Evening star., 1914-02-13
SENATORS To AID
IN RAILROAD S|FT
Five to Work With |. C. C. in
Probing Louisville and
Nashville Affairs.
RESOLUTION IN COMMITTEE
REPORT MAKES PROVISION
Information That Officers of Line
Are Defying Government Agents
Lead to Prompt Action.

Cooperate with the interstate commerce
commission in investigating affairs OF the
Louisville and Nashville railroad was au-
thor1zsd today In a report Of the aenate
committee on accounts in a resolution
submitted by Senator Lea of Tennessee.
Prompt action was taken by the com
mittee upon receipt Of information from
the commission that officers OF the Louis
vile and Nashville were defying its
agents. Withdrawing important informa-
ton and threatening to destroy records.
With a Senate committee authorized to
participate in the inquiry, defiano Of
government authority can be held con-
temptuous. The resolution authorizes
the committee to employ special counsel
to aid In the inquiry.
Fear Dangerous Precedent.
1t was pointed out that il the railroad
officials were permitted to refuse the
government investigators access to their
files the action would set dangerous
precedent. which could be followed by the
railroads generally and seriously inter
fere with the work of the interstate com
merce commission. 1t was with this in
mind, it was said, that the commission
appealed to the Senate to establish its
jurisdiction in the matter SO htat con-
tempt proceedings might bo instituted in
case further attempts to defy Its author
ity were made.
Senator Williams received a telegram
today from w. L Mapother. first vice
president of the Louisville and Nashville
railroad, in which the latter denied that
he tod the commissions Investigators
that 1--WE refuse files to you people and
have to lick him before they could
supervise his work. Mr.. Mapother said
he assisted the government agents until
they virtually took possession of his Of
dce and watched his movements and
those Of the employees.
Tells Of Mapother's Defiance.
the interstate commerce commissions ef-
fort to investigate the railroads affairs
at the direction of the Senate and forci-
bly, elected the commissions agents from
his offices was communicated to the Sem
ate yesterday by Chairman E. E. Clark
of the commission.
In q letter to Senator John Sharp Will
liams Chairman Clark tnclosed a men,
orandum by Commissioner Meyer charg-
ing that Vice President Mapother forcibly
elected the agents WHILE at his order,
certain files OF the road containing data
on railroad passes and records OF con-
being revised and subjected to apparent
secretion and destruction
In his memorandum Commissioner
Meyer said examiners were sent to Louis
vile. KY, to inspect records of the rail-
road with particular reference to infor-
nation concerning amounts Of money
subscribed, expended or contributed for
maintaining political or legislative
agents, or contributions to political cam
paigns. and for creating sentiment in ia
for nf a n he
railroads" and also the issue Of passes.
Denounced Agents as Spies.
That Mr.. Mapother in directing defiance
Of the government agents, denounced
them as "spies" and threatened to Tick
them and declared I'VE refused files to
you people before and are not in Jail yet, -
was charged by Commissioner Meyer.
Information from our examiners"
wrote Commissioner Meyer, has been to
the effect that Mapother was the official
under whose direction any of the sub
scriptions, expenditures or contributions
made, and that data in regard thereto.
especially records of subscriptions not
yet paid most probably would be found
in his files.
FOLLOWING this action our examiners
were instructed to keep close watch on
the files to ascertain. if possible, to what
extent they were being altered. 1t soon
developed. according to their report, that
entire files were being removed and sub
stantial portions OF other files extracted.
Two of the examiners endeavored to re-
main In the fileroom during the course of
the revision. apparent secretion and de-
struction of these records. when Mr.. Ma
pother entered and with an oath forcibly
elected each of our representatives
He also denied them access after reg
ular working hours to the building con-
tanning these files"
The commission was proceeding under
a resolution by Senator Lea, calling for
an investigation of various activities of
the Louisville and Nashville and some of
its allied lines.