The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-02
Radical Step Taken by Railroad
Attorneys Here.
Declare Salary, Until Paid, Be-
longs to Government.
HARD BLOW To MERCHANTS
Sixty Suits a Month Against
Employees in City.
Union Pacific Announces 1t
Will Make Same Move.

Garnisheement by creditors of the
wages of railway employees here will
be contested by the railroads thru
their legal departments on grounds
that until employees actually receive
their paychecks, the money is rail-
road revenue and such revenue is gov
ernment property, it was announced
today by officials. The policy went
into effect today and the first effort to
resist garnisheement of an employees
wages was made by the Santa Fe in
the court of Topeka this morning.
The case involving the initial con-
test is that of A. l.. Horton, superin-
tendent of the Mutual Life Insurance
Co. in Topeka, against George Pier
son, chief clerk in the freight audi
tors office of the Santa Fe. Horton
filed garnisheement suit against
Pierson for s29.S4. claiming the
amount was due on a note. Douglas
Graham, clerk of the court of To-
peka, issued a summons for the rail-
road company to hold up any wages
due Plerson. The railroad company,
thru E. L. Copeland, treasurer, filed
an answer contesting the proceedings.
Belongs to Government
The railroad company admitted
that there was money in its treasury
department which was due Pierson,
but state that until it was paid over
to Pierson it belonged to the govern
ment by virtue of government con-
troll and certain clauses in the act of
&C gress taking over the roads. The
money, the company claims, is not
subject to attachment or garnishmene.
Robert, Blair, attorney here for the
Union Pacific, stated, following the
answer made by the Santa Fe, that
his road would adopt similar policy
in dealing with garnishments against
employees wages. Blair declared that
under the laws governing government
control railway employees, like postof-
flee clerks or other government en-
ployes, are not liable to garnish-
ment. w. r. Smith, attorney for the
Santa Fe, said that his company would
continue to oppose garnishments un-
der the policy used in the Pierson
case. -'-z-
1t VIII Be Contested.
B. ]. Lempeneau, attorney for Hor-
ton stated this morning that the at
titude of the railroads would be con-
tested thoroly in the courts, At his re-
quest the clerk of the court of To-
peka has issued an order for the Santa
Fe 30 pay in" Persons wages and it
is the company's next move. Lem
peneau said also that he would send
a copy of the Santa Fe's answer in
the case to W. G. McAdoo, director
general. and check the matter up to
the official head of the American lines.
There is a probability that Topeka
merchants may get behind a contest
of the policy of the roads iaaugurated
here today. There are about 100
garnisheement suits filed every month
in the court of Topeka About so per
cent of these are against railroad en-
ployes. and, as a whole. garnisheement
proceedings are a big factor in the
work of the court. The question of
discontinuing garnisheement proceed
ings against railroad employees involves
thousands of dollars annually for To-
peka merchants, considering from the
suits filed in the past year.