New-York tribune., 1904-10-26
SAYS IT COST sSOO,OOO.
Witness Says He Lost That by Coal
Trusts Discrimination.

IN. hearing IN the proceedings brought by VIII
fam Randolph Hearst against the so-calleo COai
Trust was resumed before the Interstate Commerce
Commission yesterday. the frst witness called being
George Merryweather sales agent for Coke Bros.
q Co. at Chicago Mr. Merryweather. 1t Ia
charged. was known as mo. :" in the conferences
which were held al the Grand Pacific Hotel. in
Chicago.
who prepared the minutes or memoranda Of
these conferences?"
sometimes one and sometimes another. No one
person regularly
H A. Claggett OF the Philadelphia and Read
sng Coal and Iron Company. and J. w Platt OF the
Tehigh Valley Coal Company. who testified before
the commission. said they never knew who prepared
she minutes in evidence.
You had copies Of the minutes yourself. did you
not?' asked Clarence }. shearn. Mr. HeaTsts at
torney.
yes. but destroyed them soon after receiving
ihern"
when YOU learned OF a dealer who selling
under the schedule pr1ce. what action would be
takenT"
.Fse would be seen and induced to maintain the
price"
And n he should refuse would threat of cut
ting on hts supply be nader"
No. nothing Of that kind was attempted usually
We use moral suasOn."
How DO you tx your priceg"
u follow the price of the Philadelphia and Read
snR Railroad"
you generally follow the price By Mr. BaeT
~ the Philadelphia and Reading company"
y generally follow the price set by this railroad"
Mr. MerFyweatheF. IN answer 20 further ques-
&ions, said that the meetings OF the coal dealers
and agents abandoned at the time OF the
anthracite coal strike.
They were abandoned. were they not because It
W8s found that they were tn violation OF the law
''Yes. think So"
John c. Haddock. an independent mne owner
ana operator. called He said he had shipped
coal over the Delaware Lackawanna and Western.
ghe LehiEh Valley and the Pennsylvania railroads.
gse made his principal shipments 10 tdewater over
tie Lackawsnna. and declared he had been dis
crimlnated against by the carrying company. HIS
properties Were operated By the Peoples Bank
OF WnkesbaFTe trustee
He said that he had had trouble sbout rates with
the railroad company as far back as lsSA other
companies were enabled 70 transport coal under the
coal purchasing contract he declared. while he had
70 pay the published tariff rate and he had esd-
mated that IN about seven or eight years Il had
cost him $4,000. that is lie estimated that he
would have made so much Unore = he Nd been en-
abled 10 ship coal under the coal puF~AaSlas rom
tract system
did you ever make definite protest to the the
'And that would be the difference between sol
ysncy Gnd Insolvency OF your company
.-Tbe Taiiroad company finally made adjust
Yes. by making payment Of certain sums. rep
yesentinR the difference at that time between me
coal purchasing contract rates and the published
..Die YOU have any trouble getting cars during
fhe last anthracite coal striker?
Yes. sir; we wanted more cars, but We couldn't
get our normal number OF cars at the time
On oross-eKa mination Mr.. Haddock said com,
promise was finally reached whereby the railroad
one Of the attorneys for the railroads remarked
rarerthetically that these losses sustained By Mr..
Haddock were In consequence or the low prices
secured iG small size coal a nnq nqL oSe Ne 70
..They were not. 4 do not want any testimony
The heudng VIII go to-day.