New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-12
COTTON MEN KICK BACK
Refuse to Obey Federal Sub
pnnas to Show Their Books.
PATTEN COURTS INQUIRY
Tells Brokers to Show Accounts,
and Says He Will Appear.
S. Bache & Co. Served.

William P Brown. Frank B. Hayne and
other members Of the New York Cotton
Exchange who are among the cotton brok-
ers subprnaed several days ago to appear
before the federal grand jury with all
papers relating to their transactions in raw
cotton have refused to obey the subpenas,
it is understood. They base their action
upon the confidential nature of the re!a-
tions between their customers and them :
selves 1t is reported on good authority
that they will retain ex-senator John c.
Spooner to represent them as counsel.
So far. the witnesses who have appeared
before the grand jury have produced all
the papers and books the government asked
for L. was said yesterday that if there
was to be refusal to obey the subpoena
no information to that effect had been re-
ceived by the federal officials in charge of
the case
The witnesses examined Yesterday were
August ". Smith, a mill owner at Spar
tansburg, n. c.; Z. NJ. Weld, OF Stephen
Weld & Co; William Bailey. representing
John Swanson & Co, and Howard Wilson.
a floor broker on the Cotton Exchange, all
of this city.
Clark McKercher, of Attorney General
Wickersham's office, and an assistant. Wis
tied the Office of ]. S. Bache & Co. several
days ago, and made an examination of the
books and accounts of James a Patten.
Only brief inspection was made. Mr..
McKercher saying that he would send an
accountant later.
Mr. Patten telesrapted his brokers sew
eral days ago, instructiDg them to open his
records to the Attorney Generals repre-
sentaJives. He telegraphed to Mr.. Nc
Kercher yesterday that he was ready to
appear at any time
4 query was addressed yesterday to Mr..
Patten who is in Chicago. regarding a
published story that at convention at
Greensboro. \. c., last fall, he arranged
with a spinner to supply cotton to him
and not to others Mr.. Pattens reply was:
81 never heard of the Greensboro con-
vention of spinners until l read about it
in the newspa pers lately. / never made
arrangements with any spinner to supply
him to the exclusion of any other. In fact.
1 never had talk with any spinner but
one about selling TO him. and that resulted
in nothing. am yet to be informed what
have done in restraint of trade I would
have been willing at any time and at all
times to sell what cash cotton I might have
to any spinner. provided the terms were
satisfactory 10 both OF u.s.
81 J. s. Rache & Co have been subpdsnaed
to show what dealings they had with the
following men or firms in connection with
the so-called cotton pool:
Thomas Barrett. ir., Augusta. Ga; Will
lam ?. Brown, or William P. Brown & Co,
New Orleans; T. B. Hayne New Orleans;
Charles Z. Lewis, Minneapolis; Eugene G..
Scales or S. j. Harmon & Co. Dallas,
Tex: Fuller f., Galloway, Lagrange. Ga;
James ". Cannon. Concord, \. c.; Lewis
W Parker, Greenville. S. c.: B. Frank
Mebane. Spray, N c.; j. H. Hicks, ITALIA
dega, Ala: LIE Roy Springs. Lancaster.
s c.; Asa G. Gambler. jr.. Atlanta; Nor
rfs H. Rothchild. Woodville, Miss: c.
W Johnson, Charlotte. n. C; James A.
Fatten. William H. Bartlett and Bartlett,
Patten & Co. -..