Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-29

ing Il telephone conversation with Mr..
Rogers since last June with reference
to gas affairs. and when asked if he
eve. had an interest in the New Eng
land Gas and Coke Co, he said: Il act
ed as broker for Mr.. Rogers and per-
sonally might have bought or sold
stock in the market. but | never had
any other interest"
Mr.. Lawson then described. minutely,
conversations which he said were held
with Mr.. Rogers in connection with Il
block of 81 1000. 900 of stock in the New
England Gas and Coke Co, issued in
the name of Hugh j. Grant which Mr.
Lawson said he had sold as Il broker
for Mr.. Rogers"
Mr.. Lawson said: Mr.. Rogers said to
ire in 1900. You have done very good
York in selling that block of New Eng
lard Gas & Coke Cos. stock In 1901,
! said to Mr.. Rogers, Mr.. Rogers. Billy
Elkins tells us that you took over that
Sl.C00,00O of coke company's stock and
agreed that it as to be paid to me in
consideration that 1 should withdraw
my opposition, and he tells me that he
was one of committee of three APP
pointed to pay you that million dollars
worth of stock. Mr.. Rogers said that
could not be so. l said Elkins came to
at the horse show and said that he was
surprised that after l had received a
million dollars worth of stock l was
still before the Legislature, opposing
them. | said to Billy Elkins that he
lied. ttat / never received a dollar Of
New England Gas & Coke in any FORM
He said: You don't dare to put that
in writing. Lawson l agreed to do So
Later" continued the witness. II
met Elhins in New London, and he
said. Lawson. don't see how it is pos
sible: / was one of the committee to
pass that stock to you Il never got it:
never heard of it / answered. He
said why. | have sold it as broker
for AIR. Rogers. Later I told Mr.. Rog-
ers, i find now that you not only took
the stock in the New England Gas &
Coke Co. to pay me. but that you also
employed me to sell it. that l might be
on record i'll every way as having re-
ceiN ed it,
Rogers replied: That is something
we had better not talk about any more
now. If any transaction of that kind
took place it was one that thought wa.
necessary. 1t was not done to injure you
or place YOU in a false position | said
| was sick of the whole transactions and
whatever the others interested decided to
de he could talk to me about later"
Mr.. Lawson then told of finding out that
Mr.. NinSor. because he thought Lawson
had received SlOO,OW in New England
Gas X Coke stock to refrain from OPPOSE
ton to tho gas deal. had gone about with
Il paper inducing men to blaCk-ball MIR
Lawson as member of the Eastern
Yacht Club.
of MIR. Lawson. The cross-examination
by Mr.. Hemenway. as counsel for MIR
Rogers. began with a passage Of pointed
remarks as follows: There is hut one
Thomas W. Lawson?" asked Mr.. Hemen-
way.
There may be 40" was the reply
There is hut one the Thomas Lawson,
is there
81 don't know the Thomas Lawson; !
know "a Thomas W. Lawson. He is a
pretty small sort Of a chap"
YES | agree with YOU.
SO do |. int there are others.
The croSs-cNa animation then proceeded.
the uues tion Of Delaware gas stock being
taken up. MIR. Lawson said that no living
amount of stock outstanding. lie said
that he had acted as a broker III pur-
chasing about Sl,.Oo,10 worth of the origi-
nal S2.oW.W1 of income bonds Of the Bay
StdlS triS I q. DI l'tldNdFt. 50 (ndt llt
knew that Il very large amount had been
purchased. In answer to Il question about
those who had right to qualify as vot-
crs OF the Bay State Gas Co. of New Jer-
stv. he said he understood that no one
had right to so qualify unless Mr..
Rogers wanted them to vote.
Mr.. Snow asked number of questions
concerning Mr.. I.awSonS statement about
Eiddcr. Peabody d Co. having been asked
to effect the combination Of copper inter
rStS in which he and Mr. Rogers were
interested. Mr.. Lawson said the propoS-
eI consolidation was never carried out.
ana added: I'VE lost Sl.I00GO1 on the
transaction by having one of the par
ties dump lot of stock on us at SiG0 n
share when it is selling on the street, to-
day. for sis or $40 n share.
After 4 few questions by Mr.. Whipple
relating to the previous testimony. the
examination of Mr.. Lawson was conciud-
ed and he left the stand at 81 O'Clock.
Bradbury S. Gushing. clerk at the
Hotel EnndCmc. testified that Mr. Rogers
was at the Nendome on July q and Au-
gust 10. 1902. but was unable to show by
the hotel records that he was stopping
there on August 8. The purpose of Mr.
Whipplc's questioning was to establish
the fact that Mr.. Rogers was at the Ven
dome on the dates when Mr.. Lawson
claimed to have talked with him over the
telephone ir reference to gas matters.
When the examination of Mr.. Gushing
was concluded court adjourned until to-
morrow morning.
Copfederate CavaIrv eader III