The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-18
FISH GIVES LIE
TO CROMWELL
At !. c. MEETING

Chicago, Oct 1s.-The lie was given
yesterday in fiat terms by stuyvesant
Fish. president OF the Illinois Central
railroad. to William Nelson Cromwell.
Panama's Monte Cristo and counsel for
the Hartman faction In the fight for the
control OF the road.
Fish refused TO support Henry De For
rest the Hartman candidate for dl-
rector. and Cromwell accused him OF
bad faith, inasmuch as De Forest had
beon allowed TO collect proxies. undis-
turbed, on the understanding that he
would support the Hartman Peabody
candidate for the place.
Mr. Fish looked squarely at the Pana-
ma hero" and said with emphasis, "I
shall not cast a vote for Mr.. De Forest.
II did not know" rejoined Cromwell,
''but you had changed your mind. as you
when talked with YOU this morning
that you did not know whether you would
vote for them or not"
II am going TO correct you, Mr.. Crom-
WELL answered Mr.. Fish, rising. II
never said any such thing. What l did
say was that i refused TO discuss the
matter with YOU in any way"
On the face OF the record, Mr.. Fish
appears TO have been the victor but that
the victory is not final one Is insinuated
by Cromwell
The clash between Messrs. Hartman
and Fish was waged over an agreement,
dated July 81. 1906, and signed by Stuy-
vesant Fish, Charles A. Peabody and Il.
II Hartman. In June Mr.. Fish had be-
gun the collection OF proxies for use at
the meeting held yesterday. He states
that an effort was also made by Harri-
man 70 get proxies through Kuhn, Loeb
q Co.
on July Is. Mr.. Peabody introduced a
resolution al meeting of the board OF
directors that a committee OF the d.
rsctory be appointed TO collect proxies.
However, on July 27. Messrs Fish, Pea
body and Hartman entered into an
agreement as follows: Three outgoing
directors to be reelected. Mr.. Grinnells
successor 20 be selected by majority
Of the several directors acting; Mr.. Pea
body's resolution OF July is TO be with
drawn and not TO be revived this year;
Mr.. Hartman TO ask that the Hartman
Kuhn. Loeb proxies be given TO Mr..
Fish"
w. Morton Grinnel, a member OF the
board OF directors. died during the year
Mr.. Fish claims the Hartman faction
agreed that Mr.. Grinnelrs successor
should be man whose presence In the
directory would not be inimical TO the
independence OF the Illinois Central and
would be acceptable 10 Mr.. Fish.
Henry De Forest, a director OF the
Southern Pacific. was named by Harri-
man. BY reason OF his Southern Paci-
nc affiliations, Mr.. De Forest was not
acceptable TO Mr.. Fish
Mr. Cromwell declares that under the
agreement Mr.. Fish was bound TO ac-
cept Mr.. De Forest and TO cast both his
own and the Hartman proxies for him.
At yesterdays meeting Mr.. Fish, after
formally being called upon by Mr. Crom-
well TO cast the proxies In favor OF
De Forest arose and declared that he
could not under any circumstances vote
for Mr. De Forest.
He then placed James Dewitt Cutting
Of New York in nomination. He then
cast a total OF 613.703 shares for Cutting.
Mr.. Cromwell, as a matter OF record.
voted 2100 shares against Cutting and
later cast them for De Forest, whom he
had placed In nomination. Mr.. Cutting
was declared formally elected 10 fill out
the unexpired time of two years. Charles
NJ Beach. ]. T. Harahan and Cornelius
Vanderbilt whose terms had expired,
were reelected without opposition. Mr..
Fish gave his proxies 10 Mr.. Harahan
despite the fact that the latter had
signed the Hartman petition In favor OF
De Forest just before the meeting.