Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-09
John c. spry, Millionaire Lum-
Der Merchant, Gives Sensa-
tional Testimony
MYsTERlousLY SIGNED ORDER
spry's Admission That He Was Of
fered $4,000 by w. w. Gurley, of the
Union Traction Company, Was Fol-
lowed by Sensation Involving Judge
Grosscup's Signature.


millionaire lumber merchant. admitted
in Judge Grosscup's courtroom yester-
day that w. W. Gurley of the Union
Traction company had offered to pay
him $4,000 If he would induce the
law firm of Moran, Mayer & Meyer to
abandon its attack on the Union Trac-
ton reorganization plans.
Before Mr.. Spry had been heard, and
while the opposing lawyers We're heat
eddy debating the advisability of put
ting him on the witness stand, Judge
Grosscup remarked that so far as the
records showed, there was nothing to
cause him to doubt Mr.. Spry's in
tegrty. After the lumber merchant had
made his startling admission the court
had nothing to say In his behalf. On
the other hand, Judge Grosscup freed
Mr. Gurley from all blame and critic
ism for offering to pay Spry $4,000.
which sum was to be deducted from the
profits of the reorganization of the
traction companies.
The only mistake you made said
the judge, addressing himself to MIR.
Gurley was in trying to divide JOS
eph's coat before it was made.
Mr.. Spry's testimony was not the
only sensation sprung in the hearing on
Judge Grosscup's order against the fiji
ing of suits in the state court by Mr..
Moran's firm in behalf OF the stock
holders of the Union Traction underly-
sensation to which is attached no little
mystery. Just before the close of the
hearing Judge Grosscup mentioned the
proceedings instituted by him
last August against Mr.. Moran. Levy
Mayer j. j. Townsend and others for
violation of the courts order. Mr..
Mayer jumped to his feet.
But we have already been purged OF
he said.
by whose order?" asked Judge
Grosscup.
by the order of this court" replied
Mr. Mayer.
rs there such an order on the rec
ords?'
There is, and it is signed with your
name"
Judge Grosscup's face wore an ex-
of dismay
81 know OF no such order" he said.
Then, when Mr.. Mayer presented to-
him certified copy of the Greer. which
bore the official signature of the court.
the Judge exclaimed:
Let that order be stricken from the
record as having been entered mad
The traction receivers blame the min
ute clerk for what they say is mis-
lake The minute clerk has nothing
to say. but looks wise.
Now the question is: who signed
the name of p. S. Gresscup to that
,rder?"
In the courtroom yesterday We're mill
ionaires, traction potentates, promi
nent lawyers. and ''reformers" by the
score to hear Mr.. Spry describe In de-
tail the effort to adjust outside of court
the differences between the majority
and the minority interests in the Union
Traction company and its underlying
lines. out of which has grown ugly
charges of corruption fund of $4,000
and contrary stories of attempts to ex-
tort that sum from the traction re-
ceivers.
All doubt as to who took the initia-
tive in the affair was cleared away
by the lumber merchant. The first
step was taken by Mr.. Gurley, he said
But he added. under Mr.. Moran's skill
full examina ton, that it was he tSpry)
who originated and conceived the
scheme for getting the opposing fac
tons together He said he was inter-
asted principally from a sense of pub
lie duty. incidentally. he was to make
a little out of the transaction-$10,0 00
for his personal services.