Hutchinson gazette., 1901-09-26

and shortly aiterward the Farmers Co.
received notice from the Wichita Office
OF the Teasdale people that they could
not continue tobid for their grain. At
the Wichita meeting Secretary Howatt
asked Mr. Smiley II their elevator
would be accepted as n member Of the
State Grain Dealers Association, and
received a reply in the negative. The
copy OF the letter written by William
Asqe $ Son was aiterward offered In
eyidEnce. Its claimed by the State
that large number Of these letters sub
stantially alike we're sent out to various
dealers principally on the Missouri Pa
cidc railtoad, by Astle, The letter Is as
follows;
Haven, Kans, Aug lst, 1901,
Gentlemen: We have a Farmers
proposition here at Haven which is very
annoying to the grain business and there
is only one house that Is handling their
business, and VIC have asked them TO
quit, This they agreed to do, but did
not live up to their agreem and are
still bidding and buying OF the farmers
at this station, Now we have been
heavy sellers 10 J, II. Teasdale and
hereafter we will not give them a single
bushel OF anything and we so stated to
them. Now we understand you people
have been selling them considerable.
Now as brother dealers we ask you to
quit them and stand up and tell them
just why, and we will ask all other re.
liable concerns to give their support
and we feel sure they will and no doubt
Teasdales will see their folly. With
best wishes, and thanking you in adj
vance for any favor,we are Yours Truly,
WIN. AsTLE & Son.
AS explanatory Of how they came into
possession of this copy the following
portion OF a letter from the Teasdale
Company under date OF August ID, was
introduced as evidence, "In regard TO
the letters written by Astle u Son, will
state that we have none of'the originals
in this office, but for your information we
enclose copy 1t is possible that our
Wichita Office, may have one or more OF
the original letters and If so we would
have no objection to your using same
provided we could turn them over to
you without violating the confidence Of
the person or persons from whom we
got them. At the present time we do
not know upon what conditions these
originals were surrendered to our repre-.
sentatives and as amatter Of course If
same were obtained in confidence or with
the understanding that they would not
60 out Of our hands, we would have to
retain possession of same. We are glad
to note that you are applying for men,
bership in the Kansas Association since
we think this will bring the matter 10 a
head and relieve us of considerable en-
barrassment. Yours Truly,
THos. B. TEAsDALE, Pres.
Smiley was the next witness on the
stand and he refused to answer practi-
cally everything on the ground that it
would incrminate HIM Smiley is n
little shriveled faced Pinchbeck of a
fellow in appearance whose looks would
lead one to believe that there were
plenty of things Of which he might be
guilty. The first question asked was to
tell the object Of the Grain Dealers AS
socation, He refused to answer. The
court ordered him to answer and he
again refused to answer. He was then
remanded TO Jail, constructivCly, He
was next asked to examine copy of
the Grain Dealers Journal printed in
Chicago under date Of March IS, 1900
He was shown a resolution printed in
the minutes of the State meeting Of the
Grain Dealers Association with the state
ment that it was introduced by II. Work
OF Ellsworth and was adopted. The
resolution was as follows:
Resolved, That the members of the
Kansas Grain Dealers Association re-
fuse to do business with any receiver,
commission man or miller, that bids, ir-
regular dealers and will not accept the
the Aimsy excuse that he did not know
he was an irregular dealer 1t shall be
the duty of the secretary Of the assoca-
ton upon receiving proof of such bids
having been made, to notify each mem.
Der of this association of this fact.
Smiley was then asked il that resolu-
ton was passed at that meeting and re-
fused to answer, He was then asked to
tell what was meant by the use of the
term irregular dealer as used in that
resolution, He refused to answer.
Smiley was then asked If he had not
drawn up contracts organizing the grain
dealers at various places in Kansas into
an unlawful trust, combination and pool
for handling grain, and especially at
Haven, Kansas and Concordia. He re.
fused to answer.
The navt ,uitneee wne n man hv tho