The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-05

Shortly after o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon the federal grand jury returned
an indictment before Judge Munger, Of
the United States circuit court, the
text of which has not been made pub
lie. There is every reason to believe
that 1t is against the officials of the
Wisconsin Central railway for the al
legged manipulation of flour rates.
The investigation was commenced at
10 o'clock and a number Of railway Of
ficials and millers had been subpoenaed
to give testimony before the investi-
eating body.
J. f. Marchand, attorney for the in
terstate commerce commission, was
present and conducted the examina-
ton of that body, and an official ste
nographer had been sworn in to take
a transcript of the testimony as an as
sistant United States attorney.
Many Subpoenas Served.
The following persons had been
served with subpoenas: James S. Bell
Crosby company; J. S. Andrews, of
Pillsbury- Washburn Mills company; e.
S. Woodwork. E. T. Blew, T. F. Arm
strong, E. t. Schneider, A. D. Thomp-
son, c.. J. Blythen. j. C. Garfield. F. E.
Hardenberg, E. G. Chapman, George
{: Christian, G.. c. Bovey, A. Z. May,
G.. W. Graft, all of whom are engaged
in the flour and mill feed business.
George T. Huey, general Northwest
ern freight agent of the Wisconsin Cen
trail railway; w. G. Whitcomb, local
way; j. T. Connolly, general North
western agent of the Milwaukee; H.
M. Pearce, general freight agent of the
Omaha: w. L. Martin, general freight
agent of the 500 Line; w. G. Bennett.
Toledo general freight agent of the Ann
Arbor; G. w. Peake, commercial agent
Of the Ann Arbor at Milwaukee;
George z. Lyman, assistant general
freight and passenger agent of the c.,
Lake Shore railway at North Amherst,
Ohio; w. H. Schibley, Of North Am
herst, and w. H. Hosmer, of Chicago.
Few Witnesses Called.
There were only few witnesses ex-
amined. M. F. Keane was the first to
be called. About $50 p. m. the exam
had not been examined were discharged
by the court.
The suddenness with which the in
vestigation came to a close was some
what of a surprise to those who had
been subpoenaed to give testimony and
they are specializing as to whether with
the three witnesses called they received
sufficient evidence to bring an indict-
ment, or whether they intend to take
another tact.
At any rate an indictment was turned
in last night and when the clerk was
asked regarding it he said that was a
state secret and it's text would be
made public in due time. At the time
it was returned Attorney Marchand
was present in the court and seemed
more than usually interested in the
proceedings, and 1T is fair to presume
that were it not against some railroad
officials he would not have been pres
ent in the courtroom at that hour OF
the day.
It is understood that arrangements
on all indictments returned will be
made some time today.
Investigation Is Welcomed.
Some of the railroad officials say
they have no fear Of an investigation
of this sort, and all declare their in
nocence of any wrongdoing. They well
come the investigation and are posi-
tive that they can satisfy any jury that
they have been maintaining rates I'M
plicitly during the period for which
they are claimed to be under suspicion.
Indictments were returned against
G.. c. Empey, Halves S. Rogers, John
Hausladen and Lulu Gardner.