The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-16
'G0VN0Ti iT0IAPPEIAIRI|}|.
IN APPEAL HEARING N
Attorney General Says He
Sees No Reason For His
Testifying.
tRy Associated Press

(By Associated Press)
WHEELING, w. Va. Feb. 16.-Gov.
II. D. Hatfield will not be witness In
the masters hearing in Federal court
on the. appeal Of the Manufacturers
Light and Heat Company from the de.
cision of the Public Service Commits.
sion, which refused to permit the for.
mer to raise the rate for gas in this
state. 1t had been announced that the
governor would take the witness
stand to reply to the charges made
by the Manufacturers Light and Heat
Company that he coerced members OF
the commission In their decision.
When the hearing was resumed to.
day, Attorney General "A. "A. Lilly an.
nounced the decision reached 4as to
the governor as a witness, saying, II
don't see why he should come.n Al.
torney Lilly apeared In the case for
the first time at the opening Of the
hearing today.
Attorney A. Leo We'll for the gas
company called upon him as repre-.
senting the public service commission
and state to produce executive order
No. one and a letter from Governor
Hatfield Of Jan. 9th, a year ago, which
forma1ity was complied with.
"A request to produce .'any others,
without specifying dates or names Of
documents. did not bring results,
former Judge Holt for the state say.
ing, "We have none; have made in.
quiries."
Well, apparently not satisfied with
the reply, appealed to Special Master
]. w. Vandervort, who asked what
further could be expected upon Judge
Holt's assertion. We'll asked permits.
sion OF counsel for the state to- have
Commissioners Lee s.. OFT and Wade
G. Kilmer testify under oath If they
had any other letters from the gov
ernor, whereupon a recess was taken
while the attorneys went into confer.
ence.
WHEELING, ". Va, Feb. 16.-The
hearing Of the Manufacturers Light,
and Heat Company in an appeal from
the decision Of the Public Service
Commission is replete with thrillers
and one Judge has invited another to
a rough house, and this challenge ac-
cepted, while honor, pathos and Jus.
tice have clinched time and time again
in the great legal battle before Spe.
c!al Master ]. ". Vnndervort.
In the sessions the air is surcharged
with electricity and there was tense
moment or two yesterday when Ex-
Judge Holt Of counsel for the state,
said to ex,Judge B. NJ. Amber. of
counsel for the company, ''I believe
you are dishonest"
you're not trying for rough
house." queried Mr.. Amber slowly
and in even tones.
II have nothing to dodge from you,"i
retorted Mr.. Holt.
A few moments before, ex.Judge
Holt, entering an argument counsel
were having over a question asked
Miss Irene Dick, secretary to Commits
sioner6 Bronson, injected an unlocked
for feature into the proceedings. Mr..
We'll was trying to draw from MISS
Dick whether or not Bronson had die
tated his resignation, as a member of
the commission. That such letter
had been written was established. Mr..
We'll was seeking through questions to
establish that the letter was due to
Bronson's resentment against interfer.
ence with the work of the commission
by his brother.in.law, the Governor,
when eIJutE- Holt suddenly ad.
dressed the court in protest.
Miss Lees story OF how the late
Commissioner ogden's letter failed to
reach the other commissioners after
Ogden had handed It over to her, to
transcribe and send out was a feature
of the day. The day after, instead OF
delivering the letter, she said she told
Mr.. Ogden she had held It up because
she considered 1t "tactless" on his
part to write such letter. Ogden,
she said, did not overrule her.