The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-25
HEARST HEARING ON
RESUMPTION OF CASE BEFORE COM
 MISSION.
New York Editor Alleges CollusiOn on the Part O7 the Coal Carrying
 Railroads In Fixing Prices.

New York. Oct. 24.-The hearing be- fore the Interstate Commerce Commits sion on the charges brought by William Randolph Hearst alleging collision on the part of the coal carrying railroad companies in fixing and maintaining the price at tidewater was resumed today in this city. The hearing had been ad- journed since May 27 last.
 The specific complaint is that the railroads involved have fixed excessive charges for coal in restraint of trade and in defiance of the Sherman anti trust law. The complainant represent ed by his counsel, c. A. Shearn. has sought to produce such evidence before the Commission as would compel the reduction of the price of coal at tide water east and west and secure the punishment of the alleged conspirators. The railroad companies involved in- clude the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Erie, Delaware and Hudson. New York Ontario and Western. Central Railroad of New Jersey, Reading and Delaware Lackawanna and Western.
 The first witness called for the com plainant was Robert H. Crum, a mem- Der of Chicago mercantile agency who identified a number of price cards giving the Chicago retail price of coal for March, April. May and June, 1904 The cards were submimtmted as evil dence, but their admission was object ed to by attorneys for various inter- eSts.
 The objection was overruled and the price card and circulars were admit ted in evidence. In announcing the rul- ing of the commission. Chairman Knapp said that the evidence in regard to the price cards and testimony along that line Is admissible. because 1t may tend to sustain the charges that the respondents are unreasonable in their charges for coal at tidewater.
 R. H. M. Claggett. agent of the Phil adelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, the next witness called. pro duced memoranda of meetings attended by the witness and the Chicago repre- sentatives of other coal carrying com panies at a Chicago hotel. The mem oranda showed the names of thirteen dealers. In reply to questions by Com missioner Prouty, the witness said there were other wholesale dealers in Chicago. but he could not recall the names of any or them. The witness said he never agreed upon any price for coal. He said he had his tnstruc- tions from his superiors at PhiladeI' phia and did not have authority t make any changes in prices. It was undoubtedly true, he said, that tho I.7OO or l,S00 retail coal dealers in chi cago charged uniform prices.
 F.. J. Platt, general sales agent of the I.ehigh Valley Coal Company of Chica- go was called to the stand by MT. Shearn. He said he had attended some of the meetings of the wholesale coal dealers and western agents of the coal companies of Chicago and had received memoranda of some of the meetings. The witness did not know who sent the papers, and he had. he said, to the best of his knowledge. torn them up.
 It developed then that the minutes of the meeting. all in typewritten form. referred to those present by number and not by name except in occasional instances.
 Mir. Platt said the conferences had no Jurisdiction in the establishment and maintenance of prices.
 What did you do when you found retailers varying prices?1 was asked.
 T always tried to keep uniform price among my own customers. when they cut prices I talked to them ana showed them where they were wrong
 The witness concluded by saying that the conferences had no regular organization. no Chairman and no Secretary and that they were only gatherings to discuss trade conditions to compare notes on the general slt- uation.
 The case will be continued tomor- row.