The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1913-01-16
MAY PROBE TWO
FEDERAL JUDGES
Congress to inquire Into Actions Of
Pollock and Van Va|kenburgh.
KANSAS CITY SENDS IN PETITION
Document Presented to Congress by
Repre- sentative BorIand of Jackson
County, Mo.-Referred to Ju-
dietary Committee.
KANSAS CITY SENDS IN PETITION

Washington. Jan l1.-An uvesti
CATION of the conduct cf two federal
Judges, Judge Van Eal4vehbttreh of the
western district OF Missouri. and
Judge John G. Pollock OF he distric,
of Kansas, was asked for in petitions
from the common council of Kansas
City, Mo-, presented to the house By
Repres entative I}orland OF Missouri.
The resolutions, framed by a spe
cial committee Of the Kansas City
council, charge that judge Pollock and
Judge Van Nalkenburgh appointed re
reivers for the Kansas Natural Gas
Company and the Kansas City Gas
Company, which, it is alleged. are
controlled by the United Gas I'm.
provement Company CT Philadelphia
who We're Friendly 10 the interests
design and purpose" of those two com
panies. A further charge against
Judge Pollock is that he issued an or
der to the receivers. directing them
to charge an increased price for gas
delivered TO the Kansas City Gas Com,
pany.
The petitions were referred to the
Judiciary committee of the house
Representative Borland said he would
ask the committee to consider the
complaints Immediately, and to grant
hearing to the Kansas City author
tiles.
The resolutions charge that the &C
ton and conduct of the judges is ar
unfair and unwarranted exercise OF
judicial power and destructive of the
fundamental rights of the people. III
is further charged that Judge Pollock
is depriving the people of Kansas City
of light and fuel and that he is being
aided and abetted" in his purpose by
Judge Van Valkenburgh.
The Kansas Natural Gas Company
is pipe line company and furnishes
natural gas from Kansas and Okla /
homa TO the Kansas City Gas Com
pany, which distributes it 20 the con.
snmes for 81 cents per 1000 cubic
feet.
Both companies are alleged to be
wv Itu IOullollSu ny tHC lllltu
Gas Improvement Company of phila
delphia. which is also said to control
the Wells bach Street Lighting Com
pany OF America, upon whose appli
cation the appointment of receivers
was made by Judge Van vakenburgh
The Kansas Natural Gas Company
claimed that the natural gas of Okla.
loma and Kansas is becoming ex-
lausted and that higher price should
De charged. The resolution of the
Kansas City council. offered by Rep,
'esen,ative Borland, declares that tes
imony taken in judicial proceeding
that an adequate sup.
lily of natural gas was still acces.
ible.
On October 9, 1912, according to
he resolution, the Kansas Natural
las Company applied to and secured
rom Judge Pollock the appointment
+ three receivers, who were and are
to the interests involved.
The resolution claims that the appli.
alton was made to force the con.
umers to pay much greater price
or their gas, and that the design and
urpose of the receivership was so
lain and manifest that Judge Pol
ock could not possibly have been ig-
GRANT thereof.
On December 80, 1912. Judge Pol.
,ck made an order directing the re-
e.vers of the Kansas Natural Gas
ompany to refuse 10 sell gas to the
,arsas City Gas Company unless they
eceived at least 81 cents per 1000
ubic feet. The resolution sets forth
lat the appointment of receivers was
lade without notifying counsel for
ansas City. Mo-, or Kansas City, Kas.