The Detroit times., 1909-04-20
YOUNG LAWYER
FIGHTS COMBINE
District Attorney Pugh, With Fight
ing Spirit Of Heney, Shows Up
Great Northern's Methods.

the northeast corner OF the state OF
washington there IL a young man.
mats not all. He's a fearless, en-
ergetic' capable young man. ruggedly
honest.
Nor Is that all by any means. He
il struggling alone. with the stub
born hghting spirit OF Heney, 10 tear
the fingers OF great. powerful rail-
ROAD corporation from the throat OF
MS state. That's why the young man
Is important 10 the nation.
The young mans name is Fred G..
Pugh. He Is district attorney OF
Spokane county. His antagonist Is
the Great Northern railroad.
To realize what that means, you
must know that Washington Is no bet.
ter ON than California or Oregon In
the matter of railroad domination Of
politics. The railroads were busy In
Oregon even before the state was in
the union. Ever since that time they
have constantly and consistently tight
ened their grip. And always the Hill
interests have been first and foremost.
The railroads have openly maintained
thoroughly organized lobby at the
state legislatures, comforting with AMI
advising lawmakers on the floor OF
either house. No man could be com.
missioner. governor, or. practically
anything else, without railroad con-
sent
Pugh may change all this. He
hopes to. He is only in the prelimin-
aries OF the fight. Just now he is
locked In professional combat with
half dozen of the ablest lawyers ii
hao hoan nnoail,ln m aOain1f
him, before a grand jury, called at the
association.
People Have Been Helpless.
An inquiry, ostensibly in the inter
ests OF the railroad, has been con-
certed into an investigation OF the
railroad itself, in the interest Of the
people, who for years have watched
helplessly, corrupt influences at work
In the states legislature and judicial
machinery.
This is how Ii happened:
Several weeks before the opening
or the grant Jury iff~est4satieH
Gordon, counsel In this city for the
Great Northern, was accused by high
officials OF the legal department OF the
railroad OF being short in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 in damage-suit set
Element accounts. Gordon immediate.
ly resigned as railroad counsel. Al
most on top OF his resignation came
a report that the railroad had decided
rot TO prosecute.
People wondered why. Pugh deter
mined TO find out. Bit by bit the facts
were revealed that Gordon had offered
a campaign contribution Of $500 to
former Supreme Judge Milo Root i'll
the iast election that he failed TO de-
liver the money and that Judge Root
had written him repeatedly urging
that the money be sent. This Dunch
OF Roots correspondence, together
with written requests for transporta-
ton over the Great Northern, while
he was supreme Judge, Was published
In addition to this, IL was establish
ed that Gordon. as railroad counsel.
secured reconsideration In the state
supreme court, of freight Shipment
case. after 4 decision had been award
ed to the plaintiff. Ii was shown thal
Gordon himself wrote the revised de-
cislon, sent o copy of 1t TO the railroad
Offices al St Paul for endorsement,
and that when the endorsement was
made by wire. the opinion was taken
into the SUPREME court through Judge
Root and became the law of the state
on that particular point.
Judge Root, admitting the $500 cam
paign fund incident and explaining
that il is common practice for victor
ious attorneys TO write and file opin-
ions In and for the courts, In the heat
OF the charges against him, also re-
signed.
After reviewing these and other
minor disclosures that Indicated at
least a working understanding be
tween corporation counsel and mem
bers of the judiciary. the state Bar
association secured the calling of "a
grand jury.
nominal charge of embezzlement
was filed against Gordon. and the fight
was on. While, on the face of II, Cor.
don was under investigation In the In
terests of the railroad. II was pretty
generally understood that II was not
Gordon, but the Great Northern. that
was under tire and that Pugh held the
gun.
This was made clearer when Pugh
sent his chief deputy to st. Paul TO
make transcripts of evidence from the
company records, in order TO aid" the
railroad To bring Gordon to justice.
The deputy never got near the rec
ords. He hung around the Hill offices
for several days. He was told that
Mr.. Hill was out OF the city lie re-
turned empty-handed. BY this time
the railroad was clearly on the defen-
sive.
Many Lawyers Defend Him.
The investigation of Gordon opened.
Although considered penniless at the
time OF his arrest. Gordon was repre-
sented by an array Of six attorneys
beside himself. Each one of these de-
MED Indignantly that ne was in the
employ OF the railroad and asserted
vchementlv that his interest In Cor
don was based purely on personal
friendship.
Pugh said nothing. lie fought his
way through a determined attempt 10
prevent the taking OF Il verbatim rec
ord of the proceedings before the
grand jury To do so he defied the
court that had threatened 10 adjudge
him guilty OF contempt. II stenographic
notes were taken, In order TO get a
ruling from the supreme court. He
was not punished for contempt. but
the Investigation has been tied up UNI
I'll the decision Is rendered
The people understand pretty clear
~ why the prosecutor Is so determin-