The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-07-14
M'LENDON HEARING BEGUN
NO LAW BROKEN IN BOND DEAL.
HE SAYS. OVERsHADOWs
SMITHS CHARGES.

ATLANTA, Ga.-At the first hear
Ing of the joint legislative committee
on the McLendon case this afternoon
(Thursday) the suspended railroad
commission chairman testified that
he had never had any correspondence
with Morton F. Plant, of the South
ern Express Company, in reference
to bonds of the Athens Street Rail-
road Company, and that he had had
no correspondence with w. H. Pat.
terson, vice-president of the Central
Bank and Trust c mpany except
that which he himself gave out for
publication.
Never Owned Athens Bonds.
Mr.. McLendon refused to admit
that he had at any time owned bonds
of the Athens Street Railroad Com
pany, but he submitted a long legal
argument to show that, according to
the original act creating the railroad
commission in 1879, which specific
ally excepted bonds of street rail-
ways from those a commissioner was
forbidden to own, he would not have
violated law if he had been the
owner of all the securities of that
or any other street railway corpora
ton in the state.
disqualification Removed.
Even if there had been any dis
qualification in the ownership of
such bonds, which the chairman de
MED, that disqualification would
have been completely removed by
the sale of such bonds in October.
1908, after he had asked for and
received the opinion of the attor-
ney-general.
Railroad Bonds.
In his answer Mr.. McLendon quot
ed correspondence to show that he
had made an effort to dispose of the
Wrightsville and Tennille bonds
purely out of a friendly disposition
to Governor Smith and to furnish
as far as possible a means of COM
batting the charges made against his
administration to the effect that it
was keeping capital out of the state
of Georgia. The attempt failed, and
no bonds were sold, northern capt.
talists not buying because of the
uneasy feeling produced by the in
cipient panic.
Senate Chamber Crowded.
The joint committee met at
O'Clock in the senate chamber. Ev-
cry seat in the chamber was taken
by Witnesses, and there was num-
Der of anxious persons to hear the
case in the gallery. Mr. McLendon
was present in his roller chair. Chair
man Burwell asked the commission
er if he would be represented by
counsel, and he replied:
Wanted No Counsel.
mo, sir; / represent myself and
| hope to be able to PROFOUND all
questions necessary to elucidate the
truth. " Chairman McLendon was
accompanied before the committee
by Congressman James M. Griggs,
who, the chairman stated, was there
as his friend.
The secretary of the committee
then read the message of former
Governor Smith suspending the
chairman and the answer of Mr.. Nc
Tendon already published.
Com. Stevens a Witness.
Attorney-General Hart was called
to show his correspondence with Mr..
McLendon in regard to the legality
of his ownership of bonds of the
Athens Street Railway Company.
The session of the committee was
devoted to taking documentary evil
dence, including all known papers
and documents bearing on the case,
with the exception of the Macon
platform, which has not been as yet
offered in evidence.
Adjourned Until Monday.
When all the papers and docu-
ments had been submitted to the
committee a motion was made BY
Mr.. Anderson of Chatham to adjourn
until Monday afternoon at 8 o'clock,