The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-12

Three of Americas greatest corpora
ton attorneys arrived in ST. Paul yes
terday to defend the Northern Securi-
ties company at the hearing of the
Hartman case, which Will be held to-
day in the United States circuit court.
The lawyers were Elihu Root, former
| secretary of war; John G. Johnson, Of
Philadelphia, and Francis Lynde Stet-
son, of New York
Mr.. Root was met at the train yester-
day morning by Walter J. Hill, the
youngest son Of President Hill Mr..
| Hill drove the former war secretary to
! his fathers Summit avenue home.
where breakfast was served. Mr.. john
| son and Mr.. StetsOn took their break
| fast at the Minnesota club.
Shortly before II o'clock a general
| conference was held in Mr.. Hills office
| in the Great Northern building.
Mr.. StetsOn was the first to leave
Mr.. Hills office last evening. He was
| accompanied by Mr.. Bum, and the
two went directly from the Great
| Northern building to the legal depart
! ment of the Northern Pacific.
| L really have nothing to say" said
Mr. Stetson. "There is nothing of in
terest for me to talk about except the
| Hartman case, and 1 cannot discuss
| that until tomorrow"
Mr. Root was equally reticent. mo,
/ have no statement to make regarding
| the litigation" answered the former
! secretary of war. Il am but one of the
| attorneys and cannot discuss my
| clients case. I will say. however. that
am very sorry that I was obliged to
! refuse the kind invitation of the st.
| Paul Commercial club"
And Attorney Johnson, too, declined
to say anything regarding the Harri-
man action. Come around to the
| United States circuit court tomorrow
| and you will hear all about it," he said.
| eS, we are prepared to argue the
| case. If there is postponement it will
| come from the other side. Of course
| ! do not know what Mr.. Harrimans
| attorneys will do, but I venture to say
that there will be no delays"
1t is doubtful if ever before a case
was tried in st. Paul that brought to
| the city attorneys of such great repute
| as the three men who will appear to-
| day for the Northern Securities COM
! pany.
Visitors Are Men of Note.
On account Of his exalted position in
| the Mckinley and Roosevelt cabinets
| Elihu Roots presence here has attract
ed much attention. Mr. Root was a
| corporation lawyer of great reputation
| before entering the Mckinley cabinet
in 1899. He practiced in New York
| city for thirty-two years prior to his
appointment as secretary of war. When
he left the cabinet a few months ago
| it was to resume his law practice.
Mr.. Root is one of President Roose-
| velt's closest friends and advisers. He
| is said to be Mr.. Roosevelts choice
for the Republican presidential nomi-
nation in 1908.
But of the three attorneys none has
had a more brilliant career than John
G. Johnson. Mr.. Johnson was up to a
few years ago an obscure Philadelphia
lawyer. 1t was at the trial of a cor
poration case that he first attracted
attention by a clear argument he
made, after several noted attorneys
had failed to unravel knotty legal
problem. Since then he has on many
occasions appeared in the big cases for
the large Eastern railroad companies
| and at the recent hearing of the
| Northern Securities company's case
before the United States supreme
court it was Mr.. Johnson who made
the principal argument.
| Mr.. Stetson is perhaps the highest
paid railroad attorney in the world
He is counsel for the Northern Pacific
| Railway company as well as for a
half dozen other large rail lines
Mr.. Stetson is also the personal at
torney for J. Pierpont Morgan and
represents that great railroad magnate
as member of the board, of directors Of
several large railroad lines.
Besides the eminent counsel for the
Northern Securities company, there
will be in the United States circuit
court today several other prominent
attorneys who will represent the Har-
riman interests. Among the attorneys
who will argue for the filing of the
petition of intervention will be John
N Baldwin William D. Guthrie, R. s
Lovett and Judge John F. Dillon The
Hartman party arrived in st. Pau
late last night. None of the counsel
would discuss the case.