The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-16
STILL AFTER The TRUSTS.
Investigations Of the Lexow Com
mIttee Continued.
Mr.. sEAnLEs ON THE WITNESS STAND
Ne Failed TO Produce the Minute
Book of the sugnr ReHninE Com
pany-The Testimony.

Sugar Refining company. and his lawyer
John e. Parsons, were present today wheI
the Joint legislative committee on trust
resumed its sittings. As the latter took I
seat he drew from bis coat pocket bundle
Of documents.
faro those tho missing documents Sen
ator Lexow wants?" asked reporter.
Does Senator Lexow himself know whai
documents he wan,s?" Mr.. Parsons replied
with a broad smile.
James H. Post. coffee and tea broker,
was tho first witness examined BY the
committee today. Mr.. Post said he rep
resented the firm Of Molenhauer & b. II.
Howell. refiners. He admitted that com
petition between the Mollenhauer and
Howell companies was carried on in his
office, though he was the recognized agent
Of tho companies mentioned.
There are times when those refiners do
not want to sell. and hence the compete
tion OF which | speak,
When asked as 10 ,ne extent OF the out
put of the sugar companies he said 1t
reached $1,000 tons annually.
Asked II the profits OF the concerns con-
Jointly represented sl2,O00,OO0 OF 81 ,0o0.-
600 annually. witness said he doubted the
accuracy OF the figures quoted. and finally
said that his house made less than u OF
cent a pousd profit last year.
Senator Letow was evidently dlspleased
with the reply given by the witness and
asked the stonographer to read The ques
ton. This was done and Senator Lexow
sternly said.
Nov. Mr. Post. answer and don't beat
around tho bush"
II am not beating around the BUSH re-
toried the witness with much heat
uA fatn tome s4fN Toll hats 49,
and Howell to the American sugar Rcfin-
ing company Mr. Post said he -..new abs0-
lutey nothing about tho annits OF the
sugar company,
us 1t not a fact that you compete with
the American Sugar Refining ccs-Sany in
the matter OF prices asked tho chair |
man
1T hgyf'sns In some grades every day
through tho various brokers here and
throughout the country tho Witness re- /
piled Witness said the profit to the
wholesaler on refined sugar was s.iG Of a
cent per pound and added that II hts com
pany realized ] * NJ cent .er pound nrort
on refined sugar II world be perfectly con
ten, with the transaction. Witness said
he knew nothing about the cxtcn, Of the
annual output Of the American Sugar Re
timing company
Don't You fix tho rrlca NJ rs,v ~,s,,
rial7"
WHOLE world
would have TO do that"
is IT. not fact iha; factors get 3-lG (
a cent rebate when the refiner docs MOI
make - OF cent" Senator t.eyow asked
Ihat il te,' tho witness replied.
senator L'1ow questioned NJ Searles as
% il.e Whereabouts OF the certificate books
OF the original company 70 tho SANG
question put in various glisea tho rppiy
was dsaNowal ~ any knowledge Of Tho
location Of tho books
They have been last sight Of" saId',he
witness They ware obsolete and Of no
The inquiry showed that ,hey alone con. ,
teined tho figures showing the Increase
IRON so'Wn,uNu to si',un0. a9n o. the capital \
stock and they. together with all tho pio- Z
nten and records OF tho Oh trust. ara .
gone. y
In repl- to another question he snld thu +,
national eompanys capacity was $50 900
barrels day and that The value of the
property was about 500 o00 Tho equality
rate book hSiug prices and frclrhty was
'he same IN the management Of his con-
corn as In the American Sugar Rlhnlnr
company O.
senator Leyow handed tho witness a, =,
equality book sent from Kentucky AMI wI, h
ness read the book, but said Il ala no, b
give the prices Of sugar, bur only contained /
rules governing freight rates
You DO not seem 10 know murh about
your business Il You DO want to tell said
Senator LcxOw
I'm not Wholesale grocer and know
witness VAC
The Wholesale Grocers association wa,
not started In the interest Of tue rrNrlug
company u Was started because The prow. s
srs wanted TO make llttle prof, on sugar c
ana not sell 1t at loss 4,
John T.. Soarlra fb.u ,,o,, a., .
.rhe witness admitted that the marcin q, q
proht between raw and refined sugar had q
increased during The last three wears m e
questioning continued along this line AMI p
ah eHort VAS made Ia elicit frnn ~
searIes MS knowledge NJ The cffor, Of tba I
:, Of tho fifteen companies mo q
tho American Sugar Refining co,,,,.a.,'
npon the trade aud business of ,hn.. .,.a. c
r.hhinR companies which are NOT e., r. !
consolidation. Mr. searleS, howeyc~ s,s,"1 b
,hat he had no knowledge OF the AMIR Z
Oh companies outside the American 4
senator Lekow changed his Inquiries IN v
sa direction and brought on, the n. g
, rnh mat during the past wear tho
60 roh' refinery. one In Louisiana m. [,
Were closed. al that the purrh,ss ~, ,i.p ~
unlt.n states Refining company's pl,p, 4, b
.s , was In contemplation by tbn g
nmarlean sugar Refining co,nnany b
Wen. what In the world n,.,r,,,;s So. 4
20 contemplate the purchase 81 ihe r,i ~ p
states sugar Refining COMPANY a, Gu Gu "
ION exclaimed Ar. Lo1ow." wben ,, o
low?" 'V"E Nhneriea n
we may be able to use tina, ,-o,. !
or inc Interests OF the company" w. ~
'alm reply "as the 5
nc uld not think that the acquls,,ton -, a
ne company OF additional factories 80, W G.
,he direction OF gripping conne,i,ian
n the sugar market v
How much money does the Aroo,,.. r
ugar kennins company ray annnaiiy - Il
MAINTAIN the unworked factorjns -, " ?
Il have no figures 10 answer ,h., o,.. /
on II enters into the expense ncco,,n, &
the company" account 4
Mr. Searlos admitted. however ,h., =
hhteVer plants have been acquired bsSe ~
cen competing plants Tho witness Sas
len questioned at considerable length a.
the organization Of the sugar trust
As the result OF many questions Ne Sc
'arles said he did not know tho eyec, b,
imber OF shareholders An the orlgInsi N
mpanies. There are now over 5000 tn .,
ock had been recapitulatcd from 81 900 @
o To $50 600 ono and the - |