Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-02-13 | Page 8 | Railroad Magnate Defies Commission

RAILROAD MAGNATE DEFIES MISSION Vice President of L. & N. Forcibly Ejects Government Govern-ment Agents. WASHINGTON. Fob. 12. How Vice President W, L, Mapotlicr of tho TjouIb-vlllo TjouIb-vlllo & Nashville railroad defied the interstate in-terstate commerce commission's effort to investigate the railroad's aftalrn at the direction of the senate and forcibly ejected the commission'? agonts from his offices was communicated to tho senate today by Chairman E. E. Clarke of tho commlHsion. In a letter to Senator John Sharp Williams, Chairman Clarko Inclosed a memorandum by Commissioner Meyer, charging that Vice President Mapother forcibly ejected the agents while at his order certain files of the road containing data on railroad pas-sea and records of contributions to political campaigns wero boln' revised and subjectod to "apparent eccrellon and destruction." In his memorandum, Commissioner Meyer anid information was sought concerning con-cerning money subscrlDtd, expended or contributed for "maintaining political or legislative agents, or contributions to political campaigns and for Treating .sentiment In favor of any of tho plans of any of said railroads," and also tho Issuance Is-suance of passes. That Mr. Mapother, In direct defiance de-fiance of the government agents, denounced de-nounced them as spies and threatened to "lick" them, and declared "we refused fllc-s lo von people before and aro not In Jail yet," was charged by Commissioner Commis-sioner Meyer. "Information from our examiners, read Commissioner Meyer's report, "has been to the effect that Mapother was: the official under whoso decision any of tho subscriptions, expenditures or contributions contribu-tions contemplated by tho resolution would be made, and that data In regard theroto, especially records of oubsctip-tlons oubsctip-tlons not yet pnld. would most probably be found In his flics." The commission was proceeding under a. resolution by Senator Lec calling lor investigation of various activities of tlio I,oulsvll1c & Nashville and como of Its allied lines.