El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-12

Paso Times had been issued and
the majority stockholders. the
original owners-those who issued the
stock-do not know whom it belongs to.
was brought out at the Saturday at
ternoon hearing of the suit of Thomas
y heet1e against the Times company.
H. !. Simmons, Z. S. Stewart and J.
II. Williams, three of the original pur-
chasers Of the paper, all testified that
Lney dlo not know who owned all the
STOCK None of them admitted know
ing c. G. Bayne given as one of the
owners OF stock. Frank Powers had
IesuEed IN the morning that he did
not know the man. but said that Mr.
Williams, the secretary of the COM
pany, would know Mr.. Williams said
he had endorsed considerable stock. in
ms name, and turned it over to W. H
Burgess He did not know to whom
Mr.. Burgess had sold it. he said Mr..
Williams was asked if c. G. Bayne
was a man or woman; if che" was not
lady stenOgrapher IN the telephone
OFFICE, and he said he did not know.
To questions of Mr.. O'Keeffe's attOr-
neys as to whether stock was owned
by the Gas company, the StOne-Web-
Ster company and other corporations,
AR Williams answered that he did not
know.
Omitted Owners in Statement.
Mr.. Williams admitted preparing a
ownership of the paper, in which the
names Of T. S Stewart, Frank Powers
and w. III. Burgess were omitted
asked if they did not own stock. he
said he presumed so"
Mr.. Simmons. in his testimony. adj
mitted that when he purchased the
paper-at which time he was presi-
dent Of the International Water com
pany-he did not care to become
known as one Of the owners. lest the
reason for the purchase Of the Times
might be miscOnstrued." As soon az
the paper came into the hands of Mr.
simmons and his associates, it began
advocating the purchase of the Inter-
national water plant by the city Of FL
PasO, something it was fighting I'D to
the day the paper changed hands.
String Of Corporation Men.
Mr. simmons admitted that Walter
douglas, managing director Of the
Phelps-DOdge company; W. H. BrOphy
the PhelDs-DOdge store manager and /
c. p. Mills, at the time of the papers !
purchase manager Of the big corpor-
aton's Morenci mining properties, !
were all interested in the purchase OF /
the paper; also DR.. L. D. Ricketts,
consulting engineer for the Phelps
DOQge corporation, and the COrrigan-
Mckinney corporation at Cananea, all /
owners Of stock in the International 4
water company.
G. A Kline testified that he had not I
offered Mr.. O'Keeffe $500 for his
llLled lnaL ne had offered to turn in /
Tor stock in the Times Mr. O'Keeffe {
mad testified that Mr.. Kline had Of |
Iered him this sum for it, although he /
had paid but $4,000 for it a short time
before he offered it to the corporatioD
for $35, 900 in stock.
simmons on Stand.
ID y summons, general manager OF
the FL PasO' Southwestern railroad !
also one of the defendants was nIaced I
3 rrf7c4 oft
opening of the case He said he
thought that if the Times could be
bought at a fair price it would be
good investment The purchase was
Ill l' az $I50.geO. he said, and the sal
airy OF Mr. Okeeffe was fixed at $3.50
month At meeting just before the
paper was taken over. Mr.. O'Keeffe's
salary, Mr.. Simmons said, was defin-
itely fixed.
NY statement was that a crowd OF I
us had gone in together and we were
70 stay together" said Mr. Simmons.
Mr. Simmons denied that anything had
ever been said about Mr.. O'Keeffe buy
ing STOCK Investigation of O'Keeffe's
property on the mesa was made
as the result Of which. Mr.. Simmons
saId. the matter of stock had been
dropped
Mr.. Simmons said that he had never
AT any time owned $4,000 worth Of
STOCK and he had never held it for
Mr.. O'Keeffe
During the time that Nr. O'Keeffe
was IN charge of the paper, Mr. Sim
mons stated, he never received any (
dividend on his stock
In addition to the Times's indebted
ness, Mr.. Simmons said that the paper
had $4,000 in the bank for operating
expenses.
just Wanted to Make Bis. Paper.
Cross examined, Mr.. Simmons said
that he had never had any experience |
.n the newspaper business. The thing /
that made him think the Times could /
be built up. Mr.. Simmons said was
the story Of the Houston Post. That
paper he said, was broken down" and
persons had taken II over and built il 4
Up to big paper. That is what made
ne think that this could be done with
he Times" said Mr.. Simmons.
Were you and Mr.. Powers going to
Juy 1t for yourselves
Mr.. Powers and our associates"
Yes / was q large stOckholder in
ne international Water works"
IhaI was sold to the city, wasn't
Yes The actual delivery was made
THINK IN November, 1910. There was
some delay about the issuance. of
ponds"
You say you wanted to buy the
laper to upbuild the town and because
-ou had other interests-the Inter
rational water works."
Don't get that confused. Mr.. Scott
Wy interests were the Baldwin estate
md others"
Don't Know stockholders.
"Who is c. G. Bayne: did he ever +
personally make application for the
tock2' I
81 don't recall I don't know the s
nan Mr. Williams and his associates
ook $4,000 don't know his asso- I
iates. I heard C. G. Bayne mentioned /
ack OCOnnor took $4,000, I took I
1880; DR.. James Douglas, president
the Phelps-Dodge company, took s