The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-04
JACKSON OPENSIT
First Gun Fired in the State
Antitrust Fight.
Alleged Implement Trust the
Target of Attack.
SUBPOENAS ARE OUT
Topeka Implement Men Must
Tell What They Know.
Officers Of international Har
vester Company Summoned.
InquisitiOn Will Start in Shaw
nee District Court.

Fred S. Jackson, assistant attorney
general of the state, has fled the first
of his antitrust suits under the pro-
gramme as announced in the State
Journal of August 10.
Mr. Jackson secured subpoenas in the
Shawnee county district court this
morning for a dozen or more implement
dealers who viii be examined as to
what they know about the methods OF
the alleged harvester trust in this state.
This proceeding is a part Of the plans
which have been matured by Attorney
General Coleman and his assistants in
a suit which they propose to bring
against the International Harvester
company in which they hope to prove
that this company is violating the trust
laws Of the state and the attorney
general and his assistants expect to
compel the company to cease doing bus
mess in the state under its present
methods and also to pay a penalty for
the business it already has done in vio-
lation of the law
Subpoenas were issued today for ]. h
FOUGHT, P. W. Griggs, J. L. Money
penney, J. A. Lukens, c. W. Lukens,
c. H. Phelps. 0. A. Pratt, J. d. Pratt
H. w. Seery, ". A. Morton, J. S war
ner. A. G. Potter, w O. Potter ana -
Rees manager for Potter and Warner
All Of these are Topeka dealers in farm
ing implements, sold and distributed Dy
the International Harvester company.
SubpOenaS were also issued for ii. A
Bradlev of Clyde and A W. Wickham
of Salina; also for H. A. Jetmore, man
ager for the International Harvester
company and the bookKeeper for the
company J T. Ferguson. If the plans
of Attorney General Coleman are car
ried out subpoenas viii be issued Tor all
of the implement dealers in Hutchinson
in addition to those above enumerated
in this city.
Affllers May Be Summoned.
The examinations of the dealers. are
TO he conducted in secret. The appu-
cation asks the judges of the two dis
tricts to order the dealers to bring
with them into court all records and
writings and contracts they may have
in their possession which in any way
refer to the business of the implement
trust.
The application charges that ''se-
cret arrangements and agreements ex-
fst between dealers in various lines,
particularly in the business of milling
and trading in grain" This is the only
reference in the application to the
millers trust, but it is understood that
a number of the millers are to be put
on the rack as soon as the inquiry into
tho affairs of the implement dealers
can be completed The application
specifies that all contracts entered into
between any of the dealers and the
international Harvester company for
the years 1904, 1905 and 1905 be
brought into court.
The International Harvester com
panv has been in existence since 1902
when William Lane merged the Deer
ing. Mccormack, Plano, Champion and
Milwaukee companies. The companies
were merged as the International
Harvester company. Later the Inter
national Harvester Company of Amer
lea was formed and this was the sell
ing corporation. The first company
formed merely manufactured the i'm
plements and the second company sold
them to dealers. Stock in both com
panies was issued to managing trus-
tees The International of America
is the only one authorized to transact
business in Kansas.