The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-27
Tax Returns No Evidence
of Value, Says Davis.
B. R. LACY AS EXPERT
Atlantic Coast Line Will Probably
Take all To-day to Examine its
Witnesses. Trial May Last
the Whole of the
Week.

Another day of the Selma connec-
ton trial, and more and more wit
nesses telling of the great inconven-
fence caused the people of eastern
North Carolina by the failure of the
Atlantic Coast Line and Southern
Railway trains to connect at Selma.
Yesterday afternoon the plaintiff,
the Corporation Commission, rested,
and the railroad had put on one wit
ness before court adjourned for the
day. That was State Treasurer B. r.
Lacy, in the capacity of an expert, he
having been for fifteen years an en-
gineer on the Sesboard Air Line.
The rather montonous strain of
the trial was somewhat relieved yes
terday afternoon when Mr.. Junius
Davis, of Wilmington, counsel for the
Atlantic Coast Line, said that he had
never heard of tax returns being any
evidence of the true value or cost or
property. That made people laugh,
and Mr.. Woodard said he thought that
was the very thing the railroads want
! ed people to believe. Mr.. Charlie Bus
| bee added that he should think when
a railroad came forward and swore
to the value of it's property for tax
alton, it ought to be considered as evil
| dence.
| 1t is probable that the entire day
today will be occupied in examining
| witnesses for the railroad After that
there will be exhaustive argument by
| counsel, SO that the case will likely
! consume the remainder of the week.
When court convened yesterday
T morning at half-past nine o'clock MIR.
| Davis said he understood the PLAINTIFF
| first admitted the impracticability of
the first question, and then declined to
admit it. Mr.. Woodard said they
never had admitted it, or had any
| thing to do with it.
Judge Brown said that the two is
sues submitted by the Corporation
Commission were not specific enough.
They were too general, he said, and
would require too minute charge,
| and neceSsitate too many details to be
gone into by the jury.
More Evidence.
Mr.. J. l.. Starkey. of Greenville, was
first called by Mr.. Woodard. Before
the connection was broken the usual
way for Greenville people to get to
Raleigh was by way of Selma, leaving
home at $50 or 8:45-and reach Raj
eigh in the afternoon. Since then they
come by way of Weldon. He went to
Greensboro, going by way of Weldon,
leaving Greenville at $40. If connec-
ton not broken would have reached
Greensboro at in the evening But
did not reach Greensboro till about
the next morning. Reached Raleigh
at 3:40 and did not leave for Green's
boro till in the morning.
Mr.. Pou told the witness that the
mistake he made was in not changing
cars at Henderson. Mr.. Starkey said
he had not been informed of that. Mr..
Pou said another mistake witness had
made was in not leaving Greenville at
$50 in the evening. Mr.. Starkey said
that he had asked the agent of the
A. c. L. about that train, and was told
that was an uncertain wav to connect
as the train was generally an hour
! late and missed.
! Mr. j. B. James. of Greenville, a.
student at Chapel Hill, said he went
I home last Christmas. He got his
| ticket by Selma and Rocky Mount.
Going back left Greenville at $50 a.
M. went to Parmele and spent the
night at Goldsboro, and got to Chapel
Hill about eleven the next day.
On cross Mr.. Douglass
asked witness if he did not have to lay
over at Goldsboro because the South
ern did not make any connection at
University Station. Mr.. James said
| yes
| Mr. Woodard asked if the Coast
Line had made connection at Selma,
! would he not have reaCheQ Cndpel
! Hill the same evening. Mr. James
said yes Asked why he did not go by
! way of Weldon, he said the agent had
| told him that way was very uncer-
| tain.
Then Mr.. Woodard read a deposit
ton from Mr.. S. c.. Bragaw, of Wash
ington, said he had gone to Durham by
way of Weldon, and it had cost him
nearly twice as much as before he
thought it would be great conven-
ience to the public if the Selma con-
nectiOn were restored.
There was also 81 deposition from
Mr. r. A. D. Barnes of Plymouth, to
the same effect.
Mr.. John w. Williams, of Washing
ton, a student at Chapel Hill, on Jan
uary 7th, with quite a large party.
some for Greensboro, left Washington
by noon train and arrived Selma about
nine that night, spent night at Selma.
If connection restored could have
reached Greensboro same evening.
Could also have left Washington by
morning train, if connection restored,
and reached Chapel Hill same night.
Mr.. Simms asked if the reason they
did not go on to Greensboro that night
was because they could not get u
sleeper at Selma. On what road was
that? The Southern. Why did he
not go on to University Station? Be-
cause he could not get any train to
Chapel HILL That was the Southern.
Why did he not buy his ticket by
way to Weldon? He knew nothing of
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