The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-28
P|EAD|NGS TODAY
 IN FAMOUS SUIT Knight ancey Creditors
 Seek Damages BEFORE JUDGE GRUBB Between Three and Four Million Dol lars Involved in Cases Which
 Are to Be Tried in
 Huntsville

The prelude to what will eventually, it is believed, terminate in the most famous lawsuit ever started in this state will begin this morning when the pleadings in the case of two score foreign creditors of KnightYancey and company against the Louisville and Nashville and South ern railway will be settled before Judge William l. Grubb of the federal court. For the fray some of the best known legal talent in the entire country will be here
 The pleadings will settle the preliminary details of the noted suits and will get the cases in line for the trial jury to be selected in Huntsville next May before Judge Grubb. It is possible that the pleadings will not be settled for several days.
 The cases involve between s30oo,o0o and S4, ,0oo 900. which is claimed of the railroads by the foreign creditors of the cotton firm whose failure in April. 1910. created world wide interest The railroads are alleged to be party to cotton shipments made un- der alleged spurious bills of lading which instruments were found by the score when the ease was placed in the hands of the trustee, w. s. Lowell of this city. The foreign creditors. whose loses were tremendous, after waiting patiently for something to turn up entered suits against the Louisville and Nashville and Southern Railways companies several months ago aggregating $40o0,o00 in the Morgan conn ty courts. Percy, Benners and Burr oi this city. attorneys for the Knight-Yan- eey company trustee. represented the the Louisville and Nashville and Southern railway secured the transfer of the cases to the federal courts. At the last term of court nothing was done and the real be- gining dates from today.
 Percy, Benners and Burr of this city will be represented by Augustus Benncfs and Borden Burr for the creditors. The plaintiffs will be represented also by Har- rngton Bingham and Englar and O. K. Houston of New York city.
 The Southern Railway company wlll be represented by Col. l.. C. Jeffries. gen erai solicitor from Washington. assisted by J. T, Stokely, Alabama counsel for the Southern RAILWAY company lHe Louisville and Nashville railroad will be represented by Col. Gregory l.. Smith, general counsel, and Judge J. B. Eyster of Decatur as well as Attorneys Tillman, Bradley and Morrow of Birmingham.
 It Is expected that the hearing this morning will be attended by other attor- neys interested in hearing the law points that will be settled in respect to the noted case. The case is attracting unusual at tention because of tue very serious charges made by ahe plaintiffs In their complaint filed several months ago in Morgan county Therein 1t was alleged that the railroads were cognizant of the issuance of fake bilstof lading alleged to have been sent out broadcast The creditors paid particular attention 10 the evidence adduced in the recent trial of John w. Knight. one of the members of the firm. who was acquitted. Expert stenographers at the trial secured the testimony of the witnesses and the evi- dence of Foreign Freight Agent Bywater of the Louisville and Nashville was heard with particular interest
 The railroad attorneys held conference yesterday in reference to the case and it is generally understood mapped out the pleadings which will be submitted to the court this morning.
 No announcement was made after the conference in reference 10 the case.