The San Francisco call., 1897-06-02

Mr.. Spreckels said": meaning, charging and
intending TO charge thereby that the plainuf
herein wes the owner and publisher OF ne 5
paper, and the same was so understo Cd Dy
the Su bScribers to and readers OF salo neWsPa-
per and said article.
"'By this transaction the trust did not secure
a controlling interest in the factory. 1hat is
still in my hands, so that we Will always be IN
q position to compete in the open market III
is understood that the trust Will cooperate
with me in the work OF developing the Deet-
sugar industry in this State by the erection OF
a number of factories fast as they are re-
quired. Their establishment will depend, OF
course, on the rapidly OF the growth OF oeet-
sugar plantations. 1t is also their intention
to develop this industry throughout the
United States
ssThe Watsonville Beet Sugar Company has
q capital stock OF 81 100000 in 10000 shares
of the value OF 800 share. More than hall
of the stock is owned by Mr.. Spreckels, the
trust has good slice and the remainder, un III
few weeks ago. was in the hands OF outsiders,
men OF wealth and associates more or less in,
innate in a business way with the sugar king
(meaniug, charging and intending 10 cnarge
thereby that the plaintiff was sugar. king,
and the same was so understood by he SUD
scribers to and readers Of said newspaper ana
said article.
''The gentlemen in this City who own the
stock paid 800 share for 1t, and every one
has since received Sly a sh are in dividends
Not one was anxious to surrender STOCK whlcn
paid so Handsomely, but no one has dared 20
charging and intending to charge thereby
that the owners of said stock, and each of
them, were compelled and coerced, against
their wish, desire and interest, by the plain
tiff. TO part with, sell and dispose OF their SAID
stock, by an improper ana illegal request
made by the plaintiff to them to sell the sald
stock, and that the plaintiff put the SAID
stocEho ders, by his said req uest, in such fear
thai they were afraid TO refuse to sell he
same 10 him, although they, as aforesaid, did
not wish so TO do, and would not have sold
said stock but for their fear OF the plalnilf
and through fear that he would injure them
in some manner unless they did so sell said
stock to him), and the same was so understood
by the subscrib bers to and readers OF said news
paper and said al t1cIe.
The price paid was handsome, for the trus t
can afford to pay for wna' il needs. In every in
stance not less than $500 share was paid,
and the only disagreeable feature about the
deal was the fact that 1t had TO be mace"
(Meaning, charging and intending to charge
thereby that the said plain tiff, acting for SAID
trust and also for himself, offered to pay and
did pay for said stock more tnan the veIue
thereof, for the reason that 1t needed the
same for some improper and illegal purpose,
and that said sale OF said stock was made by
said stockholders under the fear that hey en-
tertained of the said plaintiff, and that SAID
sale would not have been made but for the
fear in which the said stockho ders stood OF
the plaintiff herein), and the same was so I'M
derstood by the subscribers to and readers OF
said newspaper and said article.
"One Of the gentlemen who parted with his
100 snares reluctantly said yesterday;
~ have no Watsonville stock now. sold it
all TO Mr.. Spreckels.
:" Did you sell it voluntarily
'Well-yes and no. 1 made good turn on
the stock, but l would have preferred to
keep it
"'How did you come to sell ft-did you
proffer it to Mr.. Spreckels?'
''No; he wanted it and he had to have it,
"'You were held up?
"'I think that describes the condition. It
was q hold-up.'" {Meaning, charging and in
tAnding 10 charge thereby that the gentleman
said Watsonville Beet Sugar Company, ant as
such stockholder was compelled and coereed
by plaintiff herein, against his wish and de-
sire, to part with his stock in said company
and had il not been for the improper and
illegal pressure and coercion exercised over
and upon him by plaintiff he would not have
sold or disposed of his said lock in said cor
poration, but would have retained the same,
and that by being so compelled and coerced
as aforesaid in so dlsposlng OF his stock he
was robbed of the same in the mauner that
tiff the highwayman who had thus un-
lawfully held him p ana relieved him of his
stock against his wish, will and consenO, and
the same was so understood bv the subscribers
to and readers of seid newspaper and said
article.
"The same gentleman said that he received
$50, 900 for his 100 shares and he knew others
who had been forced to sell at the same rate''
(meanlDg, charging and intending TO charge
! thereby that the gentleman there referred to
was stockholder In the said W8tSonVllie
Beet sugar Company, the owner OF 100 shares
therein; that ne nad parted with said stock
through force and duress exercised upon and
over him by the plaintiff herein for the sum of
$50, 900, and that he would not have sold the
same had he not been forced and coerced into
so Going by the plaintit-and that he knew of
ether stockholders in said corporation who
had likewise been forced and coerced into
parting with their stock through duress exer-
cised over them by the plaintiff and against
their wish, will and desire), ana the same was
so understood by the subscribers TO and read
ers of said newspaper and said article.
"E. j. Molera had 200 shares. He said: Il
would not like to Say anything about this
matter My relations with Mr.. Spreckels have
been very cordial, and l do not want 10 saw or
do anything which would make them less so,
have done much business with him in the
past and hope 10 do for many years TO come.
l sold the stock at a good price and 1 am
satisfied
John L. Roster of the California Barrel Com
pany admitted that he had sold his 100 snares
to MIR. Spreckels, but declined TO discuss the
matter IN any way. The list of those who sold
their stock is as follows:''