The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-28
MANY Han
FREE HOlE:S
Subject Before investigate
Committee.
DID NOT VIOLATE THE LAW
Officials Did Not Accept Complimentary
Service After the New Constitution
Went Into Effect-Committee to
Meet Again on Thursday.


The committee of Investigation held a
meeting last night, completed the exam
Ira ton Of witnesses with reference to the
telephone matter and adjourned until
Thursday night, when 1t Is likely that a
recess will be taken until September ISL.
Nothing was brought out last night
which implicated any Councilman or city
official in wrongdoinE- and the greater
part of the session was devoted to evil
dence relating to those who. being city
officials and Councilmen, have accepted
tho courtesy of free phone service from
the Bell Company. The list Is quite
long one, but 1t developed that no such
courtesies had been extended or accepted
since the 10th day of July, 1902 on winch
date the new Constitution became ERECT
| i've. except in the case Of superintendent
| Thompson, of the fire alarm office, and
| that was for the benefit of the Bell Com
| pony. Many of those whose names were
| called explained the circumstances under
which they had used tho phones of the
company, and they all appeared to be sat
isfactory.
SOME DELAY.
The committee was called to order at
s:40 o'clock 2. NJ, and went Immediately
| into executive session to consider some
matters relating to the mode OF procedure.
| II was 9;4O o'clock when the open session
| was resumed and Mr.. j. H. Barron was
sworn. Mr.. Barron Is book-keeper for
| tho Southern Bell Telephone Company,
and he produced list containing the
numes Of Councilmen and city of1clals
who had had free phone service. one
list contained the names Of those who
had had free local phones, and the other
of officials who received free long dis
lance phone service. The lists are APP
i pended below:
Free Local Services. L. Bloomberg,
| Morgan r. Mills & Company, ]. 81. Law
der, Central Fire Alarm, Superintendent
Fire Alarm (residence) Evan sneaa q
Company II. w. Stein, N. Thomas Mos
| by Thomas B. Williams.
/ Free Toll-line service-J. Bahen, G. w.
4 Tanner, j. r. Grimes. F. w. Cunning
ham. B. 7. August, j. Bolton. James
\ Caskie, S. C. Ruskell, N. Thomas Mosby,
s. l.. Bloomberg, c. Manning, Jr., M.
Gunst, Robert Whittet, Jr.. II. J. Cohn.
F. C. Ebel, w. II. Curtis, W. II. Thomp-
son, John King. G. K. Pollock.
MR.. MONTAGUE EXPLAINS.
Mr. Barron stood outside temporarily
4 and Mr.. F. E, Montague tex the stand
to explain why the phone of Superintend-
/ ent w. H. Thompson, of the Fire Alarm
office, had been kept in the latter's resi-
dence He said Mr.. Thompson had or
dered the phone out after the new Con-
4 stittion went into effect, and had finally
taken 1t out himself. He said he had
prevailed on Mr.. Thompson to allow tho
phone to remain in the latter's office and
residence for the protection Of the com
pany's property and not for, Mr.. Thomp-
sons personal benefit. Mr.. Thompson tes-
i titled to the same effect, and Mr.. Barron
again took the stand and proceeded to
read the list printed above.
Witness went on to explain that all ser
vice had been paid for which had been
rendered officials since July 10. lso..
the date on which the new ConatitM.en
explained that Mr.. Bloomberg had SAID
his family had used the long distance
phone without his knowledge,
/ Mr. Manning questioned witness ana
the latter stated that Mr.: Manning had
some time ago paid all charges against
him. Mr.. Manning said he had never yer
s Hked frank a anp this h was
Mr.. Montague, resumlng the stand.
his 9fIsa th haa after July TO-
there could be no further Tree service
extended.
The witness stated that Mr.. Robert
whlttet had had local te ], pan,act ana no
bill promptly. had ssbated the same. but
now st had been settled.
He said all the Officials nam M q nae mac
did not know they owed ed, ap ,ysn IA ana
Mr.. Montague stated that great many
ia take e"' The families Of the officials had lad
used the phones In many cases Witho u'
| cd of
had used the long distance phone, 49,.
He had received free ser service Mr se C5inl
Low had told witness he had heard the
10 ter r. was talking against the Bell com.
many. lie told him he was not. nul .nat
was as not v responnI e had i to1d Mr. chp
lev lew that If he owed the company any any,
thing he was ready to settle, re never e,.e
received any BILL and he thousht soa4 te
OF the items Gharse err prlor All 20 Of his
service had been on the long al is,' e o
T nhone, extended him as a cou'tess' 10
, had never had a Bell phone; ~ Re,,
camnanv and had stopped using tne
phone before the first vote was 'aAe't -
.. the Council. ,oa ,sad the
Mr.. Pollock stated that ne had us sc ,s aM
long distance phone prior TO Ju!y ~, =, Ia
aons uneneral courtesy and Mr. Mills maze
= s'''''iat as TO SPUR TRACKS.
Mr.. G. G. Walker, OF the one tha nax
and Ohio Railway Company, was the mex
Witness and he testified as to the allege
Methods by which the Cudahy PacKln
Company had sttured an ora,n ain =, q "a "a
the erection of a spur track az thelr wn ,,a
great trouble in getting the subcommitte
9 to act and that the latter had tola mn
!, that King wanted 5000.