The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-06
PAPERS ISSUED IN y HURRY
AND MISTAKES MADE.
THE ANSWER To B. FILED IN APRIL
Major Guthrie Says it is an Attempt to Have a
North Carol ma C)rDoratio1 0issolse1
by The Federal Court and Sent TO
New Jersey WhichMf Bryan
Has Called Robbers
Rco5t."

''<S SoIiNa 'ObbSi
Rco5t."
I'm win my fight with the Tobacco
Trust said Major VIM. \. Guthrie Of
Durham at the Marlborough last night
Il have the law on my side in the fight,
and The folks are with me- too And
even if there should come to pass such Il
thing as Federal judge stepping in and
d:ssolying Il North Carolina cOlporatloa.
still the books and accounts of the con-
Germ would have To he made public. and
thereby the world would gain someth ny.
Then the genial Major laughed good ma
turedly at it all. seeming to consider
the action of the Trust in trying to fore
stall him in having the Blackwell com
pany closed out Il great joke on himself
Continuing, he said:
''Under ordinary circumstances with
suit pending i'll court against me
would not say IL word for publication.
but this is Il suit in which the whole
people of the State, and especially the
tobacco farmers have, or should have,
concern as well as myself as the holder
of a share of stock in the Blackwell To
bacco Company. No good lawyer wOu'd
ordinarily advise his client. but would
forbid him, to try suit in the newspa
pers while it Ii, pending III court. | hear
that the Trust folks who have sued me
think | acted very foolishly In publish
ing anything in the News and Observer,
and ether State papers before the meet
ing Of the Legislature. and that | really
gave myself away by doing it.
AL i have To say to that is. if they
derive comfort from it, and my action
,I,.,. 1, Il Al. IL.
sides are equally pleased at the outcome
so far. They are welcome to make all
they can cut of anything I have here
tofore published or even said in private
conversation about the matters involved
i'll this suit. ] ann not in the habit of
working in the dark. He laughs best who
laughs last, is an old proverb which
commend to the Trust folks. who mani
Tested such great glee over the temporal
ry receivers taking charge of the Bull
factory On Saturday.
THE trust which holds Il majority of
the stock in the Blackwell Company
does not seem to he willing to trust the
present Legislature of North Carolina
to deal with the Blackwell Company's
affairs, although the company was Great
ed solely by the legislative power OF
this State, and the Trust attorneys in
their bill of complaint go 50 far as TO
charge openly that our State business
corporation generally are not safe i'll
the present Legislatures hands. Wheth
er THE LEGISLATORS will DE diSpos
Cd to resent this charge is a matter foc
their own consideration as the represent
tatives of the people. This fear of the
people of North Carolina and their pres
ent repre- sentatives i'll the Legislature is
lranifestly the reason why the Tobacco
Trust seeks the aid of Il Federal court
to eXtinguish Il solvent North Carolina
business corporation, alld 10 transfer ats
property TO the American Tobacco, Com
pany, chartered by the State of New
Jersey. which State Mr.. Bryan has so
we'll characterized as the 'RoDbers
Roost' Of the Nation. The case brought
against, me is in many respects unprece
dented as any well read lawyer VIII
readily see and when the pleadings are
all in it will present some very impor
tant questions of corporation law. aud the
right of a State to deal with its own cor
porationS; and whether or not any court
of equity, State or Federal can by in
junction prevent Il citizen from exercis-
ing his right of petition which is guaran-
iced by both the Constitution of the
United States and the Constitution of
North Carolina.
st would seem that the Tobacco
Trust does not exactly relish the
Constitutional right of petition. nor do
/ suppose it has any very great respect
for that section of our State Constitution
which has been handed down to MS from
the old Bill OF Rights as a fundamental
principle of government. viz: 'MonopolleS
are contrary TO the genius of q free
State, and ought not to be allowed The
only thing lacking NOW to make the mo
nop0ly of the Tobacco Trust in North
Carolina complete is to get nndiSputed
tile to the Bull factory property at Dur
ham, AS Il citizen of the State, am
only trying to prevent this. and this is
the head and front of my offending, for
which am called into a Court of Equity,
commonly known among lawyers as the
Court of Conscience. to answer.
When will you file your answer
asked.
Sometime between now and The first
Monday IN April
II see from the newspaper report Of the
case you are notified to appear before
Judge Simonton at Charleston, :. C.,
on April 18th as to the appointment Of
Il permanent receiver!'
1.-THE notice served ON me to appear in
Charleston ON April 18th by some sort
OF mistake or oversight directed mn to
appear before \. j. Riddick. the clerk. !