Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-06-01
THE OFFICIAL
EXAMINATION
TO FORCE EVIDENCE FROM COM
MISSIoNERS.
VIOLATED SHERMAN LAW
Criminal Indictments Will Follow In
vestigation and Reorganization Of
the System is Expected. Black
mail is Charged.

Philadelphia, Penn" Before an
other day passes we expect to know
just how many hundreds of thousands
or millions, of dollars in graft have
been handed out as blackmail to
Pennsylvania Railroad officials. We
expect to show that the highest and
holiest palms at the helm of the big
Pennsylvania system have itched
chronically for graft-and have gotten
it superabundantly."
This forecast of evidence that the
Interstate Commerce Commissioners
expect to force from the Pennsylvania
Railroad management tomorrow, when
the Commission resumes its probing
was made tonight by Attorney Will
liam A. Glasgow, counsel for the gov
ernment inquisitors. 1t accurately In
dicates that impending revelations
are expected to eclipse the disclosures
of last week, when thirteen high Off
cials were shown on oath to have re-
ceived more than 100000 in graft.
AS evidence that the Interstate
Commission is determined to probe
into high places only scratched thus
far, First Vice-President John P.
Green, Third Vice-President Samuel
Rea, William A. Patton and Robert
Pitcairn, all confidential men Of Pres
ident Cassatt, have been subpoenaed
and will take the stand. Out Of their
mouths is expected testimony which
will force congress to take drastic
action.
Counsel for the Commission de-
elared that evidence is in hand strong
ly indicating violations of both the
Sherman and Elkins laws. The Com
mission is resolved to make that evil
denee absolute and convincing this
week.
Asked if any criminal indictment
would follow the present investiga-
ton. Attorney Glasgow said:
"Undoubtedly. But we are work
ing toward far more important re-
suits than that. We are aiming to-
ward an early and complete reorgani-
zation of the graft-ridden system by
which this great railroad, with its
$4,000 stockholders, 100000 employees,
5000 locomotives, $4,000 ears and
$266,O00,000 annual revenue, is con-
Quoted. And we will not be salts
fed until the Pennsylvania system is
purged of its evident rottenness. "
These are bold words, but they
express accurately the determination
of the Interstate Commerce Commis-
ion in this Investigation.
Former Senator Francis NJ. Cock
rill and Commissioner Clements re-
turned tonight from Washington,
where they have been comforting with
President Cassatt, is expected to take
missioner would divulge the nature of
his conference with the president, but
they admitted the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, coal and oil situation was
touched on.
Third Vice-President Rea, head of
the Pennsylvania in the absence of
President Cassott, is expected to take
the stand first. He will be sharply
catechized regarding the $4,000
Greenwich Coal stock which 7. A.
Estop swore last week had been given
to him and other officials in order g to
get the railroad into the company.
Estop swore that he himself was
to get $4,000 or $4,000 worth of
coal stock for his time and trouble in
buying up options on coal lands from
which the Greenwich Company finally
emerged. He swore that N. M. SAKE
man, of the Greenwich concern, gave
him only $4,000 when he objected to
taking the stock.
Patton and Pitcairn, assistants to
President Cassatt, will undergo a
third-degree examination in an at
tempt on the part of the commission
to saddle upon President Cassatt him.
self greater or less blame for condi-
tions which have made genuine coal
competition impossible, squeezed tha
life out Of independent producers and
turned immense profits into favored
pockets.
AS climax the commission intends
to show that the vast fortunes amass-
ed by Andrew Carnegie and his as
sociates are tainted with rebate graft.