Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1891 — SWEPT BY HUGE WAVES [ARTICLE]

SWEPT BY HUGE WAVES

PERILOUS TIMES FOR ATLANTIC TRAVELERS. The Adams Express Company Brings Suit Against Ex-President Hoey, Alleging Breach of Trust—Western Union Drops Associated Press Business Without Warning. Ea Champagne’s Stormy Passage. The forward promenade deck rails and those on the upper bridge of the Frencn steamer La Champagne were broken and twisted and the starboard side of the bridge itself was wrecked when the vessel reached New York late from Havre. Second Officer Bouche was suffering with severe bruises, and two of the crew were in the ship’s hospital. One of (he sailors had hjs ribs broken and another was suffering with an injured spine. It was all the result of a big wave which struck the steamship. La Champagne had just passed the Scilly Islands when it plunged into a succession of westerly gales, which buffeted the ship until after passing the banks of Newfoundland. It ran far south of the usual course, but caught the gales just the same. The engines were running at reduced speed. Ail the passengers were kept below, every door was closed, hatches battened light, and extra precautions taken for the safety of the vessel. It wa-i making good weather when an enormous billow washed over the decks. Second Officer Bouche, who stood on the bridge, was knocked down and severely bruised. The great volume of water smashed the starboard bridge planking and two sailors on the spar deck below were thrown against the steel deckhouse with terrific iorce. They were carried to the ship’s ho-pital. Next day another wave struck the ship, but little damage resulted. t None of the passengers were injured. La Champagne ke t steadily on its course despite the gales until it reached Sandy Hook. William H. Van den Toorn, General Manager of the Netherlands American Line in New York, received a cable from the Edam’s London agent confirming the dispatch of the vessel’s disablement According to the message the entire propeller, boss and all, dropped off. This, he said, was fortunate, as the vessel would steer better than if a broken screw was hanging to the shaft The Cunarder Servia, which reached port from Queenstown, was swept by gale after gale, but came through without damage. 31R, HOEY’S RESIGNATION. Ho Formally Quit* the Adams Express Company—A Heavy Suit. The following letter of resignation from John lloey was received from Messrs. Root and Clark, his counsel, at INew York: To the Adana Egress ompany and Clarence A. reward, Esq., t-cretary ot the Adams Express company: siks —After more thun forty years of faithful service to the Adams Express Company 1 have been removed from office as President by a majority of the Board of Managers, and I am informed that large claims are about to be made against me in behalf of the coin! any, based upon several alleged transactions. I have been grossly misrepresented as to these transactions, and 1 am prepared to maintain and shall maintain at the proper time and in the proper way the entire propriety and fairness of my conduct in regard to ail of them. I invite a judicial determination of any claims which may be asserted against me in behalf of llie company. If the proper tribunals shall say that I owe anything to the Adams Express I shall most cheerfully pay it. I find myself in the meantime placed in a position of antagonism to a majority of the board and to the official management of the company. It is manifest that under these circumstances and during such a controversy I cannot properly take part in the deliberations of the board, and I herewith tender my resignation of the office of manager. Very respectfully, John Hoev. A bill was filed in the United States Circuit Court in Trenton, N. .1., by the new President of the Adams Exprest Company against John Hoey, of Long Branch. It demands an accounting by Hoey for about $750,000 taken by him which' belongs to the Adams Express Company. It is set forth that nearly all or part es this amount was spent to furnish, build, and equip the property known as Hollywood. The property is in the name of Mrs Hoey, but toe company claims that it was built with its money. There is a mortgage of SIOO,OOO which was executed bv Josephine Hoey to the Guarantee Trust Company of Philadelphia. It was paid off by a check of the Adams Express Company. This is alleged to be a breach of trust. The corporation asks the court to establish by decree how far the Adams Express Company is entitled to follow the money taken by Hoey and put, into Hollywood, and asks for a lien on the property.

CUT OFF THE PRESS SERVICE. The Western Union Telegraph Company Seeking Trouble with Other Corporations. The Associated Press and the Western Union 'J elegraph Company have not been on good terms for some time, and the other night the telegraph company cutoff the three leased wires on which the greater part of the Associated Press news has been received at IN ew York. So notice had been given of the intention to stop service. General Manager William Henry Smith hurried over to the Postal Telegraph office, 'there he arranged to have the matter usually carried by the leased wires carried by the Postal lines. The matter usually carried over the Western Union general lines went as usual. The law forbids a telegraph company torefu-e business offered for its general wires, no matter how badly it may desire to do so. Of the three leased wires one carried the heavy Western business and two went to the South. On the Western wire were the offices at Cincinnati, Cleve'and, Toledo, Detroit, Chicago, Ft. Louis, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Minneapolis. On the Southern wire werG Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Atlanta, and all the larger cities in that part of the country. These wires carried about 75,000 Words. The uncontradicted story was that the difficulty grew out of a new arrangement which the Associated Press was about to make w.th the Bel! Teleph: ne Company. The telephone company owns excellent topper wires between al; the principal cities of the United. States. Not having much use for them itself it is willing to lease them sos use as telegraph lines. They not only afford better circuits at lower rates than the Western Union lines, but the <oinpany offers certain advantages to its lessors in the way of free telephone service. The Associated Press, it is said, made a contract for the telephone wires beginning Nov. 1. The contract with the Western Union expired the day the wires were cut The telegraph company has been anxious to renew it for a year. The Associated Press has held off from an arrangement from day to dAy until Nov. 1. General Eckert is said to have discovered why the Asso iated Press did not want a year's < ontract He immediately ordered the leased wires to be shut off. The Associated Press expects to make the necessary arrangements with the Postal Company to handle its mattei without de ay over the general wires. After Nov. i , Mr. Smith thinks he wiil have oetter leased-wire service than ever. In the meantime there will be a pretty low brewing between the Western Union and the Beil Telephone Company.