The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-22
A BOYCOTT BY RAILROADS.
Receiver for the @Clover Leaf" Makes
Some Sensational Charges

Cleveland Oct PA sensational
chapter has been added to the already
famous suit of the Continental Trust
company Of New York against the To-
ledo. st. Louis & Kansas City Rail
road company. better known as the
Clover Leaf.
Attorney Clarence Brown, for the re-
ceiver of the Glover Leaf, filed a petit
ton in the United States circuit court
today against the Lake Shore, Nickel
Plate and Michigan Central railroads,
as members of the Joint Traffic asso-
citation. The petition asks for re-
straining order. which was granted by
Judge Kicks yesterday
The Clover Leafs receiver asserts
that the Joint Traffic association, com
prising all the lines between New York
and Chicago and deviating lines, some
SO in all, have been trying to compel
the Glover Leaf to become a member
of the association. which the road re-
fused to do. declining to be bound by
the regulations of the Joint Traffic as
sociation. The association, in order
to bring the Clover Leaf to time, then
determined to sever all passenger re-
latiOns between its roads and the Clio
yer Leaf.
The receivers petition alleges that
the association threatened to sever all
freight relations. the real ground Of
complaint, according to the petition, be-
ing that the Glover Leaf is obtaining
more than its share Of the eastbound
traffic. The receiver refused to divide
this traffic, and as result of this re-
fusal all roads in the Joint Traffic as
ISOLATION and all connecting roads
served notice on the Glover Leaf that
after October p. 1896, they would re-
fuse to honor all through tickets or
baggage checks issued by the Clover
Leaf, or by any other company Tor the
Clover Leaf. or any tickets or checks
which read by way of the Clover Leaf
The result Of this would be. it Is al
legged, to destroy all through passenger
traffic of the road.
In the petition the receiver attacks
the Joint Traffic association agreement
on the ground that it is an unlawful
conspiracy and violation of the inter-
state commerce law and comblna-
ton to destroy competitive traffic, and
that it is an attempt to give unlaW1ul
advantage to these roads, to unlaW1ul-
ly discriminate: that IL Is an unlaWIul
conspiracy at common law; It IS re-
straint of trade. and that it is a vio--
lation Of an act of congress entitled
1.-The antitrust law preventing com
binations for the control Of trade
The petition further charges the
Joint Traffic association and the other
roads with instituung a boycott against
the Clover Leaf. which, the peutlOl
saws is precisely the same thing as
cont inations among employees Of rail-
road for the purpose of preventing the
operation of the road which has been
held to be a boycott 1t IS also
charged that the companies are IN con
tempt of the order Of the court which
appointed the receiver direct from the
operation of the road.
The final hearing of the case was
fixed for the first Tuesday in Decem-
Der, with leave to different companies
to move to dissolve the restraining or
der at any time.
The temporary restraining order is
now in effect and the companies viii
not attempt to put the agreement OF
the Joint Traffic association IN erect
until the final hearing.
The same petition viii in all prob
ability be fled against thirty-eight diff
ferent railroads in the various United
states circuit court Jurisdictions.