The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-21
CONTINUED From First Page.)

with the statement that certain papers
were needal. Il told him they had
been destroyed" said the witness. IF
was done some time last fall don't
exactly remember when--and under
my orders. The papers were bulky
and in the way, and l don't consider
them especially valuable. ] did not
consult anybody except Comptroller
sullivan
Can you give me a definite idea"
asked the commissioner what papers
We're destroyed ::nd when, and If these
were papers issued after the Hepburn
law went into effect?"
AZ could not state positively" Mr..
Enslow replied, las the destruction ex-
tended over considerable period.
Mr.. Lane led the witness away very
suddenly by asking if he had received
circulars from the Interstate Commerce
Commission or from his company about
the preservation of records. He had
not; he did not remember If he had
read the Hepburn law.
Then I will read it to you now" he
said. From the act to regulate COM
merce he quoted the section providing
fine or imprisonment or both for the
official who destroyed records. There
was silence in the courtroom.
In Open Court.
Did you not know" said Commits
sioner Lane as he laid aside the book.
that this provision was in the law at
the time you destroyed the papers?"
NO, SIR replied Mr.. Enslow, II
never read the law and knew of no
reason why they could not be de.
stroyed.''
There were some other questions.
Turning to Mr.. WickhaIn and address
ing him, Commissioner Lane said:
IF there is any explanation you
desire to make, Mr.. Wickham, I will
be glad to hear from you tonight or
tomorrow. ! am satisfied you knew
nothing about the records being de-
| stroyed."
II know nothing whatever about 1t
| said Mr.. Wckham, but I Will look
! into it. When shall I see you. Your
Honor?"
"oh, at any time" Commissioners
| Lane replicd-''in open court"
Confidence Destroyed.
Although the hurning Of records was
by far the most important evidence oil
the day there WIRE other Developments
some of them rather pathetic II. L
King, freight ;,gent of the Atlantic
Coast Line, and H. r. Finney, freight
agent of the seaboard Air Line. came
forward with the admission that while
relying implicitly on the integrity o.
the Chesapeake and Ohio. they hat
been mulcted In order that the bank
account Of w. r. Johnston might be
Increased. The billing from the con
meeting limo had been accepted In goot
faith, blindly. on the assumption thai
lit WAS genuine. But 1t was not. They
showed by the books that w. r. John,
ston had been routing grain out o
Richmond, Just as IL it was a through
shipment from Valley points. As (.
result of this barefaced swindltng thu
Atlantic Coast tine and the Sea',oart
Air Line were defrauded: they lost ,
cents per 100 pounds, or about $15 q
4 car.
The Southern roads were actuahl.
and literally skinned" In the Interest
or Johnston. who. in return for the
favor, gave all his business from thf
/ West to the Chesapeake and Ohio. re.
1using to accept cars II they happened
to come over other roads. This state,
ment, first made by Councilman Gates
who said he devised the scheme an
| worked 1t with the consent and con.
- ''''Nc VI ~ NJlDeTt. dSSlSldul zen
eral freight Agent Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio. was substantiated by tn
records OF three railroad companies
The swindle was broken up the latte
part of last October, when L, B. John
son, special ageSt OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission, came here am
quickly detected It,
About Other Firms.
But there were other chapters. W. I
Boyd, OF W. S. Forbes & Company. an,
w. p. Jarvis OF Warner Moore &; Com
pany, threw moro light on conditions
5 which will later be looked into by
, Federal grand jury, These firms ha
their secret arrangement with MI
. Gilbert. Forbes & Company, who sol
fresh and salt meat and packing pro
ducts generally. routed Western car
load SHIPMENTS to South Carolm
? towns via Richnbnd,
On arrival mere the cars We're opened
, Stuff was taken out and other STUFF
was substituted. The weight was re