Evening journal., 1911-06-30
$50 FINE ON
TROLLEY HEAD
Chancellor Finds R. W. Crook
Guilty Of Contempt Of
Court
MADE MISSTATEMENT
THROUGH IGNORANCE

General Manager Richard W. Crook
of the Peoples Railway Company an
peared in response to summons be-
fore Chancellor Charles M. Curtis this
morning to show cause why he should
not be adjudged In contempt
After a hearing Mr.. Crook was adj
Judged in contempt and was fined 500,
which he paid The contempt pro-
ceedings were the outcome Of a letter
sent by Mr.. Crook to the directors OF
the Street and Sewer Department. and
read at their meeting on Tuesday, the
letter being:
Directors Street and Sewer DEPART
ment:
"Gentlemen Acting upon certain
resolutions passed by your respective
board and adopted on August 10, 1903,
and approved by the Mayor on August
b n. 1903;
Whereas. BY certain interferencea
this company was prohibited from pro-
ceeding with the construction OF GER
tain railway, namely, extension to
the foot of King street. or within 100
feet of the northerly side Of the Chris
/ tiana river;
Whereas, Your respected Board mas
I extended the time for six months
) dated December 81, 1910. and expir-
ing on the Both day Of June, 1911.
This company made every effort to
comply with the resolution and
= Whereas. The Chancellor of tho
i State of Delaware delayed laying down
4 his decree in allowing this company
q TO cross the p, b. & W. railroad, the
r p a n. railway and the B. g. o. rail-
n road at grade up to June 10, 1911.
u We have made every effort to COM
S plete this work. IL possible within
" the time prescribed. Finding that II
Ia impossihle to do so we would kind
q ly ask you to extend us the courtesy
+ of one month from date. am, Yours
e truly. r. w. Crook, General Manager
!, Peoples Railway Co."
y Attorney General Andrew G. Gray
,r represented the state and Robert II.
Il Richards appeared for Mr.. Crooks in
the contempt proceedlnes today
Mr.. Gray Outlines Subject
In addressing the court, Mr.. era.
q said.
81 MAY It please the court: A mat,
ter has been called to my attention
by which one of the public service
Oh corporations of this city, through itl
manager, filed an application witt
" the Street and Sewer Department Of
y this city TO secure an extension or the
n' franchise granted to them. on the
ground that they had been unable tC
" do the work during the life of ths
~ franchise owing to their being held
- up i'm the performance Of the work by
the delay OF the Court of Chancery IN
rendering the decree I'm a cause ir
that court, upon the result Of which
A, cause their right to do the work de-
n pended.
~ 81 desire to state to the court that
" / have looked into the facts Of thil
- matter and the same seem to have
been wilfully, or reclxlessly mis-stat
ed by r. w. Crook. the manager o
the Peoples Railway Company to the
Street and Sewer Commissioners o
this city.
"In any event it is always a serious
u thing for a citizen, in matter IN
n volving only private interests, t'
y make wilful mis-statements of a fac
concerning our courts. II the peo
h. pie have not confidence In the courts
In and the Judges who administer there
=, then the whole foundation Of our frel
Government has been undermined AMI
cannot endure The courts Of thi
~ state have always had the respect ant
confidence Of the people. The system
Of procedure in those courts has beel
- the gradual evolution OF generations
% Of experienced men. so that the ba
of this state, and | believe the peopl
. generally. feel that the orderly pro
cedure prescribed by the rules o
practice In our courts are such as will
best enable all citizens to secure jus
- tice as speedily as is consistent wit
VI the rights Of others who are entitle
III to a proper time 10 prepare themselve
TO meet charges that bring them int
, court In our Court Of Chancery es
l. pecially. the rules are so elastic tha
any matter may be expedited so as t
secure practically an immediate deter
minatlon of the rights Of the suit
ors
The facts in the matter now imme
. diately before your honor I find to b
OF as follows:
n "The Peoples Railway Company
ly represented by its General Manager
u r. w. Crook, secured a franchise frou
no the Street and Sewer Department o
,rs Wilmington in August, 1909. to ex
tend their tracks on King street
across Philadelphia. Baltimore am
I'M Washington railroad. the Baltimor'
b. and Ohio and the Philadelphia an,
" CONTINUED on Second Page)
mn trupp