Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-25
HARTMAN WRECKED PLANS7
RAILWAY PROMOTER SUES FOR
$500, 900 FOR DEFEAT OF PROJECT.
Magnate Charged With Conspiracy in
Selling Road to Maintain
His Monopoly in Oregon.

NEW YORK, June 25.-Henry Melville
walker. a railroad promoter living I'm New
Jersey, began suit IN the United States cir
cult court here yesterday against Edward
II. Hartman and twenty eight other inai-
viduals and two corporations, alleging a
conspiracy by Mr.. Hartman and others to
wreck and discredit an Oregon road tho
plaintiff Walker was promoting and that it
was done TO maintain Harrlman's railway
monopoly In Oregon. Walker asks for 500
600 damages.
The names OF the other individuals and
corporations sued are not disclosed as
only Mr.. Hartman has been served with
summons in the Mr.. Hartman could
not be seen last night to give his version
or the transactions referred to In Walkers
action.
Financing the Road.
The Portland. Nehalen and Tllamook
railroad was to have been built In Oregon.
and the complainant states that between
November. 1909, and the same month In
1905 he was employed by the officials OF
the road to float It's bonds in London. He
also made arrangements with a California
corporation. nameck as one OF the defend
ants, to advance the road 100000 to be
used in the construction of the line. the
curity to be the bonds OF the railroad COM
pany.
The complaint states that an issue of
bonds to the amount of $1,000 600 au-
thorized, which he was to dispose OF at
IS net. For his services Walker alleges he
was to receive 10 per cent commission.
a bonus of 400 shares OF the capital stock
and $50. 600 In cash.
These were to be delivered to him in
London. Accordingly In July. 1895, he
sailed for London, where he entered into
negotiations with the London Share ana
Debenture Company for the funds. This
concern he states, promised upon the de-
livery Of the bonds to advance the sum OF
81, 100000.
Non-Delivery of Bonds.
Walkers complaint contains an account
of repeated effbrts to obtain the bonds for
delivery and advances In cash. In this he
was unsuccessful. and In November he re-
turned to this side. 1t took but little in
vestigation after his arrival here, so he
says, to discover that he had not been
dealt with fairly He asserts that he made
the discovery that the officials of the line
had refused to issue the bonds, though the
secretary's name had already been signed
to them. He also charges that his =. 400
shares OF stock had not been used save for
voting purposes. and that they had been
converted.
He AYERS that through trick and de-
vice" the charter and the property of the
Oregon road had been transferred to Ed
ward p. Lyttle, an agent OF p. III. Harri-
man. Hartman, he declares, manipulated
all the capital stock of the road so as to
make II worthless, and that In addition he
had brought about the insolvency OF the
California company which had contracted
to advance the $6,00o0o0 for constructive
work. --.-' .--
"Your orator is informed and believed"
reads the complaint, that the opposition
of Edward H. Hartman has been carried
on secretly but successfully year to year,
while pretending to accede to the earnest
desire of the residents and land owners
along the line of said road (the p. N. & To
to have the same speedily constructed"