The Washington herald., 1913-01-09


bilities. and we were all able to re-
spond to our responsibilities"
He means that they would have been
able to make good II they had been
compelled to-" explained Representative
George.
Yes" replied Leckie, that is exact
ly what 1 mean, and we had the ability
to make good"
Alexander Mcneil on Stand.
During the morning session the COM
mittee was much interested in the con-
nectiop OF Alexander Mcneil with the
sale of the old ST. Mathews Church
property to the interests which turned It
over to the Southern Commercial Con-
gress, and later took 1t back after FORM
ing the Southern Building Corpora
'tion. In line with its attempt to estab-
lish an unbroken connection between
these interests. the Southern Building
Corporation and the Commercial and
First National Fire Insurance Compan-
les. It was sought to show that Mr.. Nc
Nell represented both sides In the orig
inal transaction.
Mr.. Mcneil received $1,000 commission
from Mgr. Lee for selling the old
church property to Messrs. Leckie, Doug
lss, r. H. McNeill, and Baker. The
transaction was closed during February,
1909. In the meantime Mr.. Mcneil had
purchased a membership In the Southern
Commercial Congress, which bought the
property from Mr.. Douglas and others.
When the Southern Building Corporation
was formed a few months later. because
the Southern Commercial Congress could
not finance the building. Mr.. Mcneil be-
came treasurer of the building corpora
ton. qualifying because OF his N.oo
membership in the congress and $500 he
had loaned r. II. McNeill-
The examination OF Mr.. Mcneil on this
point was as follows:
RedaeId Cross-examines.
Mr.. Redfield-"So that. although you
represented the church authorities in the
! fall Of 1903, and the transaction in which
/ you represented them was not closed
until February, 1903. you were within two
or three months thereafter an officer
and a director OF the company which
owned the property that you had within
| few months sold to this syndicate,
which in the meanwhile had transferred
| II to this company
Mr.. McNeil-'I was. sir"
| Mr.. Redfield-"Did you not at the time
you sold this property TO the syndicate
know that you were to take an interest
| in that property thereafter
| Mr.. MCNEIL WAS not 10 take any
| interest"
Mr.. RedfeId-"As a matter OF fact, yoC
| did as an officer OF this corporation
| become interested In 1t for a few months
| to the extent to which you had paid fol
! IT, and to the extent that you were tht
\ treasurer and 4 director OF that cor
poration up to the time you finally sew
cred your connection with it?''
Mr.. Mcneil: Yes. sir
| Mr.. Redfeld: Did you. or did you not
know before this transaction with th'
church was closed that the Southern
Commercial Congress had failed to raist
sufficient funds to carry on the building
| and that the Southern Building Corpora
ton was organized by some of the par
| ties, at least, who were interested In th'
sale you made. as buyers, to take ovel
the contract which the Southern Com
mercial Congress was unable to carr!
out?"
Mr. Mcneil: 81 did not know or hea
I anything OF the Southern Building Cor
poration. I did not know anything o
the relations of the Southern Commercial
Congress with the purchase. 1 only knew
that these men were purchasing as
syndicate, with the idea OF reseliing. a
understood"
Mr.. Redfeld: do you know to whom
they intended to resell?"
Mr.. Mcneil: II did not"
o. II. P. johnson testified that he rep
resented Mgr. Lee in the church trans
action to the extent Of advising him T.
Sell the property at SIS a foot