The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-14

but that had been pretty well wiped
out. Mr.. Young gave me either 4,VVO OF
5000 shares of each kind of stock. and L
sold L for $780, o00.'
The witness denied knowledge of the
existence of S400, 600 worth of first mort
gage bonds. which Mr. Guthrie S9lu
had neither gone to the vendors. Inc
underwriters nor the subscribers. Wit
ness said that he never knew of any
such surplus.
It then developed that Mr.. Dresser
had endeavored yesterday to get into
comn1uci ication with Mr.. Schwab. and
the testimony ON the point brought
from the witness the declaration that
the ship building company had been
wrecked through the Withholding of the
Bethlehem profits The effort OF the
made through Charles Harris of the
brokerage firm of Harris, Gates & Co,
and was brought out by Guthrie for
the purpose of showing that Dresser
had sought to plead with Schwab and
had bella over him the threat of ex-
posure of other facts in connection
with the ship building failure.
Mr.. Guthrie introduced the sensa-
tional incident and testimony by drop
ping his questions as to the stock Mr..
Dresser had received and saying:
DO you remember what you did yes
terday?"
MY memory is good enough for that, -
answered the witness.
Did you pay two visits yesterday to
the office of Mr.. Charles Harris?"
Il did" said the witness.
did you not seek private interview
with Mr.. SchWab?" asked Mr.. Guthrie.
Il certainly did not said the witness
and then in response to series of
questions put to him rapidly the witness
denied that he had sent word to Mr..
SchWab that it would be well for him to
see him, or that he had threatened to
make disclosures that would injure Mr..
Schwab- He also denied that he had
said that it would be better for Mr..
Schwab to quiet the matter or that he,
Dresser, had nothing to lose in the way
of reputation or that it would be better
for all concerned to straighten the whole
matter out.
When Mr.. Guthrie finished his ques-
tions. Mr. Dresser said:
Now will you ask me what 1 did
say?'
Mr. Untermyer. attorney for the bond
holders, told the witness to go ahead
and tell what did happen and the wit
ness went on:
six weeks ago I saw Mr.. Gates and
told him that if Mr.. Schwab would take
his grip off Bethlehem the ship building
company would be all right. I went to
the office of Harris. Gates & Co. in the
interests of the ship building company,
Mr. Schwab has taken this means OF
putting it before the public to show that
I was there to plead with him. 1 said
that if he would give US any decent plan
of reorganization and not the confisca-
tion plan that had been proposed the
company would be all right. 1 went
over this ship building matter with
Charley Harris six weeks ago. [ tolo
him then that the wrecking of the shir
building company was due to Mr.
Schwab Withholding the profits of Beth
lehem instead of letting them flow into
the ship building company where they
belonged. / asked Mr.. Harris TO tele-
phone to Mr.. Schwab and he did so. II
out of the mess and mire the United
States Ship Building company can be
habilitated that is what want to see
done. I have no financial interest, but
feel that it will help me-
Did you say anything to Mr.. Schwah
about bis liability in this matter" asked
Mr.. Unit srnyer.
mo, I did not said the witness
That is legal question and know
nothing about it
Mr.. Dresser said that when he under
took the ship building project for the
Trust Company of the Republic he be
written in France.