The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-17
Of the Directors of the Illinois
Central r.. r..
TERACITYQUESTIONED
By President G.. A. Peabody of
the Mutual Life.
Left Room i'm a Huff Without
Waiting for Apology.


| meeting of Illinois Central directors.
which preceded the annual meeting of
the stockh olders, was a tilt between
Charles A. Peabody, president of the
Mutual Life Insurance company, and
Stuyvesant Fish. Mr.. Peabody is re-
garded as one of the most dignified
men in New York. A dispute arose as
to certain action at a previous meet
ing. Mr.. Fish made a statement of
his position in the matter and Mr.. Pea
body declared Mr.. Fish had not voted
the way he was then voting upon the
subject. One word led to another
and Mr.. Peabody all but passed the
lie to Mr.. Fish. He stated that what
Mr.. Fish said was far from the truth.
Mr.. Fish arose and shouted at his op-
ponent:
"Mr. Peabody, you can not talk to
me like that, nor is there a man living
with inches enough to tell me that I do
not tell the TRUTH
In his excitement, Mr.. Fish had
moved toward Peabody, but made no
further hostile demonstration. Turn
ing to the directors he declared that it
was their evident intention to delay
matters beyond a reasonable limit and
that as he had more urgent business he
would leave for his hotel.
AS Mr.. Fish was passing from the
room Peabody arose and called to him.
The life insurance man started to say
that he was sorry for what he had
said and that undoubtedly in the heat
of the argument he had overstepped
the bounds of gentlemanly conduct.
Mr.. Fish was striding from the room
with his face af1ame and he did not
hear Mr.. Peabody. Some member of
the board who was near him said:
Mr.. Fish, Mr.. Peabody is apologizing.
He is sorry for what he said.'
Fish did not check the speed of his
exit, but shouted:
'I have not the slightest interest
in what Mr.. Peabody is or is not sorry
for, and he can go to blazes. Good day,
gentlemen
Peabody Collapsed.
When this crisp sentence fell upon
collapsed in his chair and almost lost
the superb dignity. which SO admirably
fits him.
"oh. N.Y. he gasped. gentlemen L
assure you that 1 regret it,
Hartman, who had been watching
the proceedings with interest and some
amusement, said:
'Oh, never mind him, Mr.. Peabody.
Let him go and we can get down to
Before this session of the directors
was held, Mr.. Fish began a still hunt
after the proxies for 1000 shares of
stock which had been given to him for
life during the period when he was
president of the road. w. G. Bruen, as
sistant secretary, with whom Mr.. Fish
had left them, stated that he did not
bave them. but that President Harahan
did. Mr. Fish strode into the presidents
office. but found him out.
who represents the PRESIDENT" he
demanded. L. c. Fritch, President
Harahan's assistant, was summoned
and Fish demanded the proxies.
''I do not think 1 can give them to
YOU without consulting the president"
declared Mr.. Fritch.
Consult the old Harry retorted Mr..
Fish, chose proxies are my personal
Ar~0
going to give them to me?"
"I do not think can do so, Mr. Fish"
said the assistant
Mr.. Fish left the office, shaking his
finger at F'ritch and declaring he would
have them. Later he went into the di-
rectors' meeting and demanded from
the board the possession of the proxies.
The question led to a fierce debat and
Fish declared that ne would have thorn
if he had to arrest every member of
the Illinois Central board to get them.
Then the board decided that, although
they could not give them UP to Mr.. Fish
they would instruct the proxies commit
tee to credit them to him.
Mr.. Fish later went into the room
where the proxy board was meeting and
8 sscertained that the stock had been re-
turned to his column.
Today's Meeting.
When the annual meeting of the
Illinois Central stockholders recon-
vened today it was evident that the
chances for a vote on the directors to-
day were small. The proxy committee
which had worked for the greater part
of the night had gone only through the
letters "a" and "B'' and had gotten a
little way into &C
The Hartman faction was anxious
for a "show down. and Attorney
Cromwell proposed to the other attor
news that all the proxies be submitted
to the meeting as they stood, and that
a test of strength be had in this way.
Judge Farrar, for Mr.. Fish, objected.
saving that it was known that manv
of proxies had been given
and that the "show down. would not
be a true test of strength.
the calling to order of the meeting. Mr..
Cromwell again proposed that all the
proxies be thrown on the table and
the conflicting proxies ruled out. This
would have annulled all the reVOca-
tions, and the proposition was en-
phatically refused by the Fish attor-
neys.
The meeting was called to order an
hour late by President Harahan who |
said:
"The proxy committee is not ready
utes to see if they can give us anything
definite before we adjourn
The meeting. after considerable |
waiting, voted to adjourn until 3 |
o'clock. During the wait Mr.. Harrf- |
man pulled his chair up to the press |
ia BILE and declared he believed it would |
be an excellent thing for the country |
if cooperation could be secured be- |
tween conflicting interests. without re- |
conducted by the interstate commerce
and similar iDolIiSitoria1 |