Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
ASSOCIATION IS
FIGHTING FARMER
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM
MISSION SUCCEEDS IN DRAW
ING INFORMATION
Commissioner Lane censures Wells,
Secretary of the Iowa Grain Dealers
observation-disclosures Made to Mis-
lead as to Fixing Prices.

Secretary of the Iowa Grain Dealers
observation-disclosures Made to Mis-
lead as to Fixing Prices.
Des Moines,. Oct. 27,-Sensational
Incidents marked the offer of testi-
mony before the interstate commerce
commission III session In Des Moines
yesterday al to the alleged fixing of
prices for grain by members Of the
State Grain Dealers association, the
pooling of elevator business at many
points and other phases of the relation
of the railroads to the grain business
of the state.
After several members of the cereal
club had testified that they could not
remember that the organization had
ever voted to fix prices for grain. r.
EW. Harper took the stand and testified
that as a guest of the club he had Of
ten attended its banquets and meet
ings, which were held at the Grant
club weekly. and that after discussion
OF Prices the vote of the meeting was
taken on motion by the presiding Off
Ger, George A. Wells, secretary Of the
Grain Dealers association, and ex-
pressed by lifted hands as a basis for
quotations for the ensuing week, fur
nished to members OF the association
by Ward G. Case of this city.
Commissioners Lane of the Interstate
commerce commission gave the mem
bers of the cereal club, who had .tes-
tined as to prices not having been
fixed at the meetings of the ~organiza-
ton, an opportunity to amend their
testimony, after Mr.. Harper left the
stand.
Wells Amends His Testimony.
Secretary Wells took the stand on
this. invitation and said that he had
Intended to testify that he had not put
motions of this character at every
meeting of the club and was about to
proceed with further amendments
when Commissioner Lane, leaning
quickly ever his desk toward Mr..
Wells, created a sensation by the in
quiry:
Didn't you try to mislead the com
mission on that point?"
Mr.. Wells said that he had not.
Why Gid o testify as you did,"
continued Commissioner Lane "Did
you not try to create the impression
In the commissioners minds that
there was no fixing of prices and that
nothing was done to fix prices at those
meetings. Didn't you do that?
Mr.. Wells insisted that he had not
done SO.
Commissioners Lane Persists.
WAS Eot that your distinct effort
In answer to the questions?" persisted
Mr.. Lane. -.
"No, sir." replied Mr.. Wells.
Didn't you in every way try to
eyade and avoid answering the ques-
tons of Mr.. Marble (the commissions
laWyerl put to you at the time, when
asked In regard to fixing prices?"
Mr.. Wells started to make some ex-
PLANTATION when he was dismissed
from the stand.
The incident was sensational in the
extreme end following 1t information
relative to the fixing OF. prices in uni
son for the Iowa grain market was ex-
tracted from witnesses without much
difficulty.
Mr.. Case on the Stand.
Ward g. Case, who has said to fur
nish> the price card to the members of
the state association of grain dealers,
was called to the stand and interrogat-
ed in detail with respect 70 the ca rtls.
He was not certain about much of he
information he disclosed. This earned
for him many sharp questions from, the
attorney and the commission. AS he
was about to leave the stand, afteede-
nying that his cards were the result Of
the fixing Of prices by the nes Moines
Cereal club, formerly, or the grain
| dealers' association noW Co,nuics;on
er Lane asked him the question:
What is the value Of your cards?''
Reference. / presume" said Mr..
Case.
"And they won't be worth much at
that if the people who take them do
not know more about it than you seem
to-" was the comment of Commissioner
Clark.
The Days Results.
" -a-sA---.- 49, -.