Omaha daily bee., 1907-08-30
Board of Directors Adjourn Meeting
While He is Talking.
HARAHAN CALLS FISH LIAH
Refutes Charge of Being Puppet Of
Hartman.
MEN SEPARATED BY FRIENDS
Neither Party VIII Talk of the
Personal Encounter which Took
Place In New York
Wednesday.

NEW YORK Aug. ga blow from the
I fist Of Stuyvesant Fish, which landed IN
the jaw of James T. Harahan. knocking
) the president of the Illinois Central Rail-
road into his chair was the closing
/ scene of the meeting of the board OF
directors of the Illinois Central which
was adjourned before Mr.. Fish concluded
the reading of a resolution offered by
him which had for its object thorough
I investigation OF the affairs of the COM
pany from the time Il. II. Hartman
became "A factorsin the company.
The meeting of the directors had been
quiet from its opening. Mr.. Harahan
was presiding Nine of the directors
were present. Only routine business had
! been under discussion, and there had not
been sign of the rancor which had per-
! vaded most of the meetings of the last
year.
Fish OTcrs Resolution.
! Mr.. Fish, who had interposed not the
/ slightest objection to any OF the pro-
ceedings and had been as agreeable as
/ possible. disturbed this serenity by ris-
ing and proceeding to. read a resolution.
The other directors began to sit up aud
take notice.
The exact text of the resolution could
not be secured Mr.. Fish would not give
It out. and most of the others present
were equally reticent in regard to the
contents of the resolution. One OF them
! did, however. let II be known that the
4 resolution was sharp arraignment of
| the management of the road on the
! ground that It was dictated In the IN
terest Of the Hartman lines generally
/ and not In that of the Illinois Central
J particularly.
/ In a portion OF II the charge was made
that the majority of the directors were
the tools and puppets" of Mr.. Harri-
! man.
When Mr.. Fish reached that portion Of
! his preamble one of the Hartman d.
/ rectors, all of whom were idgeting un-
! der his remarks. made a motion to ad-
journ Mr. Harahan put It instantly, de-
cIared II carried and rose to leave the
( meeting, the other directors also getting
! on their feet
! Mr.. Fish was nonpiused a moment, but
presently spoke out vigorously:
Mr.. Fish Protests.
Gentlemen. you can't adjourn in the
! middle of matter OF business" he
/ said 'This is astonishing and surpris-
ing. l insist that II is contrary to all
parliamentary procedure, more than that,
an unheard OF breach of courtesy, to
! interpose motion to adJCurn in the mid
/ die of a directors remarks. 1 Insist
that. this meeting is not adjourned ana
! shall proceed with my resolution"
"The meeting has been declared ad-
journed and stands adjourned" retorted
Mr.. Harahan, curtly, facing Mr.. Fish
/ across the table.
1.-The meeting is not adjourned" Mr..
Fish came back with Increasing warmth,
! "a
unless you demonstrate what have
! said. that you are Hartman tools and
puppets, and"
I'm not a 'IIarriman tool" Mr.. Harn-
han broke in, threateningly, NOR the
tool Of any man. Anyone who says so
lies"
Mr. Fish is a big man. He weighs up
wards of 2lo pounds. stauds over six
feet and Is OF brawny build. He has
always kept himself in perfect condition
/ and is as hard as he is heavy and IL
quick TO a degree that bellies his bulk.
! His weight accordingly did not impede
his movements as he jumped across the
table and swung at Mr.. Harahan. all in
one movement.
Directors Leave Room.
None of the other directors interfered ex-
cept with good advice. The others present
were Cornelius Vanderbilt. Robert Walton
Goelet, walther Luttgen, Charles A. Pea
body. A. G. Hackstaff, Charles M. Beach
and James Dew. Cutting. Only the latter
two are conceded to be Fish supporters.
Mr.. Goelet, II was said, left the room in
stantly and hurriedly. Mr.. Vanderbilt, ac-
cording TO reports, attempted to quiet this
fuss. All were in state OF intense excite
ment but none of them advanced to take
|
now recovered his composure, walked over,
picked up his hat, nodded pleasantly to
the others and left the room without say
ing a word.
Mr.. Harahan, after awhile, left the ILL.,
nois Central offices and walked over to a
lawyers office. Men who saw him say
that his face was not marked except for a
bun ming red spot on the right side OF the
jaw Indicating the point OF contact with
Mr.. Fsh's ham-like fist. His mission at
the lawyers office could not be learned.
but II II was in connection with any legal
proceedings meditated against Mr.. Fish no
papers or warrant OF arrest were served
today,
Mr.. Fish NOncommitta1.
Mr.. Fish remained in his once until late
in the afternoon. He was smiling and APP
parently composed in mind and he was
willing to DISCUSS all subjects except one.
On that one he gave the same answer to
all:
II will neither confirm nor deny the re-
port OF anything that took place at the di-
rectors' meeting today"
Most OF the other directors were quite as
reticent. From their circle. however ample
confirmation OF the tight was secured The
only difference was one OF Verbiage and
over the matter OF the motion to adjourn.
One OF the directors was reported as
lcontending that the motion TO adjourn,
though not put until after Mr. Fish began
his remarks, was made before he arose 10
speak. Mr HarahRn accordingly, II was
said. acted properly In putting the motion.
Kun@IIL 40 VIsIt Amer,c.