The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-02-10
Sensations Sprung
In the Gas Hearing
ATTORNEY WE'LL ATTACKS
HONESTY OF PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSION.
Attorney General Lilly Resents In.
suit in SpeechAGas Attor-
neys Leave Hearing.

Special Dispatch To 'he IntelIieeneer.
CHARLESTON. W. Va. Feb. g.
The hearing OF the complaints AGAINST
the Manufacturers Heat and Light
company. which furnished gas TO a
subsidiary company supplying gas for
Wheeling. Wellsburg. New Martins
vile. Chester. New Cumberland, Fol
lansbee. weirton, Moundsville. Ben.
wood. McMechen. Cameron and other
towns In the northern Panhandle In
West virginia. before the public serv.
Ice commission was replete with SEN
sations today. eliminating this after
noon in the withdrawal in a body of
the attorneys representing the Manu-.
facturers' Heat and Light company.
The first bomb was fired by Attor.
ney A. Leo We'll this forenoon when
the cases were called. having been
continued from a month ago, when he
read into the record prepared state.
ment attacking the honesty of the
commission. declaring the commits
sion was Influenced by the executiv.
branch OF the state without right or
authority and asked that the proceed.
ings be transferred TO a proper tribp
nal because the commissioners had
disqualified themselves to sit in the
case through executive influence and
because their appointment had not
yet been confirmed by the senate.
Hatfield Letter Read.
To sustain the charges. Well asked
that letter addressed to the commits
sion by Governor Hatfield be present
ed. This was done. In this letter
Governor Hatfield asked that no fur
ther hearings be held by the commits
sion outside of their court room. and
asked why the Manufacturers Heat a
Light Company had been permitted 70
violate an order OF the commission in
raising their rates in Hancock and
Brooks and other counties. In this
letter the Governor urged the commits
sion 10 reach n decision in these cases
as early as possible. The letter was
dated January 2. The commission
some days before that. entered an or
der not to hold any meetings outside
OF their court room here.
Following the reading of the Gov.
ernor's letter. Well was asked II he
had any other evidence, and he re-
piled that he had, but that the position
taken by the Attorney General and the
commission. to-wit: That the mem
bers OF the commission should not 20
on the witness stand. barred him from
presenting the evidence to sustain the
charges in his motion.
Attorney General Lilly, representing
the State. in a passionate speech, at
tackled what he declared to be the mo.
tives OF the chief counsel for the gas
company. He branded them as gross
insults and unbecoming n man belong.
ing TO the legal profession.
Advised Him to Get Out.
'Mr Well" said Chairman OFT. who
as we'll as the other members of the
commission. showed he was about
ready TO take a hand in the situa.
tion. said he was not going to deal
summarily just yet. Eve are going ia
decide this case on the evidence pre-.
sented here. and IL this commission
is vested with the power you say II
is. the power of the car of Russia
then I would prefer that you get out
OF this case. That is my sentiment
in the matter. II have the power
or the commission has the power you
say II has. | would ask you TO with.
draw from the case now. IL would be
better for your clients and better for
all concerned that you withdraw "
now" This came as a climax at the
noon hour. and when the commission
reassembled later in the day Attorney
We'll stated that he had read care
fully the statements of the chairman
and members of the commission and
had concluded 10 abide by the sug
gestion and retire from the case. At
torney Charles McCamic of Wheeling
and others associated with We'll
stated that since the chief counsel