The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-09-24
Appears to Feel Gay Over
the Stunt
FIRES UP AGAIN
Cbief counsel for the southern Rail
a Declares That the states
Lawyers Are Conducting the
Case In a spirit of In
fricndliness.
BY THOMAS J. PENCE.

Washington. d. G, Sept lS-The
Southern Railway produced its books
today before standing Master Mont
gomery, who was designated by Judge
Pritchard TO take testimony in the
North Carolina rate case, and tn
States attorneys are now probing the
matters pertaining TO the business or
the railroad in the State. When the
lawyers Tor the state asked for the
production of the books Auditor Plant
declared that they would have 2
seek larger quarters. This / e
diction was fulfilled. Adjournment
was taken to the spacious office OF Mr..
Plant and soon a score of clerks be-
gan to pour in books and boxes OF
vouchers and papers. Glee was writ
ten large on Mr.. Plants face while
the legal force OF the State began TO
wonder when the performance would
cease. A good two horse wagon load
of documents was piled around the
room, and then General Counsel Thorn
of the Southern, announced:
Gentlemen there are the company'S
records. You can begin your exam
nation"
Mr.. Woodland and Mr.. Bryant frown-
ed at a few cages Of an immense
book: then they asked for assistance.
Counsel for the southern wanted them
to proceed, but the States lawyers
protested that it would require an in
definite length of time to go over the
vouchers and records in the way in
which the Southern presented them.
Mr.. Plant averred that the railroad
did not segregate particular accounts
and that the only hope was for the
lawyers to sail in and dig out the in
formation desired.
At this point the States attorneys
called for the book showing
expenditures to persons in
North Carolina including law
yers and others. Mr.. Plant said
this book would expose all the dis
bursements made by the outhern the
majority OF which did not concern
the North Carolina case. Mr.. Woodland
said it appeared to him that the state
was entitled to this index. Mr.. Plant
said he did not think so. and declined
to produce it. Mr.. Thorn commended
that the inspection Of this book would
result in a d%rag-net investigation. Mr..
Bryant recalled that President Finley
had said in Chicago a few days ago
that the Southern Railway has no Sc
crets.
Mr.. Thorn Protests.
The colloquy between counsel was
kept up for some time, when General
ounsel Thorn. of the Southern, charg-
ed the attorneys for the State with
hostility to the Southern in the CON
duct of this case. Nothing that has
that the conduct Of this case is
prompted by friendliness." continued
Mr.. Thorn. II do not regar that 1 am
in the hands of friends"
Both Mr.. Bryant and Mr.. Woodland
disclaimed any spirit OF unfriendliness
towards the Southern. They declared
that this was their personal as we'll as
their professional feeling in the mat
ter. They stated that they had done
nothing more than oppose counsel for
the railroads, and that in so doing
they had only discharged their obi
cations to their clients. Mr.. Wood
ard emphasized the fact that there
was no desire to embarrass the South
ern or to make a sO-ca1led drag-net in
vestigation of the books. He said he
only desired to ascertain the expend-
itures made in North Carolina and
that on Mr.. Plants assurance he
would pass any name that did not
pertain to the Southern's operations
in the State. Standing Master Mont
gomery said he could see no harm in
such an investigation and ruled with
the States attorneys.
The books were then produced.
There are twenty-five of them. They
show the names of persons to whom
the PAID money TINS year ana
last year. While the States attorneys
were going over the books page by
page Mr.. Plant suggested that it
would AXE six months to finish the
job. Mr.. Thorn suggested eight or
ten years. Mr.. Bryant thought the
work could be concluded in a few
days with any degree of assistance
from the Southern. Mr.. Thom claim
ed that the books were kept with no
view of separating particular items,
and that to attempt to do so would in
volve work almost appalling" The
States attorneys took notes of expend-
lures that they thought of value to
the States cause, but these will not
be made public until they are formally
placed in the record.