The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-02-28
HITS
GROSSCUP HARD
PROSECUTOR DECLARES NEGLi
GENcE or DIRECTORS WAS
CAUSE OF WRECK.
DUTY MUST Be DONE
OR Directors Should Quit--Attorney
McNutt Makes Vigorous Appeal
in Charleston. H., Man.
SLAUGHTER Case.

Charleston, H.. Feb, 27.--ludge
Peter s. Grosscup of the United States
circuit court at Chicago and his asso
ciate directors In the Central Illinois
Traction company were given a merci-
less verbal lashing by States Attorney
John McNutt in his argument before
Judge Thompson yesterday in the
manslarghter and criminal negligence
cases against them.
Mr.. McNutt spoke In the presence
Of a court room filled with residents
| OF Charleston, Mattoon and near by
points, who nodded their approval as
he repeatedly fired hot shot at the
company and its directors.
Mr.. McNutt went to his task Of
combating the arguments OF AttoF-
ney Levy Mayer of Chicago, and his
half-dozen associates unaided, save
| for clerk who brought him law books
He ridiculed some of the contentious
of the defense. met others by reading
from court decisions, and asserted
throughout that the directors of the
road should be held liable for the
eighteen deaths in the interurban
wreck Of Aug. 80 last,
do Your Duty or Quit"
With his eyes flashing and his voice
raised to a high pitch Mr.. McNutt
looked squarely in the direction Of
Judge Grosscpp at one point in his
largnment aud said: IF you directors
ldcn't want to attend to your business
as you ought to get out of it. Don't
kill people.
Judge Grosscup's face betrayed
nothing of his feelings
The states attorney dwelt at length
upon the alleged failure of directors
II the road to attend to their duties
saying. IA man has not right to be
| 4 director of concern unless he
brings to the position the diligence it
requires. He cant plead when his
employees kill people that he didn't
| have an active interest in the business
land therefore IS NOT responsible. Poor
Bolts and McClara, as the motormen
of this company could not turn q
wheel until they got orders from a
superior This superior was employed
| by the directors of the company VINO
should have acquainted themselves
with his fitness for the position"
"Get Men Who won't Kill"
Once more Mr.. McNutt looked to-
ward Judge Grosscup and with his
right arm raised in emphatic gesture
exclaimed: 1T is your business. Mr.
Director. to employ men who won't
kill people"
The prosecutor referred repeatedly
to Judge Grosscup and his associate
directors as fellows"
who run the cars on this line?" he
asked in imprisoned tone. Those
fellows over there" pointing his
finger at Marshall E. Sampsell and
the other directors.
They owe to the public the highest
degree Of care in operating their rail
way The trouble with this company
was that il guided itself" Here
States Attorney McNutt bitterly as
sailed President E. A. Potter of the
railway company.
Potter is a good fellow" he said
"but has no more business judgment
than l0year-old boy. and they have
TO business forcing him down our
throats."
Calls II Numbering"
Mr.. MeN'utt asserted that even If a
man had attained a nigh position In
life he was none the less responsible
for his acts. In speaking of the wreck
the prosecutor referred at one point