The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-20
.FORTY-FIVE ALLEGED
CONSPl traitors
INDICTED
Results of the Work of Chi
cago's Special Grand Jury
Various Causes for the
Coal Famine = Railroad
Companies Exonerated.

CHICAGO, Jan. ia true bill was
returned today against forty-five coal
operators and retailers, charging con-
spiracy to do an illegal act injurious to
public trade. The indictments are
against both corporations and indivId-
uals doing business in Illinois and In
diana. Bail was fixed at $500.
Accompanying the return of the in
dictments was a long explanatory re-
port setting forth the grounds upon
which the jurors based their action.
The shortage, they declare, they found
due principally to the recent great
strike in the anthracite coal fields"
The difficulty experienced by the
railroads in handling the large guam
tity required for daily supplies owing
to the failure to store bituminous coal
during the summer months, also. they
found constituted one of the causes of
the famine.
Railroads Not Blamed.
The railroads. they believe, to be do
ing all in their power to move the coal
promptly to market and the accumuta
ton of coal laden cars in railroad yards
does not exist to an unusual extent at
this time of year.
While not finding the present condi-
ton due to or apreciably influenced by
any conspiracy in restraint of trade,
and while convinced that the laws of
supply and demand sufficiently ac-
counts for the high prices prevailing,
the jury found that there existed in the
city of Chicago and in Illinois and in
neighboring states certain cOmbina-
tons which it deems to be conspiracies
or combinations in restraint of trade
within the meaning Of the Statutes as
follows:
The Northern Illinois Soft Coal COM
pany, the Retail Coal Dealers Associa-
ton of Illinois and Wisconsin, a certain
combination of Indiana coal operators
with the Crescent Coal and Mining
company. Other associations of opera
tors and coal dealers were found to ex-
list and to have more or less effect in
the fixing of prices and restricting
competition, but against whom the evil
dence did not warrant action. They are
the Chicago Coal Exchange and the
Chicago Track Dealers association.
Those Who Are Indicted.
Following is list of the corporations
and individuals against whom indict-
SCENTS were returned:
chicago Wilmington & Vermillion
Coal company, Big Four Coal company.
Gardner Wilmington Coal company,
Wilmington Star Mining company. Bell
& Zoller Coal company, Murphy Kee-
nan Coal company, Carbon Coal COM
piy' - = mus coI NodI mining COM
pany, Cardiff Coal company, the Star
Coal company, of Streator, ILL.,; the
Pricevil1e Coal company Acme Coal
company, Illinois Third Vein Coal COM
pany, the Wenona Coal company, the
Devlin Coal company, Spring VALLEY
Coal company, Marquette Third Vein
Coal company, Oglesby Coal company
w. M. Sanford, c. S. Tusk, Frank d
Lukens, Gus Ancutt, E. H. Keller
Frank McGrew, F. NJ. Durkee, c. L
j. ]. Higgins, ]. Smith Taliey. JosenI
Martin, Edward Shirkie, H. B. Nc
Clellan, John Shirkie, Walter S. Boyle
Bruillett Creek Coal company, Oak Coal
and Mining company, Council Bluffs
Mining company, Parke County Coal
company, Glen Oak Coal and MINING
comnany, Nevins Coal company, Indi-
ana Fuel company, Mcclellan Sons e