The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-20
TRAPPED BY A DETECTIVE
SOME OF THE LOCAL LINES SAID TO
HAVE VIOLATED THE LAW.
The New York Central Pushing an
Anti-Scaiping Bill-RaiIrOad Earn
fngs for March Disappointing.

A man who bears the name of Snow has
been doing some very shrewd detective
work as a representative of the Interstate
Commission and has succeeded
in getting some evidence from the shippers
of dairy products which. ii is feared. will
cause trouble for the freight Representatives
of a number of roads which cross Indiana.
Mr.. Snow was first heard of in the West.
representing himself as the agent of a new
fast freight line about TO be established, TO
operate over the Lake Shore, Michigan Gen.
trail and Erie. To shippers he stated that
he was soliciting dairy and live poultry
business for the new line, and knew that in
order TO get business he would have 10 do
a little better than the old-established lines.
AS a result he got the shippers in Nebraska,
Kansas. Iowa and Missouri to give up
proofs Of cut rates offered them by certain
lines, giving them TO understand that he
would give them n cut from 3 cents to 10
cents per hundred pounds lower than any
thing they could secure lsewhere. In one
instance in Nebraska he ran across a ship
per who had an offer in writing from a
South Watershed broker TO make him "A
rate of SO per car over the Lake Shore less
than he was getting by the line on which
he was shipping. Snow stated that he
would make Il rate OF S4 per car less. pro-
vided he could have the letter making the
offer to show TO his people in Chicago as
proof of what competitors We're doing. Not
getting 1T. ne then stated that he had a
kodak with MIN. and he would like to pho
tograph the letter. but about that time, the
shipper recognizing what was up. the Inter-
state Commission's detective had to come
away e~mpty-handed, as far as the shipper
was concerned. However. as a result of mis-
Investigations, il is rumored that sufficient
evidence was secured of "a direct violation
of the Interstate law to catch a number of
lines, among them being the Chicago, HAM
mond & Western. the Indiana. Illinois &
Iowa. the Elgin. Joliet * Eastern. the three
Chicago Belt lines, the American Refrigera-
tor Transportation Company, the Lake Erie
& Western, the st. Louis, Chicago * St.
Paul. the Chicago. Peoria * St. Louis. the
Merchants Dispatch on the Big Four syS-
tenn via St. Louis and Peoria. and the
Traders Dispatch, doing business over the
Nickel-plate and Lehigh Valley. Mr.. Snow
melted away a few lays ago, and ii is I'M
derstood Is now in Washington. placing the
evidence he gathered before Chairman Nor
rison, and as a result ii is expected that
both shippers and railroads Will be pros
ecuted.
Victory for the Railway Pool.
Argument on the appeal from Judge
Wheeier's decision in the action brought
in the name of the United States against
the Joint Traffic Association. alleged to be
an Illegal combination of railroad interests
formed for the purpose of defeating COM
petition and for the pooling of traffic and
earnings. was continued at New York yes
terday before Judges Wallace and Lacombe.
of the United States Circuit Court of APP
peals. Most of the day was given
to the hearing of by
James c. Carter and L. j. Phelps in
favor Of the Joint Traffic Association
against the appeal taken by the United
States government. At the conclusion of
the arguments the Judges conferred briefly,
after which Judge Wallace announced that
in his opinion the United States had no
right TO an Injunction, and the appeal was
dismissed. He said in substance: I'm my
view the act cannot
be invoked in this case. If there has been
any violation of the pooling section of that
act the right OF injunction lies not with the
United States government, but with the
interstate-commerce commissioners. 1t is.
however, a matter OF grave doubt whether
they have any right TO such relief or In
any way excepting by criminal prosecution.
/ believe that 1t is a question OF grave
doubt whether or not the antitrust law
have no remedy by injunction in this case.
The provision of the act authorizing relief
by Injunction allows it to be invoked in a
to loss. A rival road might invoke that
section of the act, but an Injunction in this
case cannot be maintained. We affirm the
decision OF the court below"
C%oncurring in this finding Judge Lacombe
remarked that ii was only necessary. FOR
MN ID say mat lHt 0HlltU STATES ldu III
right under the interstate-commerce act,
and in his opinion the antitrust act does
not apply and was not intended by Con
gress TO apply to railroad corporations
District Attorney McFarlane said. after the
decision of the circuit had been rendered
that the appeal will be carried to the SUI
preme Court of the United States.
A Good Time in Prospect.
The Grand Division meeting of the Order
of Railway Conductors will be held at Los
Angeles on the second Tuesday in May, and
the members expect to attend in consider
able numbers and anticipate having an in
teresting meeting and a good time general
". The New York Central has made ar
r%angements TO run a special train to the
Pacific coast for the conductors and mem.
bers of their families from the Central,
West Shore. Rome. Watertown & Ogdens.
burg. Waikiki Valley, Peach Creek, and
burg. The train will consist of one din.
ing. one buffet and three sleeping cars. and
arrangements have been made to accom-
modate seventy-five to eighty persons. The
train is to leave Buffalo May 8 at ) p. IN
and is TO make the following stops during
the trip: Chicago, twelve hours Pike
/ Peak. twenty hours: Salt Lake City. sin
hours: San FRANCISCO. two days; Los An.
geles. four days: Tucson. three hours; T.
Paso, six hours: San Antonio. one day
New orleans. two days: Chattanooga. hf'
teen hours. Returning the party expects &c
reach Buffalo May %. The excursion trair
is TO go over the following roads: Lake
Grande Western. Denver * Rio Grande
Southern Pacific. Queen a Crescent. In adj
dition TO the excursion here mentioned spe'
cial trains will be run from points on the
Erie road from Cincinnati. Chicago and St
Louis.
Various Rate Matters.
Roads i'm the Southwestern Passenger As.
sociation have decided not TO authorize