The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-06-27

t$i, 600 nor more than Eve thousand dol
lars $5,000,l and the court shall render
judgment accordingly and If the Jury shall
lind for the people, and that the defendant
has been once before convicted of a violation
Of the provisions Of this act, they shall return
such finding with their verdict, and shall
IA ess, aud return with their verdict the
amount of the fine TO be imposed upon the
defendant, at any sum not less than five
thousand dollars Us, 00O,) nor more than
ten thousand dollars t$lO,0O0) and the
court shall render Judgment accordingly
and if the jury shall find for the people,
and that the defendant has been twice be-
fore convicted of a violation of the provis-
ions of this act, with respect to extortion
or unjust discrimination, they shall return
such finding with their verdict and shall
assess and return with their verdict the
amount Of the fine to be imposed upon the
defendant, at any sum not less than ten
thousand dollars $4,000, nor more than
twenty thousand dollars 1920, Co., and in
like manner for every subsequent Offense
and conviction, such defendant shall be liza
bic TO fine of twenty-five thousand dol
lars 1925, 00O): Provided that in all the
cases under the provisions of this act a
preponderance Of evidence in favor of the
people shall be sufficient TO authorize
verdict and Judgment for the people.
6. If any such railroad corporation
shall in violation of any of the provisions
of this act, ask, demand, charge or receive
of any person or corporation, any extor-
Tomato charge or charges for the transpor-
tation of any passengers, goods, merchan-
disc OF property or for receiving, handling
or delivering freights. or shall make any
unjust discrimination against any person
or corporation in its charges therefor, the
person or corporation so offended against
may, for each offense recover of such rail
road corporation, in any form of action,
three times the amount Of the damages
sustained by the party aggrieved, together
with cost of suit and reasonable attor-
ney 5 fee, b be fixed by the court where
the same is heard, on appeal or otherwise,
and taxed as part of the costs of the case.
I. 1t shall be the duty of the railroad
and warehouse commissioners to personally
investigate and ascertain whether the pro
visions OF this act are violated by any rail
road corporation in this State, and to visit
the various stations upon the line of each
railroad for that purpose, as often as prac-
tlcable and whenever the facts, in any
manner ascsrtained by said commissioners,
shall in their Judgment warrant such pros
ecution, it shall he the duty of said com
missioners to Immediately cause suits to
be commenced and prosecuted against any
railroad corporations which may violate the
provisions of this act. Such suits and
prosecutions may be instituted in any
county in the State, through or into which
the line of the railroad corporation sued
for violating this act may extend And
such railroad and warehouse commission
ers are hereby authorized, when the facts
of the case presented to them shall, in
their judgment, warrant the commence
ment OF such acrion, TO employscOmsel to
assist the attorney general in conducting
such suit on behalf of the State No such
suitsl commenced by said commissioners
shall be dismissed, except said railroad
and warehouse commissioners and the at
torney general shall consent thereto.
: The railroad and warehouse com
missiouers are hereby directed to make
for each of the railroad corporations
doing business in this State, as soon as
practicable, a schedule of reasonable max
imum rates Of charges for the ransporta-
ton Of passengers and freight and ears on
each ct said railroads; and said schedule
Concluded on third page.