The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-10
CALIFORNIAN WON
His Friends Control Farmers
Shipping Association.
End of a Lengthy and Bitter
War of Words.
BUTLER A DIRECTOR.
Believed However That He
Won't Be President.
Enterprise Miller Explains His
Position Satisfactorily.
BUTLER A DIRECTOR.

Cooperative Shipping association
sustained c. B. Hoffman general
manager of the association, in the
election of directors at the close of
the war of words which began Wed
nesday and lasted until late last night
A good working majority of the d.
rectors favor the retention of Mr..
Hoffman as the manager of the asso-
citation. James Butler, the retiring
president is the only director who
may be actively opposed to Hoffman.
]. F. Willitts, who has presided over
the stockholders meeting, is one of
the new directors and is counted as
neutral H. F. Signor. one of the old
directors who is reelected. has occa-
sionaIly voted with Butler, but he is
now counted for Hoffman. All the
other six directors, Frank Wright F.
Englehardt H. H. Hull. J. c. Goings.
X. L. Milton and A. ]. Masterson, are
active friends of Hoffman.
MI Hoffman himself was left of
the board of directors, as was also
Judge S. H. Allen, who has been gem
is said that Major A. NJ. Harvey is
now slated to succeed Judge Allen as
attorney. The job has been paying
1900 year.
James Butler was reelected as a
director, although he has been en-
gagged in the war on Hoffman. He
VIII be in the minority, and some of
the stockholders thought it due him
to be retained as a director on ac-
count Of his work in organizing the
association. Butler will not be re-
elected president, however.
Some of the stockholders took H
N Gaines to task for his fiery speech
to the stockholders Thursday after
noon, in which he attacked the Off
GERS of the association. DR.. F. EngIe-
hardt, one of the directors with whom
Gaines to n i'm
afterwards and said Gaines had mis-
understood him. Gaines replied that
he had no fight on the six farmer
members of the board of directors
but he thought the three who were
not farmers, Butler, Judge Allen and
Hoffman, ought to be removed and
farmers put in their places.
And that is just what you are
coming to- said Mr. Gaines. Il have
never said a word against you, Engle-
hardt, or the other farmer members
of the board" he continued. "but
have gone after the three who are not
farmers"
THAT may be so, replied Engle-
hardt, but you put the rest of us in
such a position that we had to Off
cially endt rise your attacks or else be
against you"
The meeting of the stockholders
was in some respects like a Populist
convention. Some of the representa-
tlVes came to Topeka on Monday and
milled around until the meeting began
Wednesday afternoon. Then the
meeting did nothing but make speech
es and debate from that time until
last night, when the first actual bust
ness was transacted.
The last of the debates among the
directors took place late Thursday
afternoon with Judge Allen and C. B.
Hoffman as principals.
Il was in politics for several years
IN this state began Judge Allen, but
1t was never necessary in all that time
Tor myself or my friends to say one
word IN defense of my integrity. And
yet since this meeting began I have
been called a CRATER because have
been receiving a little matter of 500
month for conducting the legal af-
fairs and the litigation of this associa-
ton. And out of that I have furnish
ed my own Office, hired my own stem
ographer paid for my own stationery
and other expenses. If you call that
grating you may cut it off just as
quick as you please"
Judge Allen then went after Gen
eraI Manager Hoffman. He charged
him with placing the seat which the
association purchased on the Kansas
City board of trade, in the name of his
son, T. D. Hoffman, in direct opposi-
ton to the orders of the board of direc-
tors He also charged Hoffman with
gambling" on the board of trade by
buying options, and read from the by
laws a section which provided that the
board of directors must discharge any
OrT1Cer or e1nplOye VINO dealt in options.
He said a resolution had been introdue-
ed into a board meeting recently to re-
move Hoffman on account of his op-
tion deals. but that the majority of the
board had tabled it.
Mr.. Hoffman got permission to fol-
low and answer to Judge Allen
charges. He said he would have been
glad to have purchased the board of
trade membership in his own name, but
it was impossible; that he could not do
the hoor-trading for the association on
the board of trade and at the same
time manage its affairs; that the board
of trade rules provide that the member
ship must ebe in the name of the per-
son who does the hoOr-trading, and he
had therefore proposed to place it in
the name of his son, in whom he had
perfect confidence. He further explain
ed that President Butler had purchased
an option on a board of trade member
ship, and that an hour before the op-
tion had expired, as no other way had
been secured to keep the option. 1t was
purchased in the name of T D. Hoff-
man. Mr.. Hoffman said he had no oh
jections to Judge Allen making an eff
fort to have it changed, but that he
tried to have a resolution rejecting
upon him passed by the directors.
AS to trading in options. Mr.. Hof-
man said he pleaded guilty. He said it
was absolutely necessary to do so in
connection with the milling business. of
G. Hoffman & Son. Whenever the mill
sells flour for future delivery, Mr. Hof-
man SalQ IL IS necessary Tor MIN TO pur-
chase options on wheat enough to make
the -four in order to protect the mill
ing company in case of a shortage He
said he had given the business of this
option trading to the association, and
his milling company had paid the asso-
citation in commissions the sum of 81
142. That seemed to satisfy the stock
holders.
motion was made to issue stock IN
the present association to those who
owned stock in the old farmers coop
eratfve grain company which this one
--.-oa..laa hut If WIS IA hIad until tIaa