Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-08
WITNESSES Do NOT ANSWER
Men Called in wOrEAIl Grain Case Refuse 70
Testify Before Examiner
ALL CLAIM CONSTITUTIONAL EXEMPTION
give Men say Tbey BiEht discriminate
Themselves ~ They Tell
what they Know
of Facts.

LINCOLN, July 7-Cspecial Telegram.)-
Five witnesses were examined this morn
ing In the taking OF depositions at Have
lock in the suit OF the worran Grain COM
pany against members of the Nebraska
Grain Dealers association for damages
The witnesses sworn we're F. e. LeveriD q,
assistant treasurer. Edward Slater, CLERK,
for the Central Granaries company at Lin
coin; w. H Ferguson, who operates some
forty-nvs OF nifty elevators along the Bur
linstoni p. N. Mitchell. secretary and
treasurer Of the Jacques Grain company. and
Samuel Walker, formerly in the grain bust
ness at Waverly.
Questions were addressed to lowering and
Slater with intent to show the maintenance
by the state association of a price commit
tee. consisting Of the Central Grainaries
company and the Nebraska Elevator COM
pany OF Lincoln, the Nye-schneider- Fowler
company OF Fremont and the Omaha Eleva-
tor company and the Updike Grain company
OF Omaha, BY which the prices to be paid
farmers for grain were fixed and sent out
TO regular association representatives in
the thirteen districts into which Nebraska
and a small portion of northern Kansas
we're divided by the association.
All Refuse to Testify.
lntbb -WALhhhsSa ItAuhe0 10 dHbWtI any
OF the questions on the ground that the
answers might tend to incriminate them
selves. The examination of Mr.. Ferguson
brought out from him the fact that he had
withdrawn from the association shortly
after the annual meeting. about April
last.
He said an association was originally
formed to cure bad conditions regarding
weights at Kansas City and inspection at
poses. and he no longer could see any way
of getting his moneys worth out of member
ship. An effort was made to show the pro-
vision Of card prices by the association and
by himself. but he declined to answer any
questions bearing on that point
E. N Mitchell OF the Jaques company
sprung his exemption as a witness at the
tart and stuck to 1t.
Samuel Walker also declined to 20 into
the card price subject, although he is out
of the business He said he got for his
elevator at Waverly better price from the
Ewart-Wilkinson company than he had ever
expected to get. Asked If the business Of
buying grain from farmers in Nebraska is
not a good paying business, he declined to
answer on the ground that 1t might incrim-
mate him. '
where They BnIk.
The witnesses refused absolutely TO give
out any information bearing directly on
the issues involved. Following are a num-
Der OF questions asked Witness lowering
to which answers were not forthcoming:
THE state of Nebraska is divided into
thirteen price groups and grain districts by
the Nebraska Grain Dealers association
for the purpose Of fixing arbitrarily the
price Of grains purchased by the elevators
from the farmers is 1t not?"
Isn't it true that you assisted in prepar-
ing ive maps. showing thirteen price
groups or districts within the state Of
Nebraska, and taking in small portion
Of Kansas, for the purpose Of maintaining
arbitrary prices In each Of those thirteen
divisions2'
o. els It not fact that the Central Gran
aries company and the Nebraska Elevator
company. to your knowledge constitute and
have constituted for more than a year last
past, or about that time. two members of
the general price committee constituted by
the Nebraska Grain Dealers association
for the purpose Of arbitrarily fixing from
time to time, the price of grain to be pur-
chased from farmers In Nebraska?"
Isn't It a fact that the general price
committee referred TO in the last question
s. consists of and has consisted for several
years last past, TO your knowledge, of the
Omaha Elevator company, the Updyke
Grain company both of Omaha the Nye-
Schneider Fowler Elevator company of FIRE.
mont the Central Granaries company and
the Nebraska Elevator company. both OF
lincoln, and that those five members OF
" the price committee fixed the price to be
paid by regular elevator dealers to farmers
for their grain throughout the state OF
Nebraska and a small portion of the state
OF Kansas"
SIS 1t not fact that the price fixed by
that committee Is sent out by means OF
cards through agencies stated in the meet
inks of the Nebraska Grain Dealers as
ISOLATION. and according to rules established
by that price committee, and that thes'
prices when so fixed are known TO thu
regular dealers as card prices, and do yo'