Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-30
PRICES ARE FIXED FOR ALL
Witnesses Tell How Grain Business is
Worked in Saunders County,
FORFEIT REQUIRED OF THE DEALERS
Last Day of Testimony In Hearing at
wahoO Develops About Same
Line of statements as
Previous Ones,

| WAHOO. Neb., June 29-(Special Tele-
gram THE taking of depositons in the
case of the Worrall Grain Company against
| the Omaha Elevator Company was con-
| cluded this afternoon, twenty-one witnesses
having been examined, the testimony maxi
| ing 2S5 pages in typewriting. Subpoenas
were issued for a number who had just
left home when the officer serving the sub
poenas arrived and their whereabouts is
still a mystery.
Trenmore Cone was the first witness
called. He identified certain records and
papers and was asked some further ques-
tions in cross-examination, but nothing of
special Importance was elected.
Joseph Tones of Yutan, who worked for
the Omaha Elevator company at that point,
testified that he was buyer for the ele-
vator at that place, that he maintained
card prices received from Omaha, did not
ride the country for grain and did not
know anything about what any other grain
buyer was doing.
Otto Ostenberger, living in Wahoo. was
In the grain business twenty-six or twenty
seven years, was a member of the Ne
braska Grain Dealers association until he
sold out and quit about year ago lie
attended the meeting of the Grain Dealers
put up a forfeit of S1OO to maintain prices,
not to store grain and not to pay the raise
in price; thought other towns had the
same arrangements. After this agreement
prices were maintained in Wahoo until
witness went out of business and for some
time after while he was working for his
successors, Ewart, Wilkinson & Co. Could
not tell when he got back his 800, but got
1t from Mr.. Bewsher, secretary of the Ne
braska Grain Dealers association. other
dealers also put up a forfeit. Members of
the association were not to ship to COM
mission houses or commission men that
made bids to track buyers or scoop shovel
men; did not think that members of the
association bid to track buyers If they
knew 1t. The reason they did not make
bids was to protect the regular elevator
men. He also received bulletins from the
association, concerning the irregular grain
dealers, the purport of which was to keep
members of the association posted on diff
ferent things.
Hamilton Was Good.
The first witness this afternoon was j. B.
Mather, representing ]. H. Hamilton, at
Colon. He got price cards which he lived
up to, did not ride the country, once in a
while solicited from a friend. did not raise
bids when his bids were raised notified his
employer-in other words, was good.
w. T. Craven, representing the Nebraska
Elevator company at Valparaiso, stated
that slips were made out of all grain bought
for some time, but that practice was dis
continued. Didn't know whether there was
a division of grain or not Gets price cards.
There is no competition at his station and
has not been for four years except three or
four times for short time.
Charles Murfin works for the Duff Grain
company at Ithaca, received the cards
containing prices, but does not always live
up to them. Sometimes his competitor over
bids and he does the same in retaliation.
Gets his cards and prices from Railsback
Bros.
A. f. Hawkins, who works for Railsback
Bros, testified about the same as the rest
]. II. Hoetorf is operating an elevator at
Malmo; gets card prices, but does not live
up to Them has had great deal of trouble
with his competitors; has made numerous
agreements with his competitors, the last
one in December. He violated the agree
ments himself, because he believed there
was higher authority in Nebraska than
his competitors in the grain business to set
the price, and he paid very little attention
to 1t.