The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-16
Interstate Commission Has Eyes ] p8OGd bl Revelations in
 Chicago Hearing
INDEPENDENT DEALERS
 ARE STARVING ID DEATH
But Another Witness Says the Farm CTS Are Organized and Are Worse Than the Grain Dealers
 Association.

Chicago, October 15.-Testimony was heard today before three members of the interstate commerce commission relative t7 the possible existence of a grain trust. The first witness was A. T. Aygarn of Pontiac, H., who told of his struggle against the Illinois Grain Dealers asso- cldtlon. Aygarn broke into tears while on the stand, and 1t was necessary to excuse him from giving further evidence. he declared as he left the stand. tears streaming down his face and his voice broken by his grief, that he had been fined because he had dared to deal with the farmer and with the track shovelers. He declared that the discrimination against him had been doubled because the railroads had refused to give him cars in which to transport grain.
 Commission Has Eyes Open-o.
 Secret letters and circulars to members og the Iowa State Grain Dealers asso- clation and similar documents issued to members of the Illinois association were cad to the commissioners and the state- ments were considered so unusual by the | rigidly examined.
 J. F. Brennan and l.. G. Dunn, grain solicitors for a Chicago house, told of the struggle between the farmers and Inc organized commission men Tn Illinois and Iowa. The wltngs5 declared the firm tad l been blacklisted and boycotted because it persisted in buying grain from fafner elevator companies, and not members of the grain association.
 A number of letters were introduced which members of the Illinois association protested against the firms doing busi- ness with men whom 1t termed irregu- lar.
 Because the firm declined to obey the expressed wishes of the Illinois associa- ton all the members of that organiza- ton. it was said had refused to do any business with 1t.
 Lost All His Investments.
 Witness Aygarn when he had recovered nis composure resumed the stand. He said that he had s1o,O0O invested in his busi- ness, but that has disappeared and he Is many thousands of dollars behind. He has d crippled child and a wife to sup- port he declared, and all his troubles followed his attempt to aid friend who was a farmer by purchasing his grain. He said that at one time the Illinois Cen tfal railroad left SG0O worth of his grain e the tracks for weeks without moving 1t; this being, he declared, a part or the combination and discrimination sgalnst him that brought about his ruin
 H. IT. Carr, an independent dealer in ain, also claimed that he had been ruined by the grain association, and by f..,4,, y,f fha declared that time after time he had ca He'd the attention of the interstate con- inorce commission of President Roose- velt and of Attorney General Moody to the state of things, but nothing had ever come of 1t.
 Can you give an instance where man has been ruined by the combination which you descrlbe?" asked Commissioner Prouty.
 q certainly can" replied the witness. q am an instance. 1 have been ruined by these things"
 Trade Against Officials.
 The witness broke into trade against the President, attorney general and mem- bers of the commission for having paid no attention to the statements which he de clared had been submitted to them In the east. At the request of Commissioner Prouty he promised tU furnish the com mission with further information.
 A wllness told of the refusal of tho Chicago and Northwestern railroad to give an independent dealer in grain site for an elevator along It's right of way until il bill was presented 10 the legislature providing for the compnlsion of allowing elevator sites by the railroads to any one who wished to build He also declared that four weeks ago the Illinois Central road refused farmers the right to build an ele- vator along It's right of way at Rlch- fn1 week before the Iowa railroad commits sloners, where the secretary of the Iowa Grain Dealers association declared, &C., cording to the witness, that farmers should not be allowed to erect elevators because 1t compelled the payment to them of too high prices for their grain.
 Other witnesses told of the efforts to divert business away from F. NJ. Terry of River Sioux, Iowa, who was said to be irregular" Secretary Wells of the Iowa association was active in this work. it was said. Other witnesses told of tho operation of the Tri-state Grain Dealers association. which operates they declare, in Minnesota and the Dallotas. They de- clare that this organization has been re- auested by the Iowa association to boy colt certain dealers, but had refused to do this as an association Ii was also said that the Tri-state organization does not discriminate against track shovelers, as do the Illinois and Iowa associations.
 Difficult to Find Market.
 J. A. McCreery, manager of the Farm CTS elevator at bIason City, Iowa, de- clared that 1t Is difficult for the Farmers elevator to find market for Its grain, and that when commission man bids he must do so under cover He said;
 we have been shut out of Memphis as A market by reason of boy ott of the Illinois Grain Dealers assoc.saos- We have received letters from brokers in Memphis saying that they were afraid to
 
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