The Topeka state journal., 1902-10-04
he IS VERY SHY.
Secretary Morgan of the Gas
Company Not Communicative.
Didn't Know Anything Not Fa-
vOrable to Company.
MAKE NO HEADWAY.
Hearing is Adjourned Until
Tuesday October IA.
Attorney Fails to Establish
Condition of Plant.

this morning the hearing of evidence in
the dollar gas case was continued until
October "A, one week from Tuesday.
This is because the October sitting of
the attorneys expect to be kept busy
with cases before that body.
The chief business of the hearing Fri
day afternoon and this morning was an
interesting game of hare and hounds
in which H. S. Morgan, until recently
the secretary and manager of the Ex-
celsior Coke and Gas company. imper-
senate the hare and the attorneys
for the city played the part of hounds.
The attorneys pursued their elusive
witness with considerable vigor, but
failed to catch him in any statements OF
vital Importance. 1t was only by most
persistent questioning that Mr.. Morgan
was induced to separate himself from
any information about the gas COM
pany, and the cross examination could
hardly be said to partake OF the nature
of a heart-to-heart talk.
Mr. Morgan is a very good witness,
for the company. He is shrewd and
quick of wits, and usually when the at
torneys for the city thought they had
him was just when they hadn't. Again
and again Attorney Mcfarland would
lead up by a long series of innocent ap-
pearing questions to some important
point, and just when that point was
reached and the city was in danger OF
finding out something, behold, Mr.. Nor
gan didn't know anything about that
part OF the business, ana COulOII De
induced to talk. Here is a specimen:
Mr.. McFarland-(DrawD. Now-ah-
Mister Qong pause in which attorney
apears to be struggling to recollect the
name of the witness, and finally filings
it into his teeth)-Morgan! You say you
were in the gas business in Chicago for
four years. And-a-you also say you
have been secretary, treasurer and gen
eral manager of the Excelsior Coke and
Gas company of Topeka for between
six and seven years. Is that correct?
Mr.. Morgan-Yes, sir.
Mr.. -ah-Mister-a
I-a-Morgani You understand how
gas plant should be constructed for
economical manufacture of-a-gas?
Mr. Morgan-Yes, sir.
Mr.. r.McFarland-You are familiar with
the plant at-a-ChicagO, and have Wis
tied other plants in this state?
Mr. Morgan-Yes, I have visited some
of them.
Mr.. McFarland-A lot of them?
!, Mr.. Morgan-(Beginnin to hedge).
Well. some of them.
Mr.. McFarland-Wel Well-a--you are ia
miliar with the method of firing the re-
torfs at the plant in this city?
Mr.. Morgan-Yes, sir
Mr. nd-Now-ah-iSn't it a
fact that the method of firing the re-
torts; that is the furnaces. or that part
known as the bench or benches. in use
at the Topeka gas plant, is inferior and
Mr. Morgan-I don't know. I'm not
an engineer.
Mr. McFarIand-Isn't it more-ah-out
of date than the rest of the plant?
Mr.. Morgan-I don't know. think
not, but can't say positively, because
am not a gas engineer.
Mr. McFarland-WeI1-ah -Mister-a
Morgan, I will ask you if you did not
testify in your examination in chief-a-
a-that this plant here can be used for
the economical manufacture of gas?
Mr. Morgan-I believe I did.
Mr. McFarland-Then please-a-state
what parts of this plant are more up to
date than the rest
Mr.. Morgan-1 can't discriminate; I'm
not an engineer.
Mr.. McFarland-Is this plant one that
can be econnlically used in the manu-
| facture of gas?
Mr.. Morgan-Yes, in this locality.
Mr.. d-Now-a-a-will you
make that statement in regard to the
benches used in heating the retorts?
Mr.. Morgan-I cannot discriminate:
I'm not an engineer.
| And then Mr. Mcfarland started in
on new tack. without proving very
Iconclusively that the reason the Topeka
gas plant can not make gas cheap is be-
cause it uses inferior and out of date
apparatus
There was considerable discussion at
the close of the hearing this morning
as to the amount of latitude which the
special master will give in the examin-
alton of the books of the company. The
attorneys for the city desired to have
the right to cross examine Mr.. Morgan
on all the contents of the company'S
books including not only the year 1900
and the first half of 1901, but any year
| in the history of the company.
| Charles Blood Smith, attorney for the
! company, would not concede this point.
He said that he had offered in evidence
only certain pages of the company's
books and that he would not permit
any general examination of the COM
spany's books by an expert.
Mr.. Mcfarland and Mr. Spencer dis
claimed any technical knowledge OF
| bookkeeping and said that in order to
| conduct an intelligent cross examina-
ton they would have to get some one
! to go over the books with them
Special Master Brock decided that at
the present time the only part of the
| books open to the inspection of the at
/ torneys for the city are those pages
which the company has offered in evil
depce He held, however, that the city
could have its experts examine those
pages as much as desired and stated
that he did not doubt but what the city
/ would find a way, when the time came,
to secure the right to examine all parts
of the eonapany's books which have
any bearing on the case.
An effort was made to discredit the
Topeka are SL45. Mr.. Morgan stated
that there are three rates in effect
one of S1.35 for engines, 1aundries and
| hotels, one OF s1-a0 for gas stoves. and
one of $165 for general lighting pur-
poses. He would offer estimate on
the xber cent. of income from each rate,
and said it would take six months con-
stant work to determine that point from
| the companys books.
Mr.. Morgan also admitted that there
is considerable coke manufactured and
used at the plant, which is not ac-
counted fer in his statements.
Mr. .Morsan was asked to p-oduce the
original copy OF the report on the finan-
c5al conditica and output of the plant