Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-11
Mr.. GATES GOES TO EUROPE.
A GRAND CHANGE IN THE OFFICIAL
PERSONNEL OF AMERICAN
STEEL C WIRE.
Three of the Principal Officers Re-
sign-Said to Have Been Succeeded
by Men in Full Accord With Chair
man Gates's Policy Chairman
Gates's Letter of Resignation.

NEW YORK, May 10.-Changes of
a sweeping character in the affairs of
the American Steel & Wire Company
were announced to-day, after session
of the board of directors.
John w. Gates resigned the chair
manship of the board of directors and
is now on his wSy to Europe. He is
succeeded by Alfred Clifford, Of Chi
cago.
John Lambert, the president of the
company, resigned in favor of William
P. Palmer. Isaac L. Elwood resigned
as chairman of the executive commit
tee, and his place is taken by VIM.
Edenborn.
The office of treasurer, made vacant
by the elevation of Mr.. Clifford, is filled
by the election Of F. L. Watson. Henry
Seligman and Frederick Strauss, both
of this city, who resigned from the
directory last Monday because of their
opposition to Mr. Gates and his policy,
are succeeded by Randall Morgan, of
Philadelphia, and Herman Sielcken, of
New York.
All the new officers, directors and
committeeman named are said to be in
absolute harmony with Mr.. Gates and
his policy.
Following the meeting Of the direc-
tors to-day a voluminous statement
narrating in detail the causes which
led to the changes in the personnel or
the company was given out. 1t starts
off with Mr.. Gates's letter of resigna-
ton. In it he states that for more
than year he had contemplated re-
tirement and should have taken the
step on May / but for the recent con-
troversy.
He justifes his action in closing the
mills three weeks ago, and protests
against ''the fabric of abuse and villifi-
cation" which has been heaped upon
him, based upon an alleged interview.
Now that the antagonism from all
directions has been dispersed and dis
credited and that have been relieved
from further accusation and the
charges against me determined to
have been false and unfounded, feel
that | should not further deny myself
the opportunity to take the desired
recreation determined upon year
ago, particularly since it has become
my duty by appointment from the
Governor of the State of Illinois to
represent that State as commissioner
to the Paris exposition. l therefore
tender my resignation and desire to be
relieved from all further participation
in the management of the company"
George Alfred Lamb, the lawyer
whose charges against President
Gates were dismissed on Wednesday
by Magistrate Zeller gave out this
statement after he heard of Mr.. Gates s
departures for Europe:
"Mr. Gates came to New York with
the avowed determination of fighting
the proceedings brought against him
to finishing and of inficting drastic
punishment on all of his critics and
especially upon any one who dared to
prosecute him. The proceedings
brought, however, seemed to have
promised more interesting develop
ments than Mr. Gates cared to face
and acting, doubtless on the advice of
his formidable array o. eminent coun-
sci, he has taken advantage of the
first technical opportunity that pre-
scented itself to leave the country"