The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-06
Says Service Board was Not
Mofested in Its De-
cision.

II. d. Hatfield took the stand this
week when the hearing OF the case OF
the Manufacturers lights and Heat
Company against the state was con,
tinued in federal court before Special
Master ]. w. Vandervort.
The governor In his evidence denied
executive interference In any matter
with the public service commission In
the performance Of its duties in or
dering the rates lowered
The attorneys appearing in the case
were the following:
For the state: j. B. Sommervillc,
Judge John H. Holt, S. b. Avis and
Judge F. W. Nesbit.
For the gas company: A. Leo We'll,
r. NJ. Amber, Charles McCamic and
r. S. Spilman.
Governor on Stand.
Governor Hatfield was sworn and
took the stand at $50 p. m, and was
questioned by Judge Holt and gave
his official position as governor OF the
state and reviewed the appointment
Of the first public service commission.
When asked what, II anything, he
had ever done to influence the action
Of the public service commission In
the consideration of the Manufacture
ers' Light and Heat Company, the
question was objected to by Attorney
We'll and sustained by the master
The question was changed and the
governor was asked II he ever talked
TO the public service commission or
any member Of the commission on the
subject Of rates pending before the
commission, and his reply was that
he had never discussed the merits
Of the case nor the subject OF rates
with any member Of the commission
at any time and that he did not now
know what rates were fixed by tho
commission in this case nor what
conclusions the commission arrived
at.
When asked il he had ever dis
cussed rates, or the merits OF any
other cases before the commission the
governor stated that he had not and
that he was only interested in the
matter of expedition Of the business
before the commission.
Offer Order rs Evidence.
Attorney Holt presented execution
order No. l to the governor and his
signature was acknowledged thus iden-
flying it. The object Of Offering this
order as evidence was to show that
the only interest the governor had
shown in the case was for the dis
patch of business and the offering OF
The document as evidence was OBJ
jected to by Attorney We'll for the
gas company and argued at consider
able length.
Judge Holt said to the court that
this order was first offered in evil
dence by the gas company and not
by the state, and il the gas company
had right to use il as evidence, GER
tainly the state should have the same
right to use it.
The order was made January s.,
1915, while the final order in the Man
ufacturers' Light and Heat case was
entered April %, 1914, and the gas
company had promptly submitted this
order as evidence to show executive
Interference although the case had
been decided by the commission many
months before executive order number
one was written. The master ruled
that the question as to what circum-
stances prompted the writing OF this
order was proper one, and the gov
ernor stated that he would have to en-
plain the administration Of the work
/. mems compensation department. stat
ing that parties interested and had
obtained information from the COM
mission and had used 1t to interfere
with the proper administration OF the
funds Of this department, and that his
order was suggestion that no fur
Their information of this kind be given
ont.
Reduction Not Ordered.
When asked concerning the alleged
statement Of Commissioner Ogden
that Mr.. Ogden may have said that 1t
made mot a damn bit OF difference
what the testimony in the case is, the
governor has ordered the rates low
cred and this must be DONE the gov
crnor testified that he had never or
dered the commission to reduce the
rates, and that he had never discussed
the merits of the case with them.
He also stated he had not discussed
the merits of the White Oak fuel case
from Fayette county and had not dis
cussed it with the members OF the
commission while the case was pend
ing.
At the December hearing testimony
was introduced showing that the
members of the public service COM
mission had had meeting in the gov.
ernor's Office in February or March
1914, and the governor was asked tc
state what was said, what occurred
and how the meeting was brought
about. To this question Attorney Wei
objected. The master ruled that the
question was proper. The governor
stated that this conference was called
at the suggestion Of Chairman OFT
who had stated that it was difficult tt
hold quorum of the commission ant
That it required majority Of the com
missioners to decide each individual
claim. They discussed number o