New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-04
RAMSEY ENJOINS GOULD.
WOULD STOP MEETING.
Wabash President Wants to PreUent
RiraI Com paraies from Voting.

e. Louis oct. Suit for injunction was hled
to-day IN the St Louis Circuit Court ny Joseph
Ramsey. jr.. president Of the Wabash. against the
IRON Mountain and wabash Railway companies.
-ba Mercantile Trust Company. Of Nev-York:
waller s wilson Il ". Walker and George J.
Gould
IN his petition Mr. Ramsey asks the court to
r-ar- him an injunction preventing the proposed
annual meeting Of George J. Gould and his esso-
cfa+as a. Toledo Ohio. where, 81 IS proposed 10
eject 2 board OF directors and president to con-
troll the Wabash road for the next year.
Judge Taylor. TO whom the suit was assigned.
o-5e-a5 ne defendants show cause az 10 o'clock
or Friday morning next why temporary irjunc-
lion Should not issue.
As reason the plaintiff alleges that one result
OF this meeting would be stfhe competition IN
traffic between the Wabash and Missouri Pacific
roads between s.. Louis and Kansas City. Mr.
Ramsey sets out IN his petition that he is a resi-
dent q Missouri. while the defendants are non
residents. He owns $4,000 par value of the de
benturs bonds OF the Wabash Class b" and 100
shares OF the capital stock
He brings the suit he seys for himself and
others similarly situated The Missouri Pacific Rail
way, he says. holds 200O0 shares Of Wabash stock,
The Iron Mountain holds coo shares Of preferred
stock and $500 par value OF debentures. These
shares, he says are held IN trust by the Mercan-
tIle Trust Company OF New-Tork and Messrs.
Wilson, Walker and Gould Mr.. Gould. he says.
owns and controls majority OF the stock Of the
MISSOURI Pacific. and controls the majority Of the
F ". Lehman. attorney for Mr.. Ramsey, said:
The Importance this suit to the publio is that
i is q suit 10 eujoiu rival companies OF the Wa
hash from voting its stock and debentures"
Wells H Blodgett. general solicitor. and F. B
Pryor. assistant 10 the president of the Wabash
both declined 10 discuss the matter without having
first thoroughly acquainted themselves with de-
tails,
This suit viii make little difference IN the out
Of the election" said Mr.. BIodgett Tt seems
10 be the custom for one road hold bonds or
stocks OF another part OF its assets. This is q
general custom. and cannot see how it be
olassed as combination in restraint Of trade"
Nj Pryor said: The stock transfer books are
row closed until after the election on October 10.
On October Il the new list Of stock and debenture
bondholders will be given out. The debenture
bonds OF the Wabash have voting power the same
IS stock. but how they distributed among
the holders I DO not know
Alexander C. Cochran vtce-president and gen
eTsl solicitor Of the Missouri Pacific, said:
I'VE had no knowledge that the suit would be
fled until q few minutes before court convened.
when an inkling reached US We were on hand IN
- ~ r55e,-sa,- sbo7,I5 rTd5e7II- becorna
aware CT the fact that the competition IN traffic
might be stified as result OF the meeting 10 be
held il Toledo, when Mr.. Ramsey himself knows
for The last len Years. and there has been no sug-
Ees-ion his part that that competition might
be sUaed- There may also be a question raised at
the trial OF whether or not Mr. Ramsey actually
owns the stock which ne claims
Regarding the Iron Mountain there IS no aIega-
lion in the petition that II Is competing line with
either the Missouri Pacific or the Wabash, and as
The entire petition IS founded sitting Of Compe
f5rIou there IS really for the Iron Noun
tar 70 De made a defendant. The only allegation
regarding the Iron Mountain is that the Missouri
Pacific controls q majority Of fits stock, and 1t
makes No difference whether this is true or not
There may be another question as 10 whether
the real purpose of the suit is prevent the sitting
OF competition because Mr.. Ramsey fears that
the stock was voted IL might prevent him from
retaining his position president Of the Wabash.
Mr. Ramsey has never before made any complaint,
sud this question only arises when there is fight
On"
Bdwin Gould, president OF the Cotton Belt road
and brother OF George J Gould. VINO arrived here
last night attend the annual meeting OF the Cot
tor Belt to-day. declined 10 make any statement
concerning the suit.