Wrong Without Remedy : A similar letter was written to the auditor and by communications sent at the same time Anderson made demand on the board of directors that the corporation bring suits against the treasurer, auditor, executive committee, and all others implicated for the recovery of these sums of money. A few days later Anderson received a call from one of the attorneys of the com pany, a man whom he knew very pleasantly at the club. He explained that Governor Bean and the legislators whom the company had helped had been instrumental in smoth ering and defeating legislation which might seriously have crippled the road. That the legislators whom the road had tried to heat were dangerous demagogues who had al ready made a great deal of trouble and expense for the companv. He detailed the records of these ob noxious legislators, explained the measures they had advocated and showed to Ander son's satisfaction that they were dangerous men who would confiscate corporate prop erty if they had the power, and whose theory of politics was to win popularity by denounc ing wealth as a crime, and arraying: the poor against the rich. As to the franchises, he explained the necessity the company was under of securing them and that with things as they were in St. Louis municipal affairs at the time, the franchises could not have been secured with out the expenditure of this monev. He added that all large railway corporations were representetd by lobbyists at sessions of the legislatures of the States wherein their properties lay and that without such rep resentation, demagogues and grafters would legislate corporate interests out of business. He contended that the amounts so expend ed by the corporation were not excessive and in conclusion he reminded Anderson of the smallness of his holdings of stock and of the insignificant interest he had in the subject-matter of his complaint: In- hinted
A Legal Satire.
473
that Anderson laid himself open to the charge of being a blackmailer by persist ence >'n his contention. In response to all of which Anderson courteously, but firmly, ex pressed his determination to bring his suit. A conference was held between the treas urer, the auditor and the general attorney for the road. The general attorney advised the other officials that Anderson, having made demand on the board, had standing to liti gate the matter of his complaint and that as to most of his contention he was likely to prevail. These expenditures, while prob ably necessary to the protection of the cor poration's interests, were contrary to public policy and the litigation would probably re suit in a judgment against the treasurer, the auditor and possibly the executive board, in favor of the corporation for not less than two hundred thousand dollars. This judgment, when rendered, would moreover be under the control of Anderson for many purposes and Anderson could issue execution upon it at any time. "That would sweep away a large share of my fortune," said Mr. Knox, the treasurer. The attorney added that the probing of the affair would be likely to send some one to the penitentiary. "We must buy our peace at all hazards," said Mr. Knox. A few days later Anderson sold his stock in the St. Louis and Western for thirty thousand dollars. He surrendered the manuscript containing the information he had secured trorn experting the books and signed an agreement whereby he contracted to pay fifty thousand dollars as liquidated damages if he should ever disclose his information .is to the expenditures he complained of or should ever cause suit to be brought against the company for any cause. Mr. Knox was advised that this last agreement could not be enforced, but he took it, thinking its possession gave some assurance that Ander sen would not further levy tribute on him.
