The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-14
RAILROAD men TESTIFY
OFFICIALS BEFORE GRAND JURY IN
COAL INVESTIGATION.
1t Is Denied that There Has Been
Any COllusiOn to Maintain High
Prices-Prices CT Soft Coal.

The investigation of the Indianapolis
Coal Exchange by the grand jury con-
tinued yesterday and number OF Wit
nesses were before it to tell of the opera
tions of the coal combination. The witnesses
were for the most part independent coal
dealers, who were subpoenaed in an eHort
to get at any threats or promises the men,
bers of the combination might have made
to them If they did not enter into an agree
ment with the dealers represented by the
exchange.
Several of the independent dealers VINO
appeared before the jury said that there
had been threats made against them
If they refused 10 enter the exchange. Some
of them said they had not had difficulty
as had been reported in getting coal from
the mine owners because they were not
exchange dealers and said that the high
price of coal was not the result of the
coal dealers organization, but of a natural
condition Of the market.
other dealers who were questioned by
the jury indicated the reasons for their
strained business relations with the mine
owners. 1t said outside of the jury
room that many facts were secured which
may mean indictments. The shortage or
coal in the city was said to be the result
OF the effort of the coal exchange to keep
coal out of the Indianapolis market so that
its scarcity could be legitimately accepted
as the reason for the prevailing high prices.
Several witnesses suggested the hkeli-
hood OF collusion between the coal men,
mine owners and the railroads. 1t was
charged that the railroads kept much coal
away from Indianapolis by falling to fur
nish enough coal cars to haul it to the
city.
1t was charged that many coal cars are
standing on side tracks in Indianapolis
laden with coal which is held to the order
of the members of the Coal Exchange, and
that the delay in unloading the cars is re-
sponsible for a shortage in the market. No
cars have been available for the transpor-
tation Of coal to some dealers for more
than month, IL is said. and their requests
for shipments from the mines have been
refused on this account.
RAILROAD MEN SUBPOENAED.
In order to get at the truth of these
charges Deputy Prosecutor Charles Bene-
dict yesterday subpoenaed j. Q. Van Win
kle, of the Big Four Railroad, V. T. Ma
lott, of the Vandalia. and NJ. w. Mans
field, of the indianapolis & Vincennes Rail-
road. and they appeared before the jury
in the afternoon. The questions asked
them were intended to bring out an ex-
planation of the shortage of coal cars for
service in this part of Indiana and partic
ularly on those roads leading from the
soft-coal fields to Indianapolis. If there is
a shortage the railroad officials were asked
to explain its cause. What the railroad
officials told the jury is unknown, but 1T is
understood that they professed ignorance
of any of the causes or effects of the coal
combination and disclaimed any agreement
with the coal dealers OF mine owners.
Some of the exchange dealers and also the
independent dealers are charging the old
prices for coal and still insisting that TO
sell Jackson coal at s5.25 is losing propo-
sition. They furnish the figures and prices
of coal at the mines to show that after 50
a ton Is paid at the mine, 81 for freight, so
cents for a shrinkage. II cents for switch
ing and unloading in the city and 40 cents
for delivery the coal is costing $5.32 a ton
and cannot be sold at cents less than this
price and the dealer make money. Pitts
burg coal is also said to be a losing propo-
sition at $i.75 a ton, as, considering freight
rates, shrinkage, etc, it costs sos and
cannot be sold with profit at the prices
now charged by some members of the Coal
Exchange-$475.