The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-22

Coming highly interesting fea-
ture of the granting OF the franchise
to the Richmond and Hcnrico Railway
Company by the Common Council last
night is the part played by George
NJ. Cease. "A member OF lac expiring
Council from old Monroe Ward. who
voted for the ordinance. lie is
charged with having tried TO con-
duct negotiations for the sale OF tao
Richmond and Hci.- GO properties TO
the Virginia Railway and Power Com.
pany, and is quoted as having saiE
that he hoped to iiake big COM
mission by holding up both s.des.'''
Henry w Anderson. of counsel for the
Virginia Railway and Power Compa-
ny. is sponsor for the iat.cE state
ment.
In the Council meeting last night.
Mr.. Cease explained IL position. tell
Ing Of a conversation with Thomas p.
Bryan. in which a possible purchase
was discussed. He denied that he
ever secured price from the Rich
mond and Henrico. ant said. In fact.
that he could secure no informa ton
from tnat concern.
tompuny Makes Charge.
In an advertisement published yes
terday afternoon. the Virginia Rail-
way and Power CU--pany made this
assertion:
During the constr ton OF the
Since that time ,cMtfcrenu interests
In this property have been approached
Oh II number OF occasions by persons
claiming to be authorized TO spea Is
for the Richmond and Henrico inter
ests with view to negotiating a safe
OF the property TO us. The prce sug-
gcstcd ras always been excessive, AND
the suggestion has pcen declined.
"Witnin the past TWO VEGAS two
OF the representatives of this COM
rany have been separately approach
by gentlemen of this rty--one or
them member of the City Council
asking for this special meeting and
the other formerly intert Jted IN the
llenrico company-to NOW ir We
would purchase this property one
of these gentlemen stated that he had
talked with Mr.. Forb, on the sub
ject. The matter was discussed. but
the price suggested was excessive
! and this company declined 10 consid
eli it ut that price"
Mr. Cease i;0plnins.
Rising To question of personal
rFiNii.te a the meeting OF the Com
mon Council last night. Mr. Cease said:
About SIN weeks ago | Vas in the
chsc was mentioned. and Mr. Bryan
SAID 1t was only matter of time
when one company would nave to buy
ont the other, that two could not exist
Then why do YOU not buzz | ask
ed MIR. Bryan. lie said they would buy
M ~ tue Nirsnia halfway and
Henrico iianwny tompany?' ! asked.
AZ q rric-, replied Mr. Bryan
"Has 1t been oftercd?' was my next
Tncstion.
MIR. Bryan replied that he would
not say that it had. He did not say
that /, had not.
Tried 10 Make D-ni.
be bought. could not get II price. ana
could not even get information. The
best evidence of this is that I never
TO anynoay connected win the Viz
sinia Railway aud Puwer Company.
had not. and have never had. any in
formation which would prompt or
allow me TO say TO the Virginia Rail-
way ana Power Company or to any
body else that ] could sell the stock
part Of il. al any price. only took
The matter up because Mr.. Bryan sug-
gcsted it,"
"Roid Up notL Sides"
The following statement was made
later by Henry W. Aniersoit who had
heard Mr.. Celse's explanation.
The S;Dtr'irut IN tue bulletin pmb-
!ishcd this Ifternoor referred to N.r.
tcnSe nnh Nns made ~, the authority
of Mr. rhomns -. BryLE, about two
weeks nG0 Mr.. Bryan stated to- nc
that MIR. Cense had come TO him, he
bcinE nm attorney for the Virginia
Railway anil Power Company. and Ind
stated thnt he tCcaspp either con-
trollcd rr could ohtnIn control OF the
entire cnpituI stock OF the Henricn
Company, md asked ~ we would buy
them ou. Nfr. Br5tn repeated the
statement to me fhi. morning, and
WIS present at my oilce when I die
tatcd my statement, and verified the
snme. Mr. Drynn Is, understnnd, out
Of the city tonight.
do not mean to imply my moral
turpitudc on the part OF Mr.. Cease, but
do deem these facts pertinent to tbr
Issue MS to whether the HenrIco peo-
pie offered to sell. and their efforts to
convince the Council they Ind not done
so.
Mr.. Cease stated to me this after
noon tbnt his position had been mis-
understoOdj that he Ind never had any
control Of the stock. and hts only oh
trct hnd been to try to negotiate a
sale and make big commission shy
holding up both sides.0
HENRY w. ANDERSON.