The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-08
AFTER THE WHISKY TRUST
Western Distillery and Cattle-Feeding
Company Likely to Be Prosecuted.
Alleged to Be Violating the Interstate. Com
merce Act and Antitrust Law-Cer-
tilcate Signed BY Customers

CHICAGO, Jan. Under instructions
from the Department of Justice. at Wash
ington. United States District Attorney
Mitchell has for some time been engaged
in investigating the methods of business of
the Western Distilling and Cattle-feoding
Company, commonly known rs tho Whisky
Trust whose headquarters are at Peoria.
Ill. Complaint was made to the Depart
ment of. Justice that the company is in
reality trust and its operations are in
violation of the interstate commerce law.
Mr.. Mitchell thinks he has enough evil
dence against the company to warrant
him in laying the matter before the next
term of the federal grand jury.
The complaint which is the immediate
basis Of the proposed proceedings bv the
Department. of Justice against the WIFI sky
Trust Is document received from the
gusta. Ga, in which the writer says:
II submit the annexed rebate
certificate for your consideration.
and ask for suggestion from
you about 1t. This certificate reveals the
operation of the Alcohol Trust in the
United States. and it 10 q fact that since
last August we have not been able to buy
from any dealer with whom We are &C
Quainted single barrel of alcohol except
on the terms mentioned in this certificate.
We have diligently inquired, and cannot
discover any place where we can buy IL
except on these terms" Enclosed with the
communication was the following certifi-
cate. 1t binds the purchaser of alcohol so
tightly to the trust that he il absolutely at
the trusts mercy.
THE DIsTrLLING AND CArTLE-FEEpNe COL
PEORIA, ILL.,. JUNE 1, 1891.
Six months from date Of this purchase we will
pay to the Alexander Drug and Seed Company,
purchaser, $432. being rebate of cents per
proof gallon on 1854 proof gallons of the Dis
filling and Catte-feeding Company's product
and payable only upon condition tt at the above
named purchaser, the successor or assignee OF
the same, from the date Of this voucher TO
their supply of such kind Of goods
as are produced by the Distilling and Cattle
feeding Company, and all compounds thereof,
exclusively, OF one or more OF the dealers named
on the back Of here until further notified. and
shall not have sold any goods purchased at
any lower prices than said dealers list prices,
with freight, II any is paid By purchaser, added,
and shall also have subscribed to the certificate
on back hereof
By j. B. GREENHUT. President.
United States District Attorney Mil
christ. speaking of the matter, said: Be
sides this certificate We are In possession
of other facts which cannot be disclosed at
this time. There is not q sh adow of doubt
trolled by the Whisky Trust by combina
tions with the firms named on the back of
its certificates The combination is Ger
tainly interstate in it's character. and 1 be-
lieve the companies in the combine can be
brought to time"
prominens director of the Distillers'
and Csttle-feeders Company, who 10 inti-
matelv associated with President Green hut
in the management of the trust" said to-
night: 1--WE have been apprehensive for
some time that the government was pre-
parlng to commence proceedings against
the distlllers' company. The rapid alb
sorption of the whisky trade by the com
pany has aroused much feeling in many
quarters. and the action of the district at
torney 10 doubtless the outcome of tho
growing dissa tisfaotion among consumers
The feeling against com binations in trade is
90 strong among the people that tho action
of the district attorney may prove more
formidable than it otherwise would be.
Some of the largest Western holders of dis
tillers stock have recently taken advanr-
age Of the high prices to which the stoc X
has been carried by the recent speculativ We
movement In New York to cell their hold
posed legal steps. but largely to the fac
that the control of the company is bein 3
gradually absorbed by parties in the Ea 81
who are not friendly to the present IN snage-
ment.0
President Greenhut is i'll at Peoria and II
IL feared that he may be compelled to re-
linquish the MANAGEMENT of the company
on account of his ili-health.