The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1905-12-21
PUT REBATERS
IN PRISON CELL
ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY
SEEKS PUNISHMENT OF VIC.
LAToRs OF LAW.
PLANS WORK FOR ATTORNEYS
INSTRUCTIONS SENT OUT TO
GET INDICTMENTS FOR
CONSPIRACY.

washington, Dec. 1t. attorney
General Moody is endeavoring to open
the doors Of the pe%nitentiaries for the
reception of railroad officials who
grant rebates to shippers and to ship
pers who accept the rebates. lnstruc-
lions have been sent to all, the United
States district attorneys throughout
the United States to secure evidence
on which to convict the railroads and
the shippers who violate the anti-re-
bate law. In addition, the department
of justice has taken advanced ground
in the matter of prosecutions OH VIC
lators of the law, by directing the Uni
ted States district attorneys through
out the United States to bring in in
dictments against all persons who con
spire to commit an offense against the
United States. Whenever possible
they will bring in indictments under
section 5440 Of the Revised Statutes,
which provides for sentence, fine or
imprisonment of all persons convicted
of conspirirg to commit an Alfonso
against the United States.
WOVUv 0cHOS SFUcIS.
Attorney General Moody has sent
a circular letter to all the district at
torneys, directing them to eudeayor to
secure indictments under 30th laws.
Under the Elkins anti-reba.e law, the
only penalty imposed for its violation
is a fine, but under the law relating to
conspiring to commit an offense
against the government punishment
may be a fine or Imprisonment. By
bringing prosecutions under the Elk
ms law the railroad officials could be
punished by fine only, and as the
roads themselves pay the fines, the Of
ficials who granted the rebates receive
no punishment for the violations of
the law.
Prison IT Possible.
Now it is the intention of Mr.. Moody
to punish not only the railroads by I'M
posing fines, EiAt the officials them
selves, by sentencing them to serve
terms in the penitentiaries. Hereto
fore no steps were taken to bring
prosecutions against the railroads for
violating the law unless specific in
structions were given by the attorney
general himself. This tied the hands
oof the United States district attor-
neys and they could do nothing to
stop the granting or receiving of re-
bates. Under the order of the depart
ment of justice, every district attorney
in the country will now exert himself
to secure evidence on which to base a
conviction which will impose as well
as a fine a prison sentence for the Of
ficials of railroads and shippers who
accept rebates.
Subpoenas at Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, Dec. IA. - Subpoenas
were served yesterday by United
States marshals on a dozen persons
who have been summoned by United
States District Attorney J. Whitaker
Thompson to appear before the fed
eral grand jury to-day and give testi-
mony in the prosecutions to be
brought against railways and shippers
for rebating.
Chicago Officials Act.
Chicago, Dec. IA. - Exhaustive in
vestigation Of some of the railroad
companies centering in Chicago, has
been decided upon by the loca. federal
officials. Subpoenas haze been issued
for a large number of railroad men
and heads of large indts..e;al %oncerns
which have heavy yearly shipments to
appear before the federal grand jury
which has been summoned for Dec.
10. Evidence secured at various ses-
sions of the interstate commerce com.
mission has given T;se to the investi-
gatiOn