The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-17
GAS HEARING TO
CONTINUE MANY
VEELS,VHLSAYS
Adjournment To Be Taken
At End Of Week to Meet
In Pittsburgh.
N warm T|LTS.
REPRESENTATIVE AVIS ARGUES
STRONGLY AGAINST
DELAY.
. .L. |..-Y .4N.. b..
m WARM TIITS'

WHEELING. w. Va, Feb. 17.-Tak.
ing OF testimony in the gas case be.
fore the master will probably continue
four or five weeks. adjourning posi-.
bly, at the end of the present week to
convene next in Pittsburgh, Mr.. We'll
in his talk has indicated.
Demand OF counsel for the company
for letters between Governor Hatfield
and the Public Service Commissioners
served February 4, occupied the stage
OF the hearing yesterday, counsel for
the State coming in with a list OF such
letters found In the files Of Commits.
%sioners Lee S. OFT, Wade Kilmer, C.
H. Bronson and the late Mr.. Ogden.
Company counsel were given opportu.
nifty to examine them and see II they
were the mi wanted, before they
would be introduced as evidence. BY.
play between counsel indicated they
were not the letters Well and his as.
sociates wanted.
Just before adjournment there was
a lively cross.fre tilt between oppos.
ing counsel. Attorneys Well and B. M.
Amber. on the company's side, and
ex,Judge Holt and Representative s.
b. Avis of counsel for the State, over
Mr.. Wells announcement that some
witnesses for his side te~stifying to al.
legged exclusive interference by the
Governor in the work OF the Public
Service Commission might not be
called until after the criminal case
against himself In Charleston, be.
cause, We'll said, he feared counsel
would again try to use. such witnesses
to get evidence for the criminal case.
He was referring to Representative
Avis introduction Of the criminal case
in the. cross.examination Saturday OF
Attorney Charles McCamic OF Wheel.
ing, resident counsel for the Manufac.
turers' Light and Heat Company.
Representative Avis, arguing strong.
ly against such delay, insisted that
the company proceed to finish its evi.
dence OF executive interference.
Avis Speaks.
III the defense pSoves executive in.
reference to an extent that amount
ed to subserviency Of the Public Ser.
vice Commission" Avis declared,
then that will decide the whole case
and other evidence will not be needed.
II the Governor SO prostituted his Of.
fee as expressions Of counsel here
and in the public prints would indi.
cate, It would end this case, for the
court has said II 1t could be proved
that the Governor fnterfered then the
rates the commission fixed could be
enjoined.'"
The arguments came In a lull when
Mr.. We'll. asking adjournment until
today, said witnesses he wanted to
call would not be on hand until then.
Answering Representative Avis. the
Pittsburgh attorney said he mentioned
the matter only as q courtesy to op.
posing counsel, that 1t was his right
TO conduct the company's case as he
saw fit, and that this course would be
followed from now on.
Other witnesses. David Bear, an at.
torney Of Chicago, and friend OF
Judge Ogden, Francis NJ. Trissal, of
Pittsburgh, and ". B. r. Byrne, OF
Charleston, were examined yesterday
in an effort to prove that the Gov
ernor had influenced the decision OF
the commissioners.
While the attorneys for the Light
and Heat Company tried to bring out
new testimony, their efforts were very
tame today, and 1t seems as II the
climax has already been reached.