Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-21
NO DEFENCE BY ADOICKS

George wharton Pepper Moving ReIent-
lessly Against Wreckers Of tho bay State
Gas Company.
Philadelphia, Pa, Feb. 21.-That
he is at last closing in upon the man
whom he charges with being RESPONSE
BILE for the financial crash OF the Bay
State Gas TO. of Delaware. was the
declaration yesterday of George Whar-
ton Pepper, the receiver who was Hp-
pointed by the United States Courts
to investigate the affairs of that con-
Germ.
After twice asking for an extention
Of time In which to present a defence
10 the claim Of Receiver Pepper for
81, 500, 600, j. Edward Addicks has 40
far failed to take advantage of his
privilege and he has now only eight
days In which 10 do sd After March
let the case will b. declared closed and
the only evidence before the court will
be tnat offered by Receiver Pepper.
Aside from this, the receiver has
just received word from the Massa-
chusetts courts that his suit against
Henry II. Rogers has at last been
fixed for trial on March eth. From
Rogers, the millionaire oil man, the
receiver is seeking TO recover no less a
figure than $500, 600, and Mr.. Pepper
asserted yesterday that he was conf.
dent Of SUCCESS In this action.
Thomas W. Lawson, the third Of the
trio of finanoiers against whom Re-
oeiver Pepper brought suit in oonneo-
tion with the Bay State Gas tanRle,
has settled all his indebtedness The
only important litigations that remain
are those involving Addioks and
Rogers, and the receiver says that the
signs point to success in these.
Should the courts compel the Della
ware Senatorial aspirant TO pay
81, 600, 600 and the millionaire oil man
TO pay 50, 500. 600, with the moneys and
assets already in the hands OF the
receiver, there will be, according to
Mr. Pepper, sufficient to meet every
outstanding debt against the famous
gas company, with q comfortable sur
plus to be divided among the stock
holders.
In outlining his plans for closing in
upon, the hnnnoiers who, he believes,
defrauded the bay State Gas Co., At
torney Pepper yesterday gave his
reasons for concluding that the final
steps on behalf Of the creditors of the
concern will be successful.
The suit against Rogers" he said,
''is to recover the sum OF s3, 800. 600,
which is the amount he derived from
one Of the sliokest deals conceivable.
Here was the situation; Addicks
caused Rogers TO be appointed trustee
of the interests of the four Bay State
Gas Cos. In Boston. Rogers already
owned in his own name the Brookline
Gas o., located in a suburb OF Bos.
ton.
1.-THE oil man was anxious to sell
his property to the New Jersey Gas
aud Coke Co., but that concern wss
reluctant TO buy IL because of a feat
Of the competition of the companies
OF which Rogers had lately been made
trustee. What does Rogers do ? Ex.
efcising his right as trustee, he binds
the four Boston companies for II ears
to buy all their coke from the Brook
line Co. and then he sells the Brook.
line 90. to the New Jersey Gas anc
Coke 20.
"That move simply removed tn,
four Boston companies from oompeti
tion. They were then bound to buy
all their coke from the Brookline Co.
which then became part Of the New
Jersey Gas and Coke 90.
The price that Rogers received fo
1 his brookliue Co. was exactly SO,
500,O 600 in excess over the pTeviou
market price of that company. Ii
other words, by using his authority al
trustee Of the four Boston comranies
he pulled of deal that increased th,
value OF the BTookhne to that extent
That money should have been deriveC
by the four companies OF the Bay Stat,
Gas Go. II is the sum which we hope
to recover in the trial that Is fixed 70
March 9th. I"
hogers has been notified to appea
in court as defendant on March 9th
and while he may ask for a postpone
ment it is not expected that IL Will b.
granted.