New-York tribune., 1906-12-23
LETTERS IDENTIFIED.
Former Licorice Company Man on
Stand an Trial of Trust Mem.

Z. F. Hale. former secretary Of the MacAn-
drews & Forbes Company. was again on the
witness stand yesterday in the trial OF mem
bers of the so-ca1led Licorice Trust. and was
kept busy almost until adjournment identifying
letters which passed between the MacAndrews
& Forbes Company and the J. S. Young Com
pany. the two defendant corporations The
trial will be continued tomorrow.
One letter. introduced in evidence and iden-
titled by Mr.. Hale. dealt with the later decision
Of the MacAndrews & Forbes Company to make
contracts for the future delivery OF Hcorice
paste. thereby. the letter implied. tending 10
show the Independent tobacco manufacturers. by
its contrast to the Young company's practice.
that no understanding existed between the two
firms. The letter, which was identified as hav-
ing been written by Howard E Young one OF
the defendants. and president Of the J. s. Young
Company to the MacAndrews & Forbes Com
pany, asserted that the writer's company was
having difficulty in explaining its position to the
independent tobacco manufacturers. who were
getting nervous over the suspicion that the
Young company in league with the Tobacco
Trust. The letter then went on TO describe at
length a conversation between the writer and
E J. Lasino Of Philadelphia. and A L. Lastno.
Of Smyrna, brothers. who were interested in the
Iicorice trade and who had asked him point
blank the writer said. If there were not some
understanding between the two defendant COM
panies.
They were referred, according 70 the letter. TO
the Young company's advertisement, which fig
ured in the trial on Friday and was then ap-
pearing in tobacco trade journals. and said that
the Young company was still independent Of
the trust. This answer the writer said. did not
satisfy them. however and they continued TO ask
him If there was not at least a working agree
rnent as to prices The letter said that he told
them that, as the MacAndrews & Forbes Com
I-I r,-F1a iIaFT TlNF N1aQ
of getting some profit out OF the business his
company had follow ed it's lead for the same
son. He said he explained TO the Larini broth
ers that the reason why the NacAndrews &
Forbes Company was not soliciting orders for
icOrice paste outside OF the trust was appar-
emily that they thought II necessary to give the
Young company same additional business to
prevent a lowering Of prices
The two brothers then wanted to know. Mr..
Young wrote, whether the Young company
would buy Russian root from them. and that
he obliged TO explain to them that the
sian root it would need for some years 10 come.
They told him then, the letter continues. that
by an agreement with the Sultan they had
practically secured control OF the Turkish root
supply. In reply to this, Mr.. Young wrote, he
tried to discourage them in thinking they would
have market for their root, saying that the
trust had enough on hand to last several years.
and that II fast absorbing driving out Of
business all the independent plug tobacco manu-
facturers. After hearing this. Mr.. Young wrote
the Larini brothers said they felt less inclined
to sign the agreement with the Sultan
The substance OF InlS letter was cou1rnuni-
Gated TO President Jungbluth Of the McAndrews
& Forbes Company, then in Germany, by cable
messages, which also identified by Mr..
Hale. In reply Mr. Jungbluth cabled. according
10 the evidence. that 1t would be better to give
the Larini brothers some contracts for root and
keep them quiet.
Just before the adjournment a letter was in
troduced and identified. which had been written
by Henry VI. Rau. selling agent for the Mac
Andrews & Forbes Company, 10 the J. D. Lewis
Company of Providence. relative TO the working
agreement between that company and the Mac
Andrews & Forbes Company, cautiontng it. in
making contracts for future delivery Of ucortce
paste not TO exceed the number of pounds fixed
as it's share Of the combination's sales. and
promising that should their sales fall below the
agreed amount the MacAndrews & Forbes
Company would make II up to them