The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-18
Sensational Developments in
 Hearing at Louisville
FIRM ID BE PROSECUTED
Manipulation of Expense Bills By Louisville Shippers Gave Them Biz Advantage In Freighs Rates
 to the Southwest.

Louisville. Ky. July 1.,xEvidence of q sensational nature was offered late this afternoon at the hearing which is being conducted by the interstate commerce commission to investigate the charge of irregularities of the reight rate on grain originating west of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers. and shipped to southeastern points The evidence pre- sented today consisted of sixty-seven 'ex- pense bllso taken from the local office of the Southeastern Mississippi Valley association. some of witch had been al- tered, and the rest duplicated, and even implicated with the result that the Louis- vile shipper was given an Illegal ad- vantage of three cents per hundred pounds over competitors selling grain in south eastern territory.
 Complain Against Louisville Shippers.
 The hearing was instituted on com plaint of shippers of grain from St. Louis and other Missippi and Ohio rivers points. who charged that Louisville shippers by manipulating expense bills, either with or without knowledge on the part of the railroads, were securing lower rates to southeastern territory than other points in this territory. Under the present sys- tenn the Mississippi and Ohio rivers are billing points for all grain originating west of those streams Grain shipped from St. Louis to the Atlanta Ga, dis trict by way of Cairo. H., at the regular local rate, would. on account of the shorter distance, be carried three cents per hundred pounds cheaper than Il would via Louisville.
 fnF each car of grain handled from St. Louis at any time within the previous ninety days the Louisville shipper may snip an equal amount of grain on to Atlanta and have the rate 'shrunk' , cents, thus placing him on an equality with the St. Louis shipper.
 Shippers Deny Allegation. The Louisville shippers through counsel before the commission denied that these expense bills had been manipulated, and duplicated. so as to allow or the shipment of grain to southeastern territory, that they had been bought In the vicinity or Louisville, which saved them the 3 cents over St. Louis grain. The duplicated bills introduced today. however, were admitted by counsel for all parties interested 10 have been in many cases forged from be- ginning to end. Others had been obtained by erasing such words, for instance. as bricks" and writing In wheat. Every one of the bills introduced today was in favor of a single Louisville grain firm, which does an immense business in the southeast. As the bills thus far show only the months of September and October, 1904. those interested expect the total num- Der of such bills used during the past two years to number hundreds, and covering saving in freights to the guilty users of many thousands of dollars, to say nothing of the advantage reaped in getting hold of the grain trade of tine southeast.
 A thorough investigation will be started and the criminal prosecutions in either state or federal courts are expected The name of the firm implicated In today's ex- posture is withheld until the documents become matter of record. No action had been taken In the matted when the conn missioners adjourned until tomorrow.