The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-08-24
Railroads Will Not Exhibit
Their Property.
MATTER TO co INTO COURTS.
Commissioned Young Espresso
Himself Anent the Beligerrant
Attitude OF the Officials.


attitude of the railroads of the state in
refusing to allow Attorney James Mana
han and the expert accountant OF the
sion, n. B. Iiinkley, to inspect their
books. has caused the attorney general
of Minnesota 10 order the commission
to throw out all the evidence submitted
since last April in the adjustment of
railroad rates.
The climax was reached late yester-
day afternoon when Attorney Manaha2
filed a formal complaint against the Chi
cago, St Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha
railroad company, alleging that it re-
fused to allow an inspection of its books
although the commission ordered this
week ago Monday.
The complaint reads:
''On August Is James Manahan, repre-
senting the Minnesota Shippers asso-
citation, and n. b. Hinkley, expert ac-
countant of the state commission, called
at the general offices of the Omaha rail
road for the purpose of verifying from
the general books and records of the
company the evidence submitted and in
PRODUCED at the railroad rate hearings,
"The controller of the company at
| the hearings offered to permit an eX-
animation of such books and records as
would show what items went into OPP
Grating expenses of the company, but
absolutely refused under the advice OF
the general counsel, to give us general
access to the general books of account
of said company.
And we were denied an opportunity
to verify from the original records and
books the correctness of reports filed
with the commission by the railway com
pany and introduced in evidence at the
hearings.
1--WE hereby demand on behalf of the
Minnesota Shippers association and G.
f. LOTUS, as intervenors and complain.
ants, the Judgment and order of the
commission striking from the testimony
offered all evidence submitted on behalf
of the railway company and all testimony
whatsoever based Oh the records, and
maintain the dignity and authority of
the state railroad and warehouse com
mission"
This complaint was followed by YER
bal complaint to the effect that the Great
Northern had refused to allow the exami-
nation of the records to 90 on. Atty
Manahan asserting that he called at
the offices of the railroad Saturday and
was refused until the general counsel
could be communicated with.
This action on the part of the first
two railroad offices visited by the at
torney and the representative of the com
mission is taken to mean that all the
railroads will object As soon as the
complaint was filed, W. E. Young of the
commission took the matter up with
Atty. Gen. E. T. Young, who said
Throw out all the evidence if they
won't allow you to 60 through the books
and verify thei: statements"
This action on the part of the railroads
will make matters more complicated than
ever as the evidence which has been ac-
cumulating since last April is now prac-
ticaly useless. The action of the Omaha
road in the opinion of Mr.. Young will
bring the matter into the courts. Said
the attorney general yesterday.
LET them go into court; then they
will produce the books without further
trouble"
At the time the order was made the
commission adjourned to Sept. |, to al
low the attorney to go through the books
in order to verify some of the state
ments of earnings made by the officers
> OF the rOluS. AS result Oh Cne action
of the Omaha, the whole matter may
come up again before that time. Taking
the complaint as a whole, it alleges a di-
rect contempt for the commissions or
der and this will probably bring the mat
ter into the courts without any more
hearings on the question of rates, as the
hearings cannot go on according to the
attorney unless he can verify the state
ments made by the railroads.
| Commissioners Young is OF the opinion
that this action OH the part of the rail
roads will do more to create a doubt in
the mind of the people or Minnesota,
that the railroads are not acting fair,
than anything else.
Estate to be PrObated.