New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14


WITH THE PUsINESs-MR. sEARLEs TO
ry PRESENT To-MoERow-TEsTI-
MoNY OF BROKERS
.ebed ro.r already announced. yesterday session
., the io.nt legislative committee investigating the
workings Of trusts was devoted to continuance OF
The inquiry INFO the affairs of the Sugar trust IL
had been expected thai John f. Searles, secretary
and treasurer OF the American Sugar Refining Com
,srv which is the other name for the trust Wou'u
he prescott: IN order that the committee might com
,ls,e his examinations lie was also expected 10
r,odr.o tho books OF The company, having agre'u
n do 20 without forcing the committee TO issue
sutvo.aa for Thorn. Neither Mr.. SedrIco nor N'
hook were forthcoming. however. Instead m'a-
,ear,r from the office OF John e. Parsons sara 'ha'
III s,3rles had been called out Of town very SUD-
denly but that he would positively return III ulHe
10 ,,oear before the committee on Monday MORN
ing At this piece Of information senator Ley"
consulted with his colleagues. ana many sal" &c
NJ s-qrles mus, he present on Monday morning
without fail
nov member Of the committee made his DO"
,.,.r1av morning when that body assembled III
,bA Council Chamber at City Hall. lie was oehd'o'
Mo, arrcn Of Brooklyr who vas appointed 10 AN
The place left vacant ty the resignation Oh
Ga .iaehcr All the other members o. "e '
were present rs usual
FEW NEW FACTS BROUGHT OCI.
"a, arc mi already known The Witnesses hcilIheu
= a,,son y Fuller, who was largely interested IN
Ausar before the formation OF the sugar lIus' -"
H,s7: George H. Moller formerly secretary OF 'h'
North River Refinery. which Mr. Sea1ies DOUG :. -.
No. ono in cash and sold for $4,000 in shares oil the
,,,erican Sugar Refining Company and several
wholesale grocors and sugar brokers. MI Fu"ei
les. mony the most interesting ana me mo-. mn
por:ant lie said he thought that the sugar iIN'
va. selling sugar at larger prom, now than It had
k,f@r Iln a -
,rus. in his opinion. by controlling ~ per ce"' % T
snUia p-oIuc: Of refined sugar practically cont'o"ed
tho o..c- u that commodity for this country
The sugar brokers' did no; agree upon ina POM
Some y them said that tie trust controlled the p'ce
and dictated 10 consumers, While Others said that the
miro was controlled not by the Sugar Trust in this
county. bu, by the European market
Before The taking Of evidence began there weie
read ire names OF numhc~ Of witnesses VINO hau
been sG1p0enael - appear before the committee
Among ,hem were tho names Of James H. Duke, pes
,len, NJ tho American Tobacco Company, and Cn1'Ies
= Flint 10 ,ho Rubber Trust; Neither OF those men
vas present yesterday: however.
BEGINNING OF THE SESSION
T. Wa 10 o'clock Yesterday morning before Sena-
tor Lexow took his scat and raped for order
After llr Searles had been called and his excuses
made. ;.e name Of George r. MacDougaH was
called ic was not there. either. and his couhseI
said be- had TO go TO Boston. but would be present
On Mondav Apparently everybody would be pres
ent Oh Monday Josiah Browne and SamueI a
Maxwell wore also called in vain Probably 'he|
viii DO present on Monday. TOO
Samuf. u Randall repres entins the west Sluo
Republican club, asked permission to present some
resolution recently passed by that organization
upon ,ac subject OF gas The resolutions urged inc
comrri,tla 10 investigate the Gas Trust combiha-
ton now believed TO exist in New-York city ana
Endorsed tre bin recently introduced IN the Lesis
atccc with 81 view to lowering the price OF gas III
this c'.y senator Loxow dismissed we n''''e' %
gas briefly br say!ng that It was in the hands OF
another committee.
George H. Moller. secretary OF the North RIVER
Refinery when that concern had existence INC"
took the stand, Mr. MOllers testimony was e"-
cetdug.y brief. but he established the po'h' ti4l
Senator LeAow wished 20 make. whch was 'n"'
before the formation OF the trust competition IN
the eYo., business was active to the point OF
aerceroys TO use his own words, 1T was pretty
hard Shedding" before the formation OF 'he fus''
Nov" asked Senator Lexow. who was yester-
Gay rs usual the chief inqU,sitor. 30 you re'eh
Der whether the price OF sugar went up u'''O"S
after tco transfer OF the North River Eehheiy 10
Mr sesrles and through him 10 the trust
NJ Moller dld no, remember and after getting MN
% enpaa.ize the fact that before that transfer com
petition va keen. the chairman allowed inc "''''S'
10 step down. which ne did with alacT'Y .
Lawson y Fuller then took the stand. BY 'i4S t''e
the audience had attained respectable proportions
Mr Furr said no was sevcny-six years Old and hat
.om ls4 10 1873 he was actively engaged IN the sugar
DJsness ....
Have YOU kept yourself wei Informed since Your
retirement concerning the sugar business? was mo
hrs, question. ,,,.
YES fairly well Informed answered Nj Fuller,
DO YOU know the value Of the property no" III
oa aXd in me Sugar Trust
VIA, DO you think was The value OF the Have,
meyer Sugar Refinery In 1871 "heh the uus' was
formed"
i couldn't say" ..,.o
Did you nake an estimate Of the value OF the prop
elHs included n the Sugar Trust IN 1854
Yes"
How did you do this2'
y estimated their value by their output.
COMPARISON OF PROFITS.
Now. Mr.. Fuller what is your opinion as 70 the
prof, on sugar H. tho years Immediately preceding
ne formation OF the trust and those Immediately 'o-
owing that Consolidation"
The profit was undoubtedly larger in the hve years
mat followed the organization OF the trust than IN
ue co'resDonding period before the organization OF
he trust"
Isn't II fact Mr. Fuller that the public is paying
smaller profit on sugar 10 the sellers OF II than II
vas several years ago."
NO. ] don't think II Is"
'VInerlyY'
Yes do think so"
,etnN the price OF sugar has been materially
SVVced or late years. has II not|' -,
IL - u mas But the public has not got the Dehe-
d a. in 1rr