Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-02-22
NO IMMUNITY BATH
FOR E. H. HARTMAN
Commerce Commission D9-
cides it Will Not Let Him
Testify at All.

Washington. d. c., Feb. 19.-Edward
II. Hartman, president OF the Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads
and head OF the Hartman system, may
not, after all, be asked TO testify before,
the Interstate Commerce commission
during the current investigation of the
affairs of the great organization or
which he Is commanding spirit. 4
When the commission went TO New
York some weeks ago, Mr.. HARTMAN
had been summoned to testify. but was,
detained by illness. His lawyers tried
to induce the commission TO go TO MT.
Harriman's home and have a semi-pri-
yate hearing, but this the commission
ers would not consider. They said in-
stead that they would come TO New
York at a later date and hear what
Mr.. Hartman had to say. in the most
public fashion.
Other officials OF the Hartman roads
were heard In New York, and later ses-
sions were held in New York. Seattle
and California. Some startling facts
developed, concerning the ~fnanciall
methods of the Hartman organization,
and the greatest interest has been man.
Tested in the coming session of the
commission with Mr.. Hartman. Uni
doubtedly the decision to excuse the
real head OF the system from the stand
will be a disappointment.
But IL is not out of consideration
for the feelings OF Mr.. Hartman that
the president, the department OF JUS
tice, and the commissioners are consid-
ering whether he ought to be placed on
the stand
Wary of Immunity Baths.
The fact is the government Is In earn
est in this fight on the Hartman roads,
and believes 1t now has enough evi-
dence to indict and convict Hartman
OF violating the antitrust laws. 1t does
not propose, by calling him In the pres
ent investigation, to give him a chance
to secure immunity.
Officers OF the governments law de~
bartment a grown very wary OF the
immunity bath idea since their exper1
fence with the packers. They suspect
strongly the most friendly thing they
could do to Mr.. Hartman In the pres,
emf exigency would be to summon him
and let him tell all about his financial
arrangements, his contracts betweenl
different roads, his arrangements with
competing lines. etc. n just because
that might pen the way to the immun-
lty tank they are about decided, ac-
cording to the latest report, that Mr..
Hartman shall not be placed or the
stand.
The matter is likely to continue un-
settled for some time. Mr.. Harriman's
NCSIIiIIUIiy IiiSHt pTONt IiGCGSSdIy ~
make a civil case against his SYSTEM
for the dissolution OF the merger. III
on careful examination OF everything
that the hearings have thus far devel-I
oped the legal experts should take this
view, hen the decision might be to,
place Hartman on the stand and drop
all idea of criminal proceedings. But
at present 1t is the desire of the people
high in authority that criminal proceed
ings shall be brought and pursued with
all possible vigor.
Some conjecture has been INDUCED
lately as to the features which have
been most important in the testimony
thus far developed by the inquiry. Tho
guess has been volunteered by one man
who followed the matter carefully, that
the best basis on which to found al
action was contained in the de-
veiopments concerning the contract be-
tween the Hartman interests and Sem
ator William A. Clark's road, the San,
Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake.
This contract, which was produced and
Identified, is declared to have proved
the most fragrant intention of violatingl
both The Sherman n the interstate
commerce laws, and Ii is further de-
clared TO have been executed I'm the
policies of both roads. That IL may be
made the basis of the legal action that
unquestionably will follow the inquiry,
Is strongly suspected.
Play No Favorites.
The president has been deeply inter-,
ested from the beginning In this inyes-
tigation of the Hartman system. In
fact he personally ordered 1t. The CONF
mission proposes to play no favorites.I
and already there are rumors about it's
early public opening OF hearings re-
garding the Hill system. which was de-
cided upon some weeks ago and on
LAWYERS are now at work :