The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-16
CHRISTIAN
ON FISHER.
Richmond Lawyer Scores the
Methods Of the Former Street
Railway Magnate.
MAKES AN ABLE SPEECH
Mr.. Davis to Follow iii Behalf
Of Application for Receiver.
Petersburg Notes.
tsnec,s1 T. rho rimes Dispatoh.)

(SpeciA1 to Tho Times ispatof10
PETERsBURG. VA, July 15--Mr.
Frank W. Christian, OF counsel FOR tho
Virginia Passenger and Power Company,
continued his argument IN the Fisher.
Gould case before Judge Mullen. OF the
4 Hastings Court. to-day. Mr. Christian
was somewhat indisposcd, and remained
%ieated during u portion Of his speech
isis argument was n1asterful exposl-
ton OF both the law and the facts.
Tho first part OF Ills speech was an
argument on demurrer to the. plaintiffs
bill for the legality OF which I've np-
peared to have but slight respect. He
maintained that there was misjoinder Or
plaintiff, misjoinder OF defendants, and
misjoiilcr OF Causes in action. lie stated
shat no trustee In any mortga sc OF the
road had been asked to take action In
behalf OF any bondholder, nor had there
been any legal request made to directors
by stockholders for protection against
mismana cement.
Mr.. Chrigtlan's points were tortured py
numerous citations from legal authorities.
5 After an exhaustive attack upon the ]e-
@eallty Of the plaintiff, he devoted him-
Self to an argument upon the facts OF
the case, starting with a history OF the
properties OF tho Virginia Passeng ger and
Power Company. as they were in the
y ear 1899, when they were owned by n
Fisher ana Or. Mum He traced the
progressive degeneration OF the finances
ofSthc concerns under the Fisher man IAN
agement until finally Just before the nd-
T1ustment agreement was made IN l5o2.
Mr.. Fisher&is alleged to have ontessed
to MI. sitterding, as shown by Mr.. Sit
5terding' s affidavit, which Is "a part Of the
record in this case. that he Fisher had
about come to tho end Of his resources
IND that the so-called official statements
4 Of the earnings OF the Virginia Passenger
and Power Company were false
PICTURESQUE AND POINTED.
III 5Mr. Christian is no dealer In epithets.
but his language concerning NJ flsher
as a railroad manager and financitr was
sometimes atl,er picturesque Mr. V Chris
liam stated that the Goulds had bought
. some OF the bonds OF the road as low as
Twenty-Five cents on the dollar, which
was more than .they were worth. AS to
the statement insthe bill that none OF the
consolidated mortgage bonds had been
sold under so, he said It was true only
Ia the sense that none of the bonds had
been sold at any price by these directors
! OF tho present Passenger and Power Com
pany, whom a misstatement OF @ rninGs
had induced to undertake the sale Of
&50o, 900 OF these bonds. 81 MI. Christian
maintained that all cleanliness in man
agcmcnt and statement OF the condition
of tho property. began after the Fisher
management ceased. and that an hope
Il for the regeneration OF the concern. the
safety OF Its security holders and the de-
&velopment OF Its power AZ an instrument
Y for good in this part OF Virginia q depended
upon maintaining the property under Z he
control OF Its rightful owners. the
fC;oulds, who were able and willing to use
their great resources for the betterment
and development OF the property.
Mr.. Christian will be followed by Mr.;
r.. B. Davis. who will speak in behalf OF
the plaintiff.
& N BRIEF PETERsBURGs NOTES.
K It Is expected mat work on the diver
sion OF the Apponlattox River will begin.
about the LIST OF sAug gust. y s
DR.. and Mrs. Nixon gave a cha rtning
entertainment last night at the Country
Among tils guests we're Mrs. Hitchcock,
Misses Bunting. Miss Gill. Miss Clai-y
born, Miss Harding, Miss Stephenson and
Miss Myers; A1eHsrs. r.. r. Percival, r. B.
WILCOX, Jr.. Meade Doyle, Edwin Whit
more, DR.. +. = D. Wilcox, and DR.. W. W.
gStith. 4 u & 5S9
81 The grocery store of Mr.. ~, r. Tench.S
on High Street.. was this morning dis
covered to have been broken open, t,o-.
thing, however. having been taken. Lieu
tenant Donahuc later arrested n. colored
boy. Edwin TONNES, well known In pos
lico circles. who confessed that no had
4 been In the store. t,si I. rs
b Ex. Governor Cameron has returned.
from Old Point much improved II health
Justice Butler presided In tho 4 Mayors
Court to-day. Mayor Janns King being
tsof the city 81.
4 Miss Willie Harra han and her nephew,
Mr., Robert Francis will spend the
BROUGHT TO RICHMOND.