Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-26
WOULD HE AN OUTRAGE.


Most interesting and suggestive light Is
thrown on the fight against the seaboard
consolidation in the fun report Of the
! proceedings had before Judge Purnel at
! Raleigh. y. c., Thursday. Judge Watts,
OF counsel for the Seaboard, In replying
| 10 counsel for the opposition. asserted
unequivocany, that compliments were
trying TO disrupt the Seaboard system.
4 The suit at bar. he said. was the twelfth
they had Instituted for the purpose. and
they had been whipped and driven out OF
every state and Federal court in the land
except i'm one suit now pending Contin-
une. Judge watts said:
and why did they wait TIL to-day.
They knew forty-fve days ago this meet
ing would be held. They went before
Judge WaddiH at Richmond last night
and tried TO get an injunction ana failed.
NOW here they come to-day 10 make an
other attempt They have had seven SUITS
before Judge Simonton with like result
Here Judge Purnell called the attention
of counsel TO the charge Of complainants
that IL was proposed 10 destroy their
stock. and in reply Judge Watts said that
the best proof he could offer that this
was not 50 was the telegram Of President
Williams to Mr.. Thomas r. Ryan Of date
of December -. 1899, which he proceeded
10 read. This Is the telegram in which
Mr.. Williams shows that every effort had
been made 10 conciliate Mr.. Ryan and
every assurance had been given him that
an his rights as a stakeholder would be
respected, and in which the following oc-
CURED:
"In conclusion. 7 Will again remind you
Of the statement which you made 10 ne i'm
one of our first interviews-to-wit: That
It was not your intention TO use your own
language, 70 sand-bag the situation, and
that 81 you did not feel warranted in join
ing us in our plan Of reorganization that
you would name a price on your stock,
which your attorney, GrOner Informed
me I'm the presence OF your attorney, Page.
had averaged you between ninety and one
hundred"
And after hearing argument OF the Sea-
boards counsel and the reading of this
telegram. what view did the Court take
Of complainants case? Let extracts from
It's opinion in resembling It's order for a
temporary injunction tell. Judge Pur-
nell said:
81 have asked several times what ire
parable injury is threatened or proposed
and if the complainant has not an ade-
quate legal remedy. These questions
have not been satisfactorily answered"
Again:
"rhe basis Of the bill seems 10 be acts
proposed by the stockhOders-a minority
stakeholder seeking 10 restrain the major
ity from dealing with the common pro-
perty-cOnsolidating several properties
into a system or enlarged corporation. 1t
is not proposed to destroy compliments |
stock. but to pool It with other stock Of
defendants. Is this an irreparable injury, |
for which there is no adequate legal rem
edy? Counsel have not shown that il is"
And again:
IF the act Of the Legislature under |
which the consolidation is proposed is I'm |
violation of the State Constitution. as
claimed. it is late to raise that question |
just before a meeting when that act is |
10 be acted under. The Legislature ad- |
journed nearly ten months ago. and the |
question should have been raised sooner" /
Judge Watts showed that complainants |
represented less than one-nfth Of the Sea |
board and Roanoke stock, only q /
Of the Raleigh and Gaston's 1900 |
shares and % Of the Raleigh and Au- |
gusta's 10000. Now. when it is remember |
ed that every guarantee had been given
by defendants that these interests would |
be amply protected, yet twelve suits have
been brought TO prevent consolidation. and
a bin TO the same end was quietly en-
gineered through one branch of the Geor-
gia Legislature, no wonder the public are
imbued with the conviction that at the
last the anti-consolidation fight is the
fight Of the Southern railway or some of
it's people to place a great section Of the
South in the hands of a railway MONOPOLY. !
An the evidence adduced tends TO Justify !
the conviction that the Southern is behind
the anti-consolidation movement. the con-
summation of which, whether in individ- |
ual interests or the interests of com
pctitor of the Seaboard, would be an out
rage upon the southern people.