The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-09

miles across the lake.
A Section Man had caused the wreck,
of this there was no doubt
This charge he stood prepared to
prove, right then could point him
out.
He'd pull him with jerk so quick, he
would not know what hit
Him; he would have his scalp, he
would show what would fit
His case, in causing such row. have
him drawn and quarter'd,
Or any other punishment; he would
have him Slaughtered
In any way the Board might say. At
last the crime seemed fixed
And now John Doe and Richard Roe
(the foreman got them mixed,
Were ordered to appear before this
angry, wrathful Board,
To answer to this grievous charge, or
good excuse afford.
In answer to telegram these Sec
ton Men came down,
Not knowing what the Board would
want, they FASTENED quick to
town;
And when confronted with the charge
that they had caused the wreck
they realized at once that they had
got it in the neck"
Iney promptly met the charge and
took their solemn Bible vows
The fault was all because of two old
trifling brindle cows.
There was no fence along the road at
milepost 80,
Therefore the company was wrong, had
not secured it's line.
They each made solemn oath that they
in no way were to blame,
To try to fix the charge on them would
prove losing game.
The stenographic notes were spread
upon the minute book;
me Board then by rising vote, a
needed recess took.
A session of some fourteen hours had
made them cross and dry,
II they had not yet found the cause,
then where else could they try?
The Central Counsel took the case, re-
viewed the evidence
And said he'd search the law for points
about the right to fence;
he would examine ev'ry phase, was
sure he'd find it out.
So when the Board adjourned it did
not entertain a doubt
But that this legal acumen would safe
ly place the seal
Just where it ought to be, then wait
''the next turn of the wheel"
A week passed by and then a month;
the Board impatient grew;
At last it sent messenger: Dear
Sir-Now please won't you
Just throw some light upon this case?'
The Counsel read the note
Then paused and stroked his clean
shaved chin. 1t was a load to
tote
This knotty question-it was grave, a
matter of concern
Had worried him by day and night, be-
cause he hoped to learn
THE true inwardness," the bottom
facts. To his mind it seemed like
The whole thing hinged upon one thing.
the widespread steel trust strike.
The right to fence belonged, of course,
to well appointed roads
But how could any company or execu-
tive boards
Fence up their lines to keep out cows,
or hogs, or sheep, or mules,
While striking workmen and the trust
acted like grown-up fools?
The factories had closed their doors
and put out all their fires,
Then how could they build any fence.
they could not buy the wires.
The Chairman said the Counsel knew
the Board was out for blood"
So this decision seemed to him about
as clear as mud"
He took the papers, scanned them DER
and when his eye fell
Upon the point the Counsel made, said,
Now, may I go lowell.
A precious lot of fools we've been, a
mob of idiots.
Not to have seen this point before, our
Counsel is worth lots!"
The Chairman took the papers, and he
was satisfied,
The wisdom of their Counsel no one on
that Board denied.
The previous question" then was call
ed, they voted that 1t must
Be as their Counsel had advised, the
fault lay with the Trust.