The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-30
MUFFIN NAMED AS
80" ARBITRATOR
Judge To Be One of Three Who Will
Appraise D. U. R. Property
Bancroft Defines Position.

Circuit Judge James o. Murfin Is
the man named by Chairman Eddy.
OF the committee OF fifty, as one of the
arbitratorss who are 10 take testimony
and fix value for the property OF the
Detroit United Railway TO be used in
arriving at settlement
1t is possible that Judge r. w. Tay-
Ter, Of Cleveland, may be asked by the
ID. u. r. 10 act as a second arbitrator.
He acted as the sole arbitrator In the
Cleveland settlement.
The directors meeting OF the ID. u.
X. Is to be held Wednesday afternoon,
and the naming of the traction com
panys arbitrator is expected to be
given out after that meeting. Who
ever it may be, he will consult with
Judge Murfin and the two will name
third arbitrator.
In accepting the task, Judge Murfin
told Mr. Eddy that he would accept
only IL the hearings be entirely pub
lie and In accordance with fair court
procedure. and that he be free to act
entirely as a judge without taking a
stand for one side or the other, but
BlNlIR HIS NtIulSb SOlClJ Oh thO AoNNS
as brought out.
While an active man In public mat
ters and one OF pronounced views,
Judge Murfin has never taken lead
ing part in the street railway fights.
He Is, therefore. In a position to sit
impartially on board of arbitration.
Although far from pleased at the
manner In which the committee OF
fifty has turned over its appraisal re-
port on d. U. r. property to an arbi-
tration board. Engineer Frederick I.
Bancroft, who completed the ap-
praisal for the fifty" Is not going to
refuse to defend his report against
the attacks that II is expected the ID.
u. r. will make upon 1t in the hear
ings.
when the city needs help and /
am assured that there Will be de-
finite course pursued and proper pro-
lection against intimidation given to
my men. there will be no doubt as 10
where we will stand" said Bancroft,
w ednesday.
AS a citizen, | will not be party
to any gift to the ID. u. r. of any four
millions.
my work was done when the com
mittee accepted my report last No
vember. have not been consulted
with regard to the procedure tnat
has been adopted. Bringing up tho
appraisal again and disposing of 1t in
this way is an astonishing thing, es-
pecially after what happened last
summer.
1T is astonishing that the commit
tee of fifty should be willing to give
this sum to the ID. U. X. and charge
Il 10 the physical appraisal They
would give this sum to the ID. u. r. to
get II to accept something.
IL do not propose to be called into
court at the last minute for a client of
whose case | know nothing. | have
not been consulted or informed as to
the developments. might say. with
Mr. Brooks, that | do not know that
there is any street railway investiga-
ton going on in Detroit at the pres
ent time"
Referring again to the possibility
OF his being called In with his experts
to justify his work before the arbitra-
ton board, Engineer Bancroft said:
THE citys interest Is our interest
and we will look out for nothing else"
AS the committee Of fifty offices In
the Ford building have been given
up. the work OF that committee Is
now being wound up by Secretary
Paul c. Renaud and his stenographer
in tue mayors office