The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-07-13
INSURANCE MEN INDICTED.
A NYss,ssipr! Grand Jury Enforcing tn
" ANTITRUST Law.

A MiSssSipp! Granu Jury enforcing 'he
ANTITRUST Law,
&yo,.ii,ar Miss July lin hts charge
70 the grand Jury at tho beginning of tho
present midsummer term of the circuit
court of this county last Monday, Judge
j. w. Fcweil dealt at length with the
Insurance trust question, advising the
Jurors to slit the matter to the bottom
and endcavor to ascertain whether or rot
there Is in existencc a trust or combine
entered INTO by several companies doing
business in this county TO increase the
rates on insurance against loss by fires,
or TO maintain agreed rates, thereby de-
priving the pubic OF the benefits of COM
petition, and If 80 10 exert the!r best en-
dcavors to hiring the members OF the trust
to the bar for punishment. Since the
opening of court, the grand jury has been
invest eating the matter, and have had
every local agent OF Insurance companies
up before them testifylnS. As a result OF
this Investigation. indictments were
found by the jury yesterday against some
of the most important insurance. COM
pantss Of this country and England.
charging them with being members u!
trust known as the Southeastern Tariff
nSso', alton of Atlamja, Ga, the purp use
Of which ia to maintain rates fixed by the
officers of the association. SIX separate
Indictments We're found against each COM
rany The following companies We're In
dotted.
The Sun Mutual Fire Insurance com
pany Of New Orleans; the Palai'ne Fire
Insurance company vf Manchester Emu
land: the Me rhan'cs and Traders Fire In
Scottish Union and National Fire insur-
ance company of Edinburgh scotland. the
American Fire Insurance company OF
Philadelphia: the New York t'nGerwiters'
Agency of New York: the Hanover FIR,
Insurance company Of New York: the
Ge rgia Home Fire Insurance company
OF Columns, Ga the Liverpool! and Lon
don and Globe Fire Insurance company
e Liverpool. England. the PENNSYLVANIA
Fire Insurance company # Philadeluhia :
the Delaware Fire Insurance company OF
Philadelphia. the Western Assurance com
pany az Men York tho Crescent Insurance
company of New orleans. the Southern
Insurance company of New Orleans: me
New Orleans Insurance. association of
New Orleans; the Phoenix Insurance com
pany of Hartford. CT. the Greenwich In
sMrance company of New York; the
Phoenix Insurance company Of BROOKLYN;
the Royal lnsurance company OF Liver
POOL, the Home Insurance company Of
New York; the Aetna Insurance compan,
of Hartford. the Lancashire Insurance
Insurance conpany OF Ed!nburgh; TN
Hartford Insurance company OF Hart
ford: the Norw on Cnion Insurance com
pany of England; the Insurance. company
of North America Of Philadclphil the
| Phoenix Assurance company ~ Lond N;
the Queen of America Insurance COM
| pai.y cf New York; shr Manchester In
| snrarcc company of England: the Mis-
.irsipp Home Insurance company d
| Ncksburg,
In the indictments found 1t IS charged
that the companies forming the South
eastern Tar'f Association of Atlanta. Ga
md unlawfully and felcniously agree with
each other and each with the other &c
abid" by md adhere to and be bound by
Ne rates so fixed for such premiums hy
said trustee. called the Southeasterr
Tariff Association. and not. vary from
such rates In the issuing of policies oi
| insurance IN said county and State. there
| by unlawfIlly aud fcloniously drprlvina
! tho public Of thu. benefits of compctitior
/ in the matter Of fire insurance. rates con
yrary TO the form of the statute In suct
case made and provided and ngains, th'
peace and dignity of the State of Missis
| s!ppl"
The cases against the companies will
be called for trial at this term Of court
and an intereiins legal hatstle will Ii
fought, The affair has created n decidc'
scnsmtion in u.s. city particularly n IN
upon sections 1000 and 1857 of tho Anno
tatcd Code Of Mississippi, the provisions
of which. as alleged In the indictments
| have been violated.