did.
But he never used them nor would he
have used them when he had to be a
judge between the railroad giving them
and the people.
Now, this committee says in its report
that Maj. Wilson's family did not use
passes at all.
Yet on page 80 | read the following
testimony by Mr.. Murphy, Il conductor,
and / know of no reason why | should
disbelievc him:
Q. From 1891 to 1897 were you or
were you not in the habit of passing his
family on the road? A. We passed
Major Wilson's family and the families
of others up to the time that the South
ern took hold of the road.
@. Did the Southern take hold of it
in January, 1895? A. l do not re-
member. hut | think it was i'll the sum-
NOR
/ @. From that time in 1895 to a short
while ago. you passed his family on the
road free? A. Yes, sir.
| Q. Your Instructions were, then, to
pass members of Major Wilson's family :?
A. Yes, sir: ever since | was on the
road up till the time that the Southern
took hold of it. then they had to have
passes: think ! have handled his daugh-
tiers since that time.
''Now there's one thing / want them
to do-reconcile these two statements
or not ask me to vote for the report.
''Well. they say, Major Wilson was
saving the State money by riding on a
pass. | would ask this question if
there was any one here to answer IT,
Did Thomas W. Mason ride on Il pass
when he was Commissioner. If | did
ask it and it were answered in the
affirmative l believe I'd vote for your
report"
Senator Justice: ''Will you do SOP
Senator Ward: Il need not promise
that for l know he did not. l have his
word for it that he did not, and with
me his word is golden.
Il have heard some very harsh thinSs
l.