The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-05-31
- GRAFT fONEYCOMDS THE
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD
High Officials of Road So Testify
I'M Federal Investigation.
DIRECTORS ORDER AN INQUIRY
William A. Patton Assistant to Pres
ident Cassa<; iee-President
Rea and Clerk PurViance Wealthy
Through Free Coal Stocks.

PHILADELPHIA. Further revelations
concerning stockhOldings in soft coal
mining companies by Officials of the
Pennsylvania Railroad were made
when the Interstate Commerce Com
mission resumed its, investigation into
the alleged discrimination by railroads
in The distribution of coal cars.
William A. Patton, assistant to Pres
tdent Cassatt, admitted that without
the expenditure of one penny he is to-
day in possession of $S07, 900 worth of
coal mining stock. gotten while he was
an officer of the railroad company and
without the expenditure of energy or
effort.
Mr.. Patton was by no means the only
witness through whose admissions the
system Ofgraft prevailing in the Penn
GEyR3nia Railroad wis thrown into
= prominence, for many Others told the
same tale. A notable case was that Of
1xAf xPurEianee, chief clerk to Mr..
Patton, Ehe through friendship with
Mr.. Patton and Colonel Huff, a coal
operator and promoter, has now about
$685. O0 worth of coal stocks which cost
him not u cent. Just what he did for
them the witness failed to tell very
clearly, the main feature of his evil
dence, like that of his chief, being an
1ndistinct recollection.
First Vice-President Green and Third
Vice President Samuel Rea were also
witnesses. Captain Green attempted
to justify the system. at the existence
of which, a few days ago. he expressed
great surprise, and which he romlse
to investigate.
Mr.. Green does not possess and never
did possess any coal mining stock. and
dis faetSled Chairman Knapp, of the
commission, to ask the witness if his
failure to have stock in coal companies
did IN0f. Load ,hiS SI1A.nPdina fnS To haliQVG
@8 hfm'eccentric
Here follows a summary of graft
ste ks that the recipients swOre they
pocketed:
William A. Patton. first assistant to
President Cassatt. got this coal stock:
= z500 shares NKeystone. 100 shares At
lantic Crushed Coke. 40 shares Luz
al eeScO, 500 shares Huron, 500 shares
g Howard. 100 shares Apollo. 1000 shares
Greenwich, 500 shares Cochran, 200
: shares IIatrobe, 500 shares Henrietta,
1900 shares ConneIisviIle-734O shares,
- <FalEel al 1861 900.
sT Third .Yiee-President Samuel Rea got
1000 shares Greenwich. 400 shares La
rObe-COnnellsville, 100 shares Acme
1900 shares and bonds. valued at $751;
..e,.S = Theodore n. Ely. chief of motive
power, got 153 shares, valued at $3.50.
Purchasing Agent Daniel Newhali
got 120 shares valued at $4,000.
~e4ssM pursuance. ehief~clerk to Will
lam 4: Patton, got 40 shares, valued
at $3S, 500.
All is Virtually admitted to have been
downright graft, il not blackmail.
This. added to 1924 shares. par value.
1901. 200. already admitted to have been
peekotel by seventeen other Pennsyl-
Taria officials and employees, totals
$897 $50, and the surface, according to
William a. Glasgow, counsel for the
commission. is only scratched.
. CHEF I4sSistanf Patton swOre that
his superior officers. including Presi-
dent Cassatt, had known for years that
he held the. stock and had never pro-
tested.
Sworn evidence of fla grant discrim-
ination on the part Of the Pennsylvania
Railroads distribution of cars among
coal producing companies was also
forced on record.
News of their admissions reached the
Pennsylvania directors in session at
the Broad street Office of the company
and compelled them to take action.
AS a result, Directors c.. Stuart Pat
terson, James McCrea. E. b. Morris,
w. H.. Barnes and Thomas Dewitt
Guyler We're chosen a special commit
tee to probe the graft charges
At this meeting Of directors the re-
tirement, January 1. of Robert Pit
cairn. %-1Ssatt's assistant at Pittsburg.
was annOupced. Pitcairn got a lot of
free coal stock. =
AS a Sesult of the investigation,
minority stockholders of the PennsyL-.
vania Railroad are considering plans to
pEiEG about a thorough probing
tk@sS through the State Legislature. Such
an investigation would include details
Of the. contracts for steel rails, loco
49, motives and other equipment.
HENRIK IBSEN DEAD.