New-York tribune., 1907-10-15
WILL REPRODUCE BOOKS
WORK ON II. S. r.. RECORDS.
Mr.. IUins VIII Soon Hare Destroyed
accounts Ready.

william NJ WINS. when the investigation Of the
financial affairs Of the street railway system by the
Public Service Commission is resumed, VIII nave
replaced to large extent the books of the Metro
politan which were converted into paper pulp Thls
nrobaby will not be until week, as the data
which piecing together, will not be IN shape 10
warrant the examination OF witnesses much before
Monday. But from the reconstructed books IL Is
expected that Mr.. WINS will bring out transactions
quite as startling as the Wall q CortIahdt street
Ferries Railway Company purchase.
Mr. Wins has been working on this reconstruc-
t!cn of the destroyed books, ii became known yes
terday, for several days Marvyn Scudder. the eK-
pert accountant retained by the commission, and
Mr.. Mason, Mr.. Ivinss partner are working with
him The labor has been virtually to rewrite the
entire history of the Metropolitan Traction Com
pany the old cable road. whose successor was the
Metropolitan Street Railway Company and then
to go on with history of the acquisition of the
various properties which went TO make up the real
METROPOLITAN Street Railway system. 1t has in
volVed a search through all the financial and rail-
road manuals. the compilation OF statistics from
the official reports TO the State Railroad Commits
sion, wherever there were such reports, and the
examination of the minute books and check stubs
of the various companies which Were absorbed into
the Metropolitan system.
The hearing scheduled for to-day Will be per
functory, If indeed any witnesses are placed on
the stand, and present the expectation is that
there will be no hearing for the rest OF lAe
week Nothing in tie present situation makes
their immediate continuance imperative. +. "A. Is,
Widener, who was one of The insiders who received
Sill 900 from the proceeds OF the Brady sale, has
not yet communicated with the commission asking
10 testify, and the commission is not overanXious
10 have his testimony just now.
'I am not prepared TO go on with the pubic
hearing tomorrow" said William NJ WINS, pc
cause of the volume of papers. books and docu-
rnents which have been placed before me and
which 1 shall have examine before calling the
next series Of witnesses. I may possibly be in
readiness to go on Thursday or Friday, but 1t is
quite likely that l shall not be able 70 place any
thing more on the records or 10 call any more
witnesses until Monday. or at the convenience OF
the commission
rs il true that you have had conference with
P =. B. Widener?" Mr.. WINS was asked
y have never seen Mr.. Wdener in my life, he
answered, and I have heard nothing from him.
Further, Air. Wilcox has not heard from him The
rumor that he has communicated with US Is with
our foundation. I have not requested him to come
here and 1 shall AS to any subpoena, ne VIII
be subpenaed at the pleasure OF the commission
if ever he will not be subpenaed when ne wants
10 be-
Wall Street heard yesterday that Mr.. Widener,
Thomas F Ryan Thomas Dolan and other rail
road hnanciers interested in the present inVesuga-
zion held a secret meeting Sunday at the home
of Thomas A Nevins, in East Orange. Mr. NeVlhs
IS a banker whose father had close connecuon
with various gas and street railway enterprises.
The story was that they discussed the Wall d
Cortlaudt Street Railway proposition with especial
reference 20 the damaging effect its widespread
publicity was having on the regulations Of the
men who were involved. The explanation given
tv Messrs. Widener and Dolan in Philadelphia was
taken I'D 81 this line, and, according 10 the re-
ports was voted to be an explanation which had
not explained, and one consequently unsatisfactory
from their point OF view.
District Attorney Jerome visited Chairman Will
cox il the afternoon, and spent nearly an hour
with him. Chairman Wilcox said that the COM
mission had not any request to Governor
Hughes that a special investigator be appointed
10 take charge Of criminal procedure against the
traction
We have not made any such request OF the
Governor" said Mr.. Wilcox, nor have we sent
any communication TO him bearing on the subject
We send each day a full report OF the testimony
taken al the investigation TO District Attorney
Jerome"
Some OF the stockholders OF the Metropolitan
who contemplate forming protective committee.
under the leadership OF William F. King, to bring
suit for the recovery of misUsed funds, met yes
terday After the meeting Arthur Baldwin, Of
Griggs. Baldwin & Pierce, said there was no de-
velopment Of importance TO announce.