The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-20
Eorfy-Five Indictments I'm All Re-
turned, Mainly Against Illinois
Operators and Dealers.
STATEMENT BY GEORGE F. BAER
SHOWING THAT ANTHRACITE is NOT
BEING HELD BY HIS RAILWAY.
Testimony of Col. II. A. Philips Before
the Strike COmmission-TOO Many
Boy Unionists, He Says.

CHICAGO. Jan. ia true bill was re-
turned this morning against forty-five coal
operators and retailers, charging conspiracy
TO do an illegal act injurious to public trade.
The indictments are against both corpora
tions and individuals doing business in Illi-
nois and Indiana. Bail was fixed at 81 500.
Following is a list of the corporations
against whom indictments were returned:
Chicago. Wilmington and Vermillion Coal
Company.
Big Four Coal Company.
Gardner Wilmington Coal Company.
Wilmington Star Mining Company.
Bell & Zoller Coal Company.
MurphyKeenan Coal Company.
Carbon Coal Company.
Wilmington Coal Mining Company.
Cardiff Coal Company.
Star Coal Company of Streator, Ill.
Braceville Coal Company.
Acme Coal Company.
Illinois Third-vein Coal Company.
Tetona Coal Company.
Devlin Coal Company.
Spring Valley Coal Company.
Marquette Third-vein Coal Company.
Oglesby Coal Company.
Bruillett's Greek Coal Company.
Oak Hill Coke and Mining Company.
Coal Bluff Mining Company.
Parke County Coal Company.
Glen Oak Coal and Mining Company.
Nevins Coal Company.
Indiana Fuel Company.
Mcclellan Sons & Company.
Crescent Coal and Mining Company.
Indictments were also returned against
fhe following individuals:
William NJ. Sanford Hugh Shrkie.
&. g. Lusk. j. j. Higgins.
Frank T.. Lukens. j. Smith Talley
Gus Ancutt. Joseph Martin.
T. ". Keeler. Edward Shirkie.
+. NJ. Durkee. John Shirkie.
G. l.. Marston. Walter s. Boyle.
r. c. Brown.
BASIS OF INDICTMENT.
Accompanying the return of the indict-
ments was an explanatory report setting
forth the grounds on which the jurors
based their action. The shortage, they de-
clare, they found due primarily and prin-
cipally to the recent great strike in the an
thracite coal fields. Bituminous coal could
not ID mined and stored in sufficient quanti-
ties to supply the deficiency caused by the
restricted output from the anthracite mines,
First, because the capacity of the mines
could not be increased so materially on
short notice. and. secondly. because the
storing of bituminous coal during the sum-
mer months is inexpedient owing to danger
of deterioration through stacking and of
destruction by hre through spontaneous
combustion
In Chicago, the report continues the
amount of anthracite coal received in 1902
was ], 1,507, ,637 tons less than In 1901 to Offset
which there was an increase of only 79S. .721
tons of bftuminous coal. The difficulty
perienced by the railroads in handling the
large quantity 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. The railroads they believed TO be
doing all in their power to move the coal
promptly to market, and the accumulation
of coal-laden cars does not exist to un-
usual extent at this time of year. THE
jury finds no convincing evidence" the re-
port reads. "of deliberate detention of cars
for the purpose of intensifying the difficul-
ties of the situation"
While not finding the present condition
due or appreciably Influenced by any con-
spiracy In restraint of trade, and while
convinced that the laws of supply and de-
mand sufficiently accounts for the high
prices prevailing. the jury finds that there
existed in the city of Chicago and I'm Illi-
nois and in neighboring States certain
combinations which Ii deems to be conspira-
cies combinations in restraint of trade
within the meaning of the statutes" as fol-
lows: 1.-The Northern Illinois Soft-coal As
socfation, the Retail Coal Dealers Associa-
tion of Illinois and Wisconsin, a certain
combination Of Indiana coal operators with
the Crescent Coal and Mining Company
While not differing in character and scope
from similar combinations in other lines of
business. the jurors deemed IL their duty
20 present the foregoing indictments Other
associations of operators and coal dealers
were found to exist and to have more or
less effect in the fixing of prices and re-
stficting competition. but against whom the
evidence did not warrant action. They are
the Chicago Coal Exchange and the Chica-
go Track-dealers' Association.