The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09

court met taa- tie Commonwcaltn's Az
tlruey was ou tle TRAN OF "a little coal
aad wood trust said to exist .n this
tltt, and composed ~ some or tile most
lienr0o.s and able trust fighters who lad
over raised the.r voices against the hor-
II.le railway combines or tile blood
sucking vampires who have squeezed
tho commercial and financial life out OF
some of the most accomplished pin
Iu1kers that ever erated tho DanNiIa
tobacco market. or any other tobacco
market There were those who were
aeklns FOR something Of a sensation when
tl. Hustugs Court met. and they we're
NOT disappointed
Going For the Little Combine.
after the grand jury had been sworn,
With Colonel A. Il Darlington former
experienced and valuabl, agent OF tine
American Tobacco Company. AS fore
man. ~ was whispered about the court
room that the jury was going for" the
coal and wood dealers Of Dauviue. some
of whom. 10 was alleged had entered
into an agreement 20 keep up tle price
Of fuel this winter. not To cut prices.
and, in short. in no way compete with
each other
u was also whispered about that the
Commonwealth attorney had the in
ciotmeuts already for the consideration
Of the jury
OF course. nobody is supposed to know
everything that happens in grand Jury
room. but il IS said here that the jurors
not only considered the coal business. but
also some other alleged combines. among
them the lawyers trust" and the bank
trust"
The so-called lawyers trust" is the
Dauville Bar Association of which all
the lawyers in the city save two are
members These two are Harry Wood
ing. Jr.. son Of the Mayor OF the city.
and young lawyer whose shingle has
been out not quite two years. and a
Colored lawyer named Kilgore II is a
Vol known fact that the Bar Ass0cia-
ton has schedule of prices for legal
services which every member is re-
quired to charge This the lawyers DO
not deny. but the grand jury could do
nothing with that trust" because. as
alleged. legyii services are not a "neces-
sary Of hfe. and no matter by what
method legal mminary arrives at a
conclusion as To- the size Of his fee he
does not do anything lin restraint of
trade"
JUST what the grand jury said about
tie alleged bank trust has not vet
leaked out. 10 is certain. however. that
no indictments were found. although II is
said that there is a cast-iron agreement
among the banks as to- "a regulation in
tercst charge. collections charges. etc.
Judge Aiken s Charge.
But the jury went for the coal combine
ana 10 Toe dead sure that they were get
uhs an the gaps pat up as they went
along they came back into the court
room and asked Judge Aiken for special
Instructions. and they got them i'm the
following language.
IA respect 10 combinations bv agree
ment IN restraint OF trade OF noonopolies
VIII say To you gentlemen. that there
- no statute Law in Virginia relating 10
that oftense. but the common law il in
force ia The Commonwealth and uossesses
the amplest scope for reaching and pun-
ishlng all crimes Of that character
1T is a general principle OF the COM
mon law that every person has fndiviJ-
uaily3 and the public also have collec-
lively, a right 10 require that the course
Of trade should be kept free from unrea.
sonable distractions IL gives TO the puh-
Tic the right to have competition in
trade To the end that commodities NAV
be afforded to the consumer as cheonIv
as possible. and it is opposed to monop-
olies which tend TO advance marked
prices TO the injury Of the general public
Combinations OF agreements between