Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-23
RESUMED THIS MORNING
OllCeF Of The Pennsylvania Railroad
aud Representatives Of Various Coal
Companies HaVe Been SubpGlaed.
MORETHOROUGH PROBING LIKELY
Minority Stockholders Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad May
Ask the Ponnsylvaia Leg
islature to Investigate.
W. APAITON AN UNWILLING WITNESS
--ooInl.l II. nI.n.lon ~ -n.aIaI WIlo.-

Associated Press Dispatch by special Wires
Philadelphia. Pa, May 23.-High
officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad |
are among the witnesses who will be |
examined this week during the invcstiga- |
tion of the Interstate Commerce Conn |
mission into the alleged discrimination |
by the railroads IN Redistribution of
coal cars Tho hearings were resumed
today The revelations OF last week,
when number of Pennsylvania kail-
road officials admitted accepting gifts
of stock In various soft coal mining com
nanies. impelled the commission to sub
pmna more important officers IN an
effort TO determine the extent OF the
secret business relations alleged to exist
between the railroad and certain coal
companies The witnesses TO be eN-
amiued during the hearings tins week
include Capt John p Green, first vice
presidcnt of the Pennsylvania Railroad
| William A. Patton. assistant to Presi-
dent Cassatt at Philadelphia; Robert
| Pitcairn assistant TO President Onssait
M piHsburr Congressman George II
| HUFF president of the Keystone Coal
and Coke Co.. John Lloyd, president of
the Columbia Coal Mining Co; J. Howard
Patton N coal man and brother of Viii
/ liam A. Patton. Theodore N. Ely, chief
of motive power; d. S Ncwhan pur-
chasing agent of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. II III Johnston. superintendent OF
| the Tyrone division Victor Nircmnn,
nipcnntondent of the Amhoy diysion'
j. N. purvianco. chief clerk TO William
/ A. Patton: G. a Wood. chief clerk TO the
general sdnonntcndcnt; David steele
assistant tiainmaslcr of the Pittsburg
division, A. E Filter. Charles Culp, H..
! G. Burkett and G. A. Buch.
AS a result of 1.-THE Investigation,
minority stockholders Of the Pcnnsyl-
vania Railroad are said TO DO consider
ing plans 10 bring about a more thorough
probing bv the State Legislature. such
| an Investigation would include on in
anirv into on the details surrounding
the contracts for steel rails, engines and
Other equipment made in tho last iive or
six years. Tho present investigation IS
limited hy the 1illman-Gillospie rcsolu-
iion TO the relations Of tho railroads TO
the coal and oil industries.
The entire commission sat for today 3
hearings
The first witness called was W. A.
Patton. assistant TO President Cassatt at
Philadelphia. He was asked 10 tell what
interest he hnd Ia coal companies. Tax
Ing % list from bis pocket he enumerated
the various companies in which he held
stock Concerning the keystone 1oai
Co.. 2.5n0 shares of which were M his
name. he said he got the stock by pur-
chaso and through Tie merging with the
INcvsione Co. OF smaller companies in
which hc was interested. Five hundred
of fine shares. he said. belonged TO his
brother. j Howard Patton, who Is IN
terosiod In coal properties IN Western
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Patton explained
tbat no held stock IN five companies which
were consolidated with the Keystone and
through that transactions secured ms
holdings In the keystone Co.
Mr.. Patton proved an unwilling witness
whom he was questioned about his holdings
i'm tho Atlantic Crushed Coke Co. The ex-
animation resulted in a tilt between the
witness and Attorney Glasgow for the
r commission. and caused impatient COM
q mont bv Commissioner COckrcll. MT
D. Patton accused the lawyer Of forming
opinions ms To- his business dealings, which
e Mr. Glasgow denied
"I am only asking you tho questions
e. Mr. patton.n ho said. 81 don't know
e ANYTHING about your business.
. The controversy occurred after repeated
r efforts had been made by Mr. Glasgow q
e draw from the witness q positive state
mont ms 10 whether hu had paid any actua
p cash for his 400 shares 10 the company
e Mr. Patton made an explanation to th'
@ effect that he became interested m thl
n land purchasing company through >
IT Howard Patton. who represented th'
Interests of Col. G. orgo +. HUI Mhei
nv land was purchased, he said the m
vestors were obligated to pay their pro
rata share but as there had been NJ
d losscs. IS was not necessary 10 pay IN cash
,e 2 ieYon got that obligation back, didn'
ls you ?"
" "Were YOU required TO pay anythini
~ toward the purchase OF land
IA al stood to lose and had Il been neces
"A sarv would have paid my share.
Il Senator Cockrell here interrupted, say
" ing matt.
for YOU to say You went into a specu
lative deal. that none Of you paid an
cash and that the corporation was r.
s. sponsible for the purchase price. j don
see the necessity Of beating about IN
0As a matter Of fact, said Chairma
Knapp nyou took the risk, but didn
10 lose anything
al was an investor, replied the WI
ness. and was treated the same as oth'
investors" =,
Concerning the Huron Coal Co.. nj
Patton said he thought that he had 81
shares but was not certain, which !
acquired in the same manner as his hol'
D., ines I'm the Atlantic Crushed Coke q
He was asked if he ever held stock IN q
= Columbia Coal Co. He said he had
rs organization but il became a sellir
- company. instead Of an operating con
panv and he sold his stock to Green
bure. Pa. banking company.
''Nhat bank took d
"lho Cassatt bank.
In the Greenwich company, ut. pa