New-York tribune., 1906-07-08
TIL. CENTRAL FIGHT ON.
u6PRIMAN AFTER STOCK.
c;rcuEor accuses Fish of Personally
Seeking PrOries.

is now openly under TTaY.
-. since the Mutual Life Insurance Company
-...,a,ion became acute It has been regarded as
-.-e,one conclusion by Wall Street that Z. H
s---irnan and his friends would sooner or later
- determined effort to oust Stuyvesant Fish
-. che presidency Of the Illinois Central. an Of
- n.cb he has administered for nearly twenty
- - About two weeks ago Mr.. Fish sent out
- ,sual requests for proxies rather earlier than
= ,,svious years, The proxy forms covering pos
-I.lo sneciai meetings which might be held in
- vear 1906. as Wen as the annual meeting.
=. for October IL. AS far as has developed,
- hartman interests have not requested
cries from the stockholders. They have not
-. ,dle however. but have apparently been
-rr.,ing for months a plan Of campaign hav-
- for its object the securing of control OF the
-.,or+v through actual ownership OF a major
stv Of the capital stock
There was issued yesterday morning the fol-
,,,rlng statement. from sources understood to be
grendly to IIr. Hartman:
Although the annual meeting OF the stookhold-
= - the Illinois Central Railroad Company will
.ot he held until October IL, more than three
,onpfhs hence, there ase unmistakable indica-
,'ons that there will be contest for control
re arst evidence upon this point would seem to
e contained in a brief circular which has been
~sErassed 10 the stockholders of the company
- AR StuyVesant Fish, not as president but
!. = ;-5ivfdUaI That is he does not sign the cir
rnlar as president, nor does he state that he
ends il out by authority OF his board of direc-
tors There is excellent authority for the state
,oent that the directors Of the company were
nj consulted either formally or informally re-
esrding The circular. A peculiar feature OF the
SircuIar is the following statement namely:
ssII-hIe no special meeting OF the stockholders
has been called and 1t may be that none will be
caIled ret in order TO provide for such con-
sS1ga1cv in case Il should arise, and on the as
rrr1ntton that you may not be able TO attend in
Terson you are requested TO kindly execute the
inclosed proxy and to mail st. in the stamped
envelope tnclosed herewith 30 the secretary OF
fhe company, at Chicago"
SPECIAL MEETING SUSPECTED.
rbs inference drawn from this circular by
many Of those who have received 1t IS that there
Is q possibility that q special meeting Of the
stockholders for some purpose not yet an
potlnced may be called on the usual thirty days
notice in advance OF the annual meeting in OctO-
Der. Moreover, the request that the proxy be
mailed 10 the secretary OF the company, which
request is repeated in notice at the bottom OF
the proxy, IS apparently intended to convey the
Impression that the proxy is an official one
that IS one asked for by the present manage
ment As a matter OF fact, the proxy runs to
Stuyyesant Fish, or, falling him, 20 John c.
Weling who is a director OF the company and
also first v1ce-p president
Il Is asserted by those In a position 70 know
the situation that the circular and proxy to-
gsther Indicate a desire Mr. Fish's part to
fOTegtail not only any outside interests that may
attempt 10 contest hts control or domination Of
the Illinois Central Railroad Company, but also
to anticipate any action on the part Of certain
Of the present directors who may desire TO con-
tnue themselves IN office against Mr. Fish's
wishes.
The entire proceeding Is a most unusual one
Cor the reasons given; that IS. the request for
fhe proxies long before the annual meeting.
the reference 70 possible special meeting and
ne eloEt 10 convey the impression that the
fscyy Is In support Of the present board OF di-
sectors, whereas both the circular and proxy are
h1ividual documents.
Ihs prevailing impression sr wal Street is
nat the party which Mr.. Fish Is endeayoring TO
fsestall is his old friend and associate in the
Management OF the Illinois Central Railroad
Company, E. II. Hartman. but as yet neither he
nT his associates have given any evidence Of
activity In collecting proxies or taking any steps
toward. attacking Mr.. B1Sh'S position. That the
Two men no longer maintain cordial or harmo-
nous relations Is well known, but the split be-
tween them did not, as many persons believe
matters last winter. It dates back to the time
Eben MF. Fish dropped his oldtine associate
from the board Of directors Of the railroad com
9-oy without serving him any notice or hlS IN
telf1Ons to do It Is stated by those IN
position 20 know that Mr.. Fish's holdings OF
Illinois Central stock are not very extensive
while Tumors have been current for a long time
that the so-called Harriman-UniOn Pacific party
have been acquiring considerable amounts OF It
ior many months past e this should prove 70 70
tor pretty lively contest at the annual meeting
u October any special meeting that may be
sssung upon the stockholders before that date.
FISH AND HARTMAN OUT OF CITY.
Neither Mr. Fish nor Mr.. Hartman was in the
city yesterday At the oflce OF Mr.. Hartman
reporters 70 whom. It was news that Mr.. Fish had
dropped his oIdtine associate from the board OF
tirectors OF the railroad company without serv-
Ing him any notice OF his intentions to DO so
we're advised TO see the secretary OF the Illinois
Central At the Office Of that company 1t was
said that M Hartman was still a member OF
the board About three months ago, it may be
remembered, announcement was made that the
fhFaa ~ illinois Central board
had been abolished, and two new committees
had been created IN their stead. Mr.. Hartman
had been chairman of the old advisory commit
Tee, and vas named on the new committee on
law and finance as second ranking member
Waluaer Luttgen. OF August Belmont & Co..
being chairman, an Office which he held only
iew weeks. Il was suggested in Wall Street as
possible explanation of the statement about
he dropping of Mr.. Hartman as a director tnat
ne writer might have had in mind this change
n committee assignments
One Of the old stockholders Of the Illinois
Central. in discussing yesterday the circular
put out by interests friendly 20 Mr.. Hartman
said:
Whoever wrote the statement seeks 10 make
point OF the fact that Mr.. Fish has signed as
= individual, and not as president the clIcula.
accompanying the proxy form which ne mas seIt
% stockholders and that the directors were NOT
consulted regarding it. AS a matter OF facL IA
a The time that Mr.. Fish has been presl0eht
ne mas every year cent out proxy blanks running
. himself en individual, as this year. ana
nave understood that the board has never Iof-
llaiy authorized the action, as the proxy re-
Saests were always personal and Individual az
tnough the proxies received were invariably
sOlea for the management The request tnaL my
Proxy be mailed to the secretary OF the COM
seny IS no innovation It has been for years
Fsh
What is meant by the reference 20 Mr.. Fish g
suesed desire Ito anticipate any action on the
- Of certain Of the present directors who may