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


this liniment, will be sent free.
rsa Rraaf1eld Regulator Co.. Atlanta. Ga.
ever signed the transfer orders. 1t
never occurred to him that they might
have been written by Gates.
Like Mr.. King. Freight Agent II. r.
Finney, OF the Seaboard Air Line.
showed that his road had been victim
of the Gates-Gilbert scheme. He cx-
amined the records and showed how
he had received proportionate share
of the through rate for local business.
to his financial loss.
IF l had known" he said, what
was being done, / would not have ac-
copied and moved the Johnston cars.
II l had received two bills for one car
1t would have been unusual. and
would have investigated over the
phone. Whore we get conflicting bill
ings l would ask for the corrected
one. We rely upon the connecting
roads and forward without question"
Not Hotchkisa signature, SnyA swain.
When 7. e. Swain, freight agent Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio, was put on
the stand. The produced many thrills
and the first smiles yet from the off,
Gals of his company-by testlfying
that the authorizations were not In
the handwriting Of Mr.. Hotchkiss.
He did not think they were written
By Mr.. Gilbert. Il did not Issue the
transfer orders" said Mr.. Swain, and
had no knowledge of the rebllling plan
until last October. Tho practice or
transferring on the written order OF
Mr.. Gilbert was not brought to my
attention until October" This was
after Special Agent Johnson had dis
covered the trick.
Mr.. Swain testified that when lie re-
ceived his subpoena Monday afternoon
he was ordered to produce a letter
written to him on October 30th by Mr.
Gilbert, advising him that the Gates
Ischeme must stop: that the identity
of shipments must be preserved. He
had never seer the letter, but exam
ped his file and found it there. The
meaning OF this communication was
that Mr.. Gilbert ordered the transfer
practice stoppe1-the practice which
Mr.. Gates says hc and Gilbert had put
into effect several years ago. The
letter, however. was not written until
after "the connection"
The Letter.
The text Of the letter follows:
Ollie A 3s3O.)
October 80, 1907.
ninth StreetD
Mr.. r. e. Swain, Agent, Richmond:
Dear Strive quote from the rule.
of reconsignment, published in supple
ment No. 81, to Tariff No. 10000, mnk-
Ing through rates on grain, Hour, meal,
bran, shorts and shlpntuf from Valley
territory to Carolina points, namely:
"Carload shipments of grain,
-four, meal, bran, shorty and ship
stuff, minimum, as per official class.
ifcntion I. c. c. Nos. 1850 and
413O, or supcrsedinE issues, shipped
from points or origin shown there
in, consigned to Richmond, Va, to
be reconsiEned from G. and o.
Hallway tracks, Richmond. Va, to
Southern destinations shown here
In, Mt the through rate from point
OF origin to the rcconsigned dcst-
nations shown herein, plus 8 cents
per 100 pounds additional for
switching, rebillinE, etc: Provided,
LIST. The identity of the freight
Is preserved.
I'd. That II shall he subject to
car service rules ms per Circular
No. 1917, I. c. G. No. 1920.
Sd. That Richmond, Va, shall he
the through route, as provided by
tariff, from the original point of
shipment to the rcconsIgned dcs-
tInntion.
1t has been intimatcd to us that this
privilege has been granted Mt your stu.
ton on duplicate or substitute EXPENSE
bills; in short, that expense bills COW
crinE shipments of grain from Wiley
points, and which had been delivered to
consiGnees mt Richmond, had been used nv
basis for reshipment to Carolina points
OF Western grain upon the basis of the
through rates applicable from the VAL
ley points; In short, that different grain
had been substituted for that repre-
scented by the expense bills produced
mt the time the reconsignmcnt In orr
dcred.
To prevent continuance OF this
practice, which is INDUCED In by Rich
mOnd parties, you will hereafter pleaxe
satisfy yourself thoroughly before is-
suing new bill of iading for the move.
ment South that the grain rcconsiEn-
cd Is the same rs the grain received
upon the bill of ladinl, upon which the
recohsiEnment IL ordered; In short, that
clause 1 of the rules of reconsisnment,
that the identity of the freight be pre-
served, be strictly adhered to.
Yours truly,
A. r. GILBERT,
A. G. II. a.
These transfers went through" said
Mr.. Swain. because they were signed
by Mr.. Gilberta Otherwise they would
have been examined. The railroad
clerk Is like the, soldier: he obeys
orders. He can quit If he wants to-
but the soldier must continue carrying
the log of wood"
Mr.. Swain said the clerks regarded
the acts of higher officials as legal.
The burden, then, Is one the higher
official, and not the clerk?" asked
Commissioner Lane.
YES. but I think the clerks them
selves will be moro particular here
! after"
i Saved Trouble by Violation.
The inquiry was directed along a
| new'line when w. P. Jarvis, shipping
clerk for Warner Moore &; Co., was
4 sworn. He explained that corn re-
ceived from Louisville to Richmond
.