Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-26
TESTIMONY IN GRAIN CASE
Prices for South Platte Fixed by = Com
mittse in Lincoln.
TRADE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE DEALERS
II one Bought More Than His share
He was Compelled TO Turn over
the Grain or Pay
Forfeit.
ABE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE DEALERS


CFrom Stan Correspondent)
LINCOLN, Aug. 25.-CSpecial.) -Deposi- |
lions OF c. Y. Long, former bookkeeper
for the Nebraska Elevator company, and
r. X. Johnson, a former grain dealer of
Valparaiso, we're taken by Attorney GEN
eral Brown today in the grain case
1t was brought out in the dispositions
that the price TO be paid the farmers for
grain was fixed by a committee from the
membership OF the Nebraska Grain Deal
ers association and that those entering
into the agreement to maintain a inform
price had TO deposit a forfeit to stand
back Of the agreement; that differences
between the elevator. men belonging to
the association were settled by an arbl-
tration committee and that when one
dealer secured more grain than he was
entitled to under the agreements he had
10 pay his competitors either in money or
grain a share OF the profit. One settlement
made by Johnson with the Omaha Elevator
company he testified was made on PA
basis That is he had TO pay the elevator
company 2 cents a bushel for the excess
OF corn he bought; 2 cents for the excess
of oats and cents for the excess Of
wheat. making his forfeiture more than
the profit he made on the grain.
johnson testified that ne had made an
agreement with elevator men in his town
to maintain uniform prices long before
the grain association was organized and.
though the profit he made after the asso-
citation began to send out the prices was
not excessive, It was much more regular"
Bewscher Of the Grain Dealers assoc
station, johnson testified, had nothing to
10 with making the agreement.
Longs testimony was more about the
liking OF prices for the South Platte coun-
try by representatives of the Nebraska
Elevator company of Lincoln and the
Central Granaries company, which was
done every afternoon and the cards mailed
out to the regular dealers, even though
they were in competition in many of the
towns .
Besides Attorney General Brown and his
assistants ex-Chief Justice Sullivan, F. s.
Howell and Tom Warral with his carpet
bag" these attorneys were present: John
L. Kennedy, H. c. Bronze, F. A. Brogan
and E. p. Smith of Omaha; o. b. Polk, f.
c. Strobe and Attorney Hall of Lincoln.
These took part in the examination Of
the witnesses. Another hearing was set
for Monday morning, September IS, at II
o'clock
Price Card Each Day.
The morning session was taken up with
the deposition of c. Y Long. and the aft
ernoon session by Mr. johnson. The latter
ness at Valparaiso since 1884 until June of
1904. when he sold out He said he was a
member Of the Nebraska Grain Dealers
association and paid dues of 80 cents a
month in return for which he received a
card each day fixing the price he was to
pay for grain, and other benefits to be de-
rived from being member of such organi-
sation. He said he knew many members
IF the association and usually met with
hem once a year The controlling mem
oers OF the association. he said, were own
srs OF the line elevators, among which were
me- iOffihha Elevator company, the Ne
sraska Elevator company. westbrooke.
Nye-schneider- Fowler company, Updike,
DUN and others. In 1901. Johnson testified
hat he operated one elevator at Valparaiso
md the Nebraska Elevator company
another. At that time the Omaha Elevator
company put up an elevator, and then the
trouble began. After some months the
Omaha Elevator company claimed 1t was
not getting its share OF the grain and that
unless Johnson would agree to maintain a
uniform price that company would jump
In with higher price and run him out OF
business. Representatives of the three
companies then met and signed a contract
TO make a report TO each other every week
10 divide the grain equally and to main.
tain uniform prices. To bind the agree
ment each deposited check for 800 with
. Secretary Bewscher and the contract was
carried out TO the letter each receiving
every day from the price fixing committed
the price to be paid for grain the next day
Forced TO Pay Forfeit.
The witness said at that time he wal
getting the bulk OF the grain and on on,
or two occasions he had to pay money t
the Omaha Elevator company. He told o
one settlement he made with that compan!
in which he paid It 81 in cash, besides for
feiting his 500 check and 1900 bushels o
grain. This latter was the excess of grail
he had handled.
The witness then told there was a tact
understanding that no member OF the as
ISOLATION was to buy grain from an irregu
lar dealer Irregular dealers he describe,
as farmers who sold their own grain ant
loaded It into the cars themselves
The second year johnson refused TO di
vide the grain bought. though he main
tanned the uniform prices sat out iron
Omaha. He refused, he said. because tn
contract was for only year, while tn
Omaha Elevator company interpreted it I
continue Indefinitely.
After he sold out Johnson testified h
contemplated buying some grain from hi
old customers. but he could not sell II
as members of the association objected $
strerhously Johnson testified that he ha
talked with all OF the defendants and b
them had been told OF the good result
that would be brought about by the as
ISOLATION.
johnson testified that he knew by hear
say from the man who bought him ou