The San Francisco call., 1904-02-11
ASK THE COURT
TO INTERVENE
Wealthy Stockholders of a Big
Mining Concern Make Serious
Charges Against E. w. Bradley
ALLEGATION OF TRICKERY
Aver That Their Manager Has
Attempted to Gain Control
of Company by Illegal Means

suit bristling with serious charges
against Fred w. Bradley, one of the
most prominent of California mining
men, was filed yesterday afternoon. 1t
Is an action brought by John Hays
Hammond, Cyrus H. Mccormick, E. L.
Ryerson, James L. Houghteling, E. A.
Wiltsee, A. Cass Garfield, A. Chester
Beatty, j. E. Doolittle and F. B. Pea
body, all more or less prominently iden-
titled with big mining and commercial
enterprises in the West, to enjoin Brad
ley, as secretary and director, and w.
r. Berry, Edwin Schwab A. Granger
and W. G. Webb, the other members of
the board of directors Of the Orotille
Gold Dredging and Exploration Com
pany, from voting 40, 900 shares of stock
of the corporation at it's annual meet
ing on February Is. The plaintiffs
charge that these 10000 shares were re-
Gently secured by the defendant, Brad
ley, through fraudulent means and for
the apparent purpose of gaining control
of the company for himself and several
associates, among them Banker w. Z.
Crocker who, with Luther j. Holton
and j. w. Goodwin. are joined with the
defendants in the suit.
RETURNS UNSATISFACTORY
In the complaint, which was filed by
Attorney Jesse w. LiHenthal, it is al
legged that the Oroville Gold Dredging
and Exploration Company was incor-
porated under the laws of Arizona with
a nominal capital of 100000 shares, of
which, UP to February 3, there were is
sued 1862, ,251 shares, and that the major
ity of these were and are now held by
Hammond, Mccormick, Ryerson, Wilt
see, Houghteling, Garfield, Beatty, Doc
little and Peabody. Since the company
was formed, in 1901, Bradley has acted
as its manager, position he holds
through the influence of Hammond, of
whom he was a protege in the mining
world. The company purchased large
holdings near OroVille, but owing to
mismanagement by Bradley, so it is
charged, the properties have not given
profitable results for the development
work done upon them, and it is further
charged that Bradley, in order to JUS
tify the failure of the management,
has from time to time publicly de-
clared that the company was Of no
value by reason of the fact that it had
been imposed upon by the vendors of
the properties 1t had acquired. Bradley
is further accused of having published
a pamphlet of 200 pages, in which he
SldDOIdlcQ Oll the dlICSCQ 1llcl1lACl III
which the company had been swindled,
and when the stockholders suggested
the purchase of additional property
with view to improving their holdings
he rejected their proposition.
CHARGES AGAINST BRADLEY.
About this time the stockholders
named as plaintiffs in the suit and
holding the control of the company de-
cided on an investigation with a view
to a possible change in the management,
and learning of this move it is charged,
Bradley late in the afternoon of Febru-
ary 4 hurriedly called a meeting of the
directors Of the company and by con-
nivance with four directors obtained
authority to sell 10000 shares of unis-
sued stock. On the following morning,
the complaint alleges, Bradley called a
special meeting, at which he announced
that the shares had been disposed Of
and that 10000 had been taken by him
self and the balance equally by Holton
and Goodwin at a rate of 81 per share.
These acts, which the plaintiffs claim
were Irregular, following closely upon
Bradley's published statements that the
company's properties were of little or
no value, are cited as evidence of his
illegal plans to secure control of the
company and perpetuate his objection
able management at the annual meet
ing to be held next Monday, and it is
to prevent the voting Of these particu-
lar 10000 shares, which would give
Bradley majority at the meeting, that
the injunction was asked from the
court.
In their prayer the plaintiffs ask that
Bradley, Crocker, Holton and Goodwin
be restrained from using the stock in
any manner and that they be ordered
10 N fha and receive
the amount they paid for it. The mat
ter was presented to Judge Kerrigan
yesterday afternoon and an order was
issued citing the defendants to appear
and make answer within ten days. The
parties to the suit have for many years
been closely associated in mining and
other enterprises, and their sudden fall
ing out will attract widespread interest.