The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-09
Rev. Plato Durham, Methodist
Pastor, Star Witness in
Simpson investigation
THE ANTITRUST BILL DEAD
Conservatives Win Victory Over
Those Who Were Violently
Opposed to Trusts.
Lsnoclnl "a rhe ,rlmo..plsnatoh. |

Iiauc W COlilDCl lit.a Wv. SlInUsDI, JT.. |
retiring editor OF the Evening Times,
to disclose tho source of the informa
tion on which he based the charge that
the Joint Passenger Rate Committee
OF the General Assembly had allowed
Editor Josepus Daniels. OF The News
and Observer, to bring about the sixty
mile trackage limit in the rate bill
to spite III. a. Page, of the Aberdeen
and AsIeboro Railroad.
The committee this afternoon had
Rev. Plato Durham on the stand. He
had In his pulpit--Trinity Methodist
Church. Charlotte--Sunday denounced
tho evident domination OF Joscphus
| Daniels In Legislative matters and
made charges similar to those by Edi-
| tor Simpson. He told the committee he
| had his information from several
| sources. general and private, but he
! natlv declined to tell the committee his
| infornants. He said he had told Edi-
| tor Daniels his opinion of him. and |
| that Daniels was exerting his power
| through his paper and personally.
| Row. Mr.. Durham satd he meant to
| charge that Editor Daniels desired this
| thing, which the committee did In In
| Guiding the Page Road. and tho action
1 or the committee brought about the OBJ
/ iect of this desire. Rev. Durham was
1 asked If he meant to charge that the
committee helped to crafty the wrath
4 of Mr.. Daniels The reply was that he
J thought the committee was SO influenced.
Would Not Tell Names.
i Representative Stevens, of the joint
i Rate COMMITTEES, declared holly that II
was untrue that any one had iniiuenceo
him. Mr.. Busbce. of counsel for Rev.
i Durham, asked that the witness be pro-
tected AS to the Daniels domination,
4 Mr.. Durham said the State ut large was
a talking it; that he felt deeply grieved,
and as a minister of God felt 1t his duty
4 to call attention to 1t.
1 Mr.. Craig, as counsel for the COM
mittee. endeavored by questions to force
. from Mr.. Durham the names of his In
formants, but the reply was that he be-
/ lieved it to be to the highest ends OF
Justice and godliness to withhold the
!, names for the present.
!, He said he regarded the present IN
: vestigation Worthless, and that 1T could
not vindicate the joint committee
1 Questioned by Mr.. Craig about protect
: ing men who had DETAINED mems char
v acters elected the query from Mr.
n Durham: "Am witness or am I the
object of your lecturing?' Then asked
i, directly for the names oe his inform
!, ants, he refused to answer. The COM
n mittee demanded that he answer the
questions, and there was the same re-
v ply: 81 refuse to answer" AS the
d witness retired from the stand. his
ia counsel asked: II suppose for the
present Rev. Mr. Durham Is at liberty?'
!, Mr.. Craig replied: Gle has never been
y in custody"
- The committee announced recess
"a subject to call Mr. Craig said the
committee would probably have no
- more witnesses to examine Counsel
"a for simpson said If the matter was tt
"a be taken up later they wanted to know
! 1T, as they would want to summon;
~ aV,,n ,hnr.c ~ 1Ns
r. Legislature, and this should be done
before they left Raleigh, the session
ending tomorrow. NIr. Craig guar
antced there would be no cost attached
to bringing them back for examination
later If this turn should be taken
The hearing this afternoon was ii
the Attorney Generals Office, and TIL
r crowd packed tho apartments and ad
/ jacent halls and doorways.
| Reject Antitrust Bill.
A crisis cama this afternoon in tn
great antl-trust legislation fight, whic1
l,t has been waglng in tho House ans
~ then for nearly a week in the Senate
when vote on pending bills was reached
and n victory was won by the conserv
alive element of the Senate. In fact, tn
enLire trust bill passed by the Hous
n some days ago. and offered In the Ser.
is ate as substitute for the Reed an
err, committee bills, was voted down.
mt looks now like there will be trouble !
"a reaching an agreement by the joint con
iistt ference committee when 1t Is appointed
nd The Mclean substitute knocks out all
ne the other bills. and would in effect fore
rs. tho American Tobacco Company and othe
to interests from the State. 1t eliminate
~. the provision for the Attorney General
Ia Ia the State to conduct prosecutions for viz
lations OF law, leaving 1t to solicitors
nd districts where violations occur.
ay The Senate passed the 100000 Confet
-, crate pension BILL the hremen's rel
en- fund bill, and great number OF less
IA local and general measures. The Hou.
wd passed the general appropriation bill Will
out change, and defeated the bill to cr
dy ate State insurance commission.
Pass Rate Bill
At tho night session of the Senn
the railroad rate BILL pending In II
a dt' House, was In order to save tin
mt brought up and passed. The omnib
md appropriation bill was passed and d
nd. dercd enrolled. Other bills passed /
vss qure the pcnitentary board to tn
$4,000 into the State treasury. II
bill to allow the Governor OF Il
State $40 per month for travelling c
penses was passed. message fro
!, the House announced the failure
pie concur In the antitrust bill, and as
ing conference committee, Senate
,,o Mclean, Redwine and Long were q
49, pointed,
81, In the House n bin was passed
lsh- ,t ~, $50 - Az, 80. 49,
- ury. The salaries are $500 for 81
ana rotary of State and Treasurer. $40
'''N for Auditor, Attorney General Sup,
for intendent OF Public Instruction,
~ surance Commissioner ana Corporate
on,r Commissioners