The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-12
A FAKE PLAINTIFF
QUEER DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH
ERN PACIFIC CASE.
THE COMPLAINANT HIDES OUT.
ANTI-MERGER SUIT MAY RESULT
IN A FARCE.

Peter Power, Who His Lawyer Saws
Was Secured by Him for a Firm
OF Brokers to Use i'm Bringing the
Suit, Now in Montreal Under As
sumed Name, and Cannot BE Got
ten to COurt-Lawson, WeidenfieId
d Co. Purchase the stock and Put
1t in Powers Name-AttOrney Lamb
Tells the Whole story in Court.
New York. Aug 11.-At the hearing
to-day in the suit of Peter Power
against the directors of the Northern
Pacific Railroad to prevent them from
turning over the stock of the COM
pany to the Northern Securities Com
pany, George A. Lamb, counsel for
Power, admitted that his client was
living at the Queens Hotel, Mon
treat under the name of P. Blake.
Mrs. Kate Carey. the proprietor of
hotel at West Hurley, N. Y. the
place where Power was last seen, had
testified to the presence of Power and
his wife at her place and to their de-
parture, accompanied by a man whom
onC luCllllSQ DIS <AllOInSy WIZ
ness son then told of driving Mr.. and
Mrs. Power and Mr.. Lamb to the
Rhinebeck ferry. After Camille Weld
enfield, the broker, had been excused
until tomorrow, w. D. Guthrie of
counsel for the defense, asked that
Mr.. Lamb take the stand. Mr.. Lamb
asked the privilege of making a state
ment, claiming he had extended that
same privilege to the witnesses of the
defense. Mr.. Guthrie said he would per-
NIT the explanation providing he
would explain his trip to West Hurley
and Powers escape to Canada.
Mr.. Power" said MIR. Guthrie, sis
living in the Queens Hotel, Montreal,
under the fictitious name of P. Blake"
That Is true" admitted Mr.. Lamb,
and then he entered into long state
ment. He told of finding Power at
West Hurley in a highly nervous con-
dition and DESTROYS of going to Mon
treal, to which he, Lamb, objected.
Mr.. Lamb declared that he had tried
by means of kilograms to Montreal to
induce Mr.. Power to return and had
sent funds for that purpose.
Why a Substitute Was Wanted.
Mr.. Lamb then told. of being counsel
for the firm of Lawson, Weidenfeld
q Co. He had heard discussed on ev-
cry side the subject of the Northern
Securities Company and its legality
he had many talks with Mr.. Weiden-
field concerning this. Il told Mr.. Wei
denfeld," said Mr.. Lamb, that no one
in Wall street dare start an action.
Any banker or broker who dared to
commence suit to combat the enor-
nous accumulation of capital would
have his business practically ruined
by the interested parties Weidenfeld
then suggested that some responsible
man be found who could protect the
real principals and conceal their iden-
tity entirely. If such a man
field told me he would agree
to purchase stock for him and COM
mence suit in his name.
Visited Gov. vansant.
II suggested Peter Power as a young
man who was responsible and also had
inherited some money, as a proper
man. In the meantime 1 was con-
stantly being importuned by my clients
to take some action against these peo-
pie. Later, l found that the state of
Minnesota, through it's Governor and
attorney general proposed to take
some action. l visited st. Paul and
there met Mr.. VanSant. the Governor,
and the attorney general. They heart
lily welcomed any action upon my part.
Il always have been willing to pro-
duce Mr.. Power at the proper time,
and neither Mr.. Power nor myself has
at any time desired to do anything that
could be construed as tending to show
this court disrespect or to hold it in
contempt"
Mr.. Gutherie declared that the action
of lawyer in getting a man to act as
plaintiff, behind whom the true plain
tiffs could conceal their identity might
prove to be conspiracy.
. Mr.. Guthrie then insisted on knowing
how much money Mr.. Lamb had paid
Mr.. Power on July 81, last, and for
what purpose. but the witness replied
that that was confidential. Finally
the examination was adjourned until
tomorrow morning.