The Washington times., 1911-12-18
COTTON DECLARES
. HE DID NOT ORDER
| PADDING OF SHEETS
Duluth Attorney Makes
Sweeping DENIAL of Charge
Before Committee.

Entering an indignant and sweepin,
denial Of the charges that Il,
nad ordered the padding Q,
the cost sheets of the Duh IN
Missabe and Northern Railroad, a 81 el
trust subsidiary, In a suit before the
minnesota railroad commission several
years ago, Joseph B. Cotton, a Duluth
attorney. appeared before the Stanley
steel investigating committee today
'Mr. Stanley declared he had come ali
the way from Pasadena, Cal, to refute
the charges made recently before the
committee by C. H. Martz, who was
formerly chief civil engineer of the
road.
nc denied absolutely that he had ever
tcH Martz to estimate the gravel beds
OF the read at 10 cents a year, while
.hey were worth only 10, and the Duluth
lawyer was just as emphatic In denying
every other allegation made BY Martz.
TIE hearing again was enlivened by
a TIT between Chairman Stanley and
Seorge Wildwood Murray, attorney for
M. Cotton, and also John D. Rookie
teller. Murray was old by the chair
man TO take your seat" When the
Merntt brothers testified several weeks
tire he ans ts ss cssimsn and az b at that
"Ittee Rad sharp interchanees.
Mr.. Stanley Explains.
Chairman Stanley, explaining that Mr..
Cotton had requested the right to ap-
pear, said:
"The chair offered John d. Rockefeller
ana the Rev. F. T. Gates an opportun-
ity to answer the charges Of the Merritt
brothers, which were, coldly speaking,
that Rockefeller and Gates had defraud-
cd them out Of about 500 900 in Min
nesota ore properties. Mr.. Rockefeller
courteously declined to appear; the
Rev. Mr.. Gates declined. but he forgot
to be courteous. The committee Is still
willing to hear Them
hope. Mr.. Chairman" objected Mr.
have nothing to do with this a' tra lna. !.
tlon. \ don't want to become involved
In the Rockefeller-Merritt-G Gates cortro-
versy. !! have come here to defend my
sen against an entirely different charge
MIN to pad the cost sheets Of the Du-
iutn, Missabe and Northern railroad. It
10 this charge that is nearest my heart"
The Padding Feature.
Martz testified that Cotton had told
him to pad the costs of the road, SO as
to justify the freight rates charged.
Mr.. Cotton branded the charge as false
The Duluth attorney brought to the
committee room voluminous documents
used in the proceedings before the Min
nesota railroad commission. The esti-
mates on the gravel pits, which he had
been accused of padding. Mr.. Cotton
said, were fixed by a committee of FIVE
appraisers. and not by Marts or himself
az attorney. -
AS he refuted Martz's allegations, the
railroad attorney seemed quite wrought
up, pacing up and down before the
committee table. His voice was raised
30 that 1t could be heard in the corri-
doris.
A tilt occurred between Chairman
Stanley and George Wildwood Murray,
attorney for Cotton, and Rockefeller.
Mr.. Murray volunteered that the testi-
mony of Martz had "wobbled' in de-
scribing the padding process.
Means G. w. Murray.
II notify you once for ALL" said
Chairman Stanley hotly. that you must
not volunteer these sort OF observations.
You shall not criticise anybody's testi-
mony unless you go on the stand under
oath"
IT withdraw the word "wobble.'" said
Murray.
well, withdraw everything you said,
and take your seat and keep it." retort-
cd Stanley, banging the table. Rookie
feller's attorney sat down. and MIR. Cot
ton continued his general denial Of all
Martz had sajd