Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-15
DEAL FOR CULM BANK STRICKEN ON STREET
Judge Archbads Interest in Denmars King Is Unrecog-
the Transaction Explained nzed for Hours After Death
TESTIMONY OF CAPT. MAY WAS TRAVELLING INCOGN!TO
Witness Promised to Withhold Seized With Attack Apopexy
Stated Price From Others. Hamburg, Germany
LEGAL TANGLE OVER SUBJECTS STUNNED NEWS
President of Hillside Copenhagen Of
Iron Company Witness Mourningson
to Throne
TESTIMONY OF CAPT. MAY
Witness Promised to Withhold
Stated Price From Others.
LEGAL TANGLE OVER THE TITLE
Vice President of Hillside Coal and
Iron Company Witness Before
Inquiry Committee.

Capt. w A. May, vice president of the
Hillside Coal and Iron COMPANY, who
gave to Judge Robert w. Archibald of the
Commerce Court and Z. j. Williams OF
Scranton an option on the katydid culm
banks controlled by the Erie railroad
told the House judiciary committee today
what he knew of the jurist's connection
with the transaction upon which charges
nave been based.
mat Judge Archibald wrote several
letters to him and conferred with him
frequently about the deal Capt May ad-
mitted. Judge Archibald asked Capt May
to hold confidentiar' the price he had
put on the Erie's interests in the culm
bank while the judge sought to ne
gotiate for the interest of other claim
ants. Capt May declared that he was
influenced to offer the culm for sale only
because Judge Archibald had asked for a
price on the property.
The witness declared that $4,000, the
price his company had asked for it's
share of the dump, was a fair one, a
price he would be glad to get today, if
the title to the property could have been
cleared up.
Capt. May was asked by Chairman
Clayton if Edward j. Williams had come
TO him last spring to solicit an option of
the katydid culm property.
He did, said Capt. May. Il think he
brought letter to me, sealed. 1 found
1t was a letter from Judge Archibald. ask
ing If the Katydid culm was for sale
and what price would be put upon it,
1t was discovered that Representative
Wah yx1n oh. - -
committee Monday, had the letter in his
possession. Mr.. Webb was found and
produced the letter, which Capt. May
identified.
rs that the first letter. the chairman
asked, bearing on this matter?'
Yes, it is the first communication
had regarding the subject. 1t was seal
ed letter, think, because Williams testi-
fled he never saw it"
Promised to Investigate.
What did you tell Williams in reply
to this letter.
Il said it would be investigated" said
May. Il turned it over to the land agents
of the office and gave instructions to have
the coal contents of the culm bank ascer-
tanned SO that / could put a value on our
interest in the dump"
Did Williams say anything then about
any interest in the culm IL the deal went
through
Il am sure he did not at that time, .
May replied.
bald's request for an option on the Katy
did?"
Il didn't analyze the letter at ALL" said
May.
Had you ever made any inquiry into
the value of the Katydid before that?'
before 9TH
parties. and | made a new investiga-
ton after Williams came to me-"
The witness said the ownership of the
land and cuim were first investigated
by him. There were undivided interests
In the land distributed among the Hill
side Coal and Iron Company, two
branches of the Eberhart estate Of Phil
adelphia and a Reading. Pa. coal COM
pany The Hillside company had an
agreement to mine the coal, paying the
other interests 20 cents a ton for coal
above the size of pea coal
Today, he said. the coal is mined out
and the mine is on fire All that is left is
the remnant of a culm bank
The coal in 1886 was leased to ]. NJ
Robertson by the Hillside company. who
after 1901 mined 1t for the Hillside at a
royalty. The right to mine could lapse
he said, with twenty-four hours notice
from the outside interests In 1908 the
mine was shut down, and in 1860 the
plant was burned. This led to complica-
tions later, when the title to the culm
was being investigated.
Legal Complications Arise.
of this bank" said May, these LEGAL
questions arose. and it did when Mr.. ,,n-
liams came to me last March"
When did you reply to the request
from Judge Archbald?" asked the chair
man.
August 80, 1911,'' said May.
Prior TO August 80 did Williams again
come to you seeking the option?'
Yes. he did. l think it was August %,
and he may have applied before that"
Didn't he see you about the middle
of August and didn't you then decline to
have anything to do with it?'
Il don't remember
Didn't you at one time refuse to talk
to Williams. as he has testified here?"
Il wouldn't deny it, said May
The witness admitted that he did at
one time refuse TO talk TO Williams about
the culm. This occurred. he thought, in
June. 1911
Why did you decilne?''
Because of the ENHANCEMENT of the
property" said May. II don't think /
told Williams the reason why"
Wasn't your real reason that you did
No. not at ALL"
Influenced by Archibald Letter.
WAS it on account of Judge Archibald 8
influence with you that you afterward
signified your desire to sell the prop
erty?
1T was Judge Archbald's letter that
first caused me to investigate. but i
never consented to sell the culm until
last April, said May. He added that he
would not have dealt with Williams at all
| If il had not been for Judge Archibald.
1T was through the judges influence,
| he said that / was finally willing to rec
| ommend the sale OF the culm to the
| executive officers Of the company"
after your first visit with Williams
did you receive any communication
| from your superiors in the Erie rail-
road?" asked Representative Clayton
1T was discussed with officials Of the
/ Hillside company. / never took IL ur
4 with the Erie railroad. 1 conferred
principally with Mr.. Richardson, frs,
vice president Of the Hillside com.
4 pany."
What did you say to Richardson
about Judge Archbald's letter."
/ I don't remember, but OF course, 1,
| was discussed. because that was thu
reason We took up consideration OF
/ the culm."
| Capt May said he talked severa
\ times with Judge Archibald about tho
4 option, but could not remember wheY
/ and where. He had received Other
| about the Katydid bank.
One letter. dated November 20. 1911
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