Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-06-15
Secretary of American Tobacco
Company Fined and Placed
In Custody of Marshal.
REFUSED TO ANSWER QUERIES
Neither Would Produce Books and
Contracts Ordered by TIE Court
Plea For Writ of Habeas CORPUS De
nied--case so Go to United States
Supreme Court.
Supreme Court.
(Ry Associatcd press.)

NEW YORK. June ll-Wm. II. Mic.
Allister secretary of the American.
TOBACCO Company. was adiudged gull
ty of contempt in the United State;
Circuit Court for refusing to answe.
questions in connection with the in
vrsligatiun Of The so.callcd tobacco
trust.
McAllisler was asked quest ions con.
corning The business affairs of his com,
pany. and was served xith Il subpoena
requiring him to produce papers and
contracts covering the export bust
ness of the American Tobacco Com
pany. Upon the advice of his counsel
he not only declined To answer the
questions. hut tn produce Tie papers
asked for, taking the ground that he
was protected in his refusal by his con
stituliCnal rights. He was then taken
before Judge '.acombc. in the United
States Circuit Court. found guilty of
contempt and fined 81.
In Custody of Marshal.
Judge l.acomhe also ordered that
McAllistcr he taken into custody by
United States Marshal EIcnhcl until
such time MS he purgcs himself of tho
contempt. by answering the questions
and producing the bccks AMI pancrs
An application for Il writ OF hal,eas cor
pu5 WAS denied. McAllistcr was then
taken before United States Commits
Sinncr Shields. where he furnished
Sl,occ hail for his appearance. pending
an appeal Ia the United States Su.
prome Court. The higher court will
he asked 10 pass upon the constitutions
ally Of the points at issue, which real
~ involves the right Of the federal
grand Jury 10 conduct it's investigation
under the Sherman antitrust law.
Assistant United States District At
torney Henry w. Taft. who is conduct
Jig The investigation informr. MIR. Nc
Allisier. 81 the papers i'm The case say.
that the American Tobacco Company.
was charged with having conspircd
with the Imperial Tobacco Company,
of Great Britain 10 modify and re-
strain trade in leaf. chewing and
smoking tobacco and cigarettes.
To Control Export Trade.
Mr. McAllistcr was asked 10 nrc.
duce contracts alleged to have been
made i'll England on September 81,
l?p2, between the Ogdcns Company
sl'ilnitcd), the Continental Tobacco
Company. the American Cigar Com
lapy. the Consolidated tobacco Com
pany. the British Tobacco Company,
and the Imperial Tobacco COMPANY.
through which ; agreements. it was
claimed, the corporations named
sought to control and restrain the OK.
port trade.
Contracts in connection with The to.
bacco trade of The United Kingdom
also were asked for as well as IL third
series OF agreements or contracts exc
clted in London. before the tncn Unit
ed States Consul General. II. Clay
Evans. OH the same date between the
companies named and Williamson,
Whitehead. FIllrr and Jones, mt In
skip The latter agreement. it was al
legged. also was connected with the al
tempt on the part of the corporations
named to control and restrain the ex-
port trade in the class of tobacco spe.
cihed between this country and Great
Britain.