Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-29
THE FULL PENALTY.


Prominent Lumbermen Convicted at So
Joseph of Violating the Interstate Law
and Given the Full Penalty
ST JOSEPH, Mo, Dec. 22-The cele-
brated cases of the United States
against Spooner r. Howell and George
W.-Howell, of the lumber firm of How
ell, Jewett & Co, of Atchison, Kan,
and Edward Tibbetis for violating the
Interstate commerce law, ended in the
federal court here yesterday. George
Howell and Tibbetts were found guilty
and were each sentenced by Judge
Parker to year and half in the peni-
Tertiary and pay fine of 81. 900. The
case against S. R. Howell was dis
missed as it was shown that he was not
an active participants in the frauds and
probably had nothing to do with them
In pronouncing sentence ON George
Howell and Tibbetts,, Judge Parker
took occasion to declare that the of
lenses which they had committed were
of most fragrant character and that
the proof was too conclusive to admit
of doubt as to their guilt
He also remarked that the full meas
ure of the law should be meted out to
the defendants, and said that in view
of the gravity of the offense he was
sorry he could not make the punish
ment heavier.
A bill of exceptions was prepared
and fled, and will be acted upon next
term. Tibbetts' bond was reduced to
s., 900. These are the first convictions
for violation of the Interstate COM
merce act in this section
Probably no firm of wholesale lumber
dealers was better known throughout
the west than that of Howell, Jewett
& Co. With yards at Atchison, Omaha,
Chicago and in Texas it completely COW
cred the territory west of the Missis-
sippi- George w. Howell. the general
manager of the firm, was in charge of
the Atchison yards which did a bust
ness of over 81 200, 900 a year. S. r
Howell had charge of the Chicago
yards, while Edward Tibbetts superin-
tended the yards at Atchison.
In the spring of 1890 the Rock Island
officials caused the arrest of each indi-
vidual member of the firm of Howell,
Jewett & Co., except Mr.. Jewett, two
of their employees, Edward Price and
w. d. Matt, and Edward Tibbetts on
the charge of violating the interstate
| commerce law.
The Western Weighing association
| does the weighing of the freight for all
| the western railroads and the Rock Is
! land people claimed that Howell, jew
| EFT s. Co. were bribing the association
| to underweigh their freight. The cases
against Pierce and Matt were dismissed
| and they were used as witnesses for the
| prosecution.
The specific charge against the How
| ellis and Tibbetts was that they had
| bribed Matt and Pierce and other
| weighers of the Rock Island at Atchi-
| son and that firm was given from 500 to
| 5000 pounds less weight on all consign-
ments of lumber to customers in Kan
| sas and Colorado than the shipments
| actually called for.
| 1t was proved at the trial of the case
| that in July Tibbetts was given sums
| men and the latter received S1.50 to 81
| per car on all cars on which fraudulent
rates were reported. Matt and Pierce
acknowledged that they accepted
money from Tibbetts, and by turning
| states evidence the defendants escaped
| punishment themselves S. R. Howell
| was not connected with the Atchison
or Omaha yards and therefore there
| existed doubt as to whether he was
| guilty. Jewett was also connected
| with the Chicago yards and there never
| were any indictments returned against
him The case has been stubbornly
| fought from the beginning. 1t is al
| legged that Howell, Jewett & Co.,
through the method they employed
| netted themselves many thousand dol