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

Individuals or corporations 20 nronopoiise
a necessary OF life and tx it's price to
those who. have 10 consume II. 81 "a crime
against the commonwealth OF Virginia n
made within Tho Jurisdiction OF the
courts, and those who are parties to
such combinations and agreements ara
liable 10 indictment and punishment
Where those combinations obtain control
Of commodity absolutely necessary 10
the use OF the public, they thereby force
the citizen 20 resort "a them. and then.
taklns adNantaee OF his situation. lay
upon him burden that Is often intoi-
cradle.
1T IL unnecessary to shy 20 you a.
an organized grand tvry that n there IS
any such combination or MONOPOLY with
IN the Jurisdiction OF this court. A. 4.
your duty TO use your power 10 nnd 4
out and indict the persons who have
formed u.
To sustain an indictment TOR such an
oftcnse. tho evidence should show that
TWO or more persons or corporations
nave mado an agreement for tho pur-
pose OF monoDOlising. the result OF which
II 10 monopOlizo, or tends 90 m0nopolize,
tho trade IN the commodity or neccs-
sary, and 70 that end % deprive the pub
lie Of the advantages which fow from
free competition
II such evidence Is before yc.-, It viii
be your duty to indict."
The Indictment.
With these instructions ringing in their
ears the jurors returned TO their room
and went 20 work IN dead earnest Many
witnesses were examined and finally the
following indictment. carefully drawn b.
Commonwealth Attorney Hamiin. and
duly signed by Foreman Darlington.
was handed in.
THE Jurors OF the Commonwealth %
Virginia sworn in for the body OF the
city Of Danville. now attending the said
Corporation Court at It's December term.
1895. upon their oaths present that the
Noel and Anderson Manufacturing Com
pany, a corporation; the Phoenix Lumber
Company. r. L. Walker doing business
as F. J.. Walker & Company; Douthat-
Riddle Coal Company. and The Dourllat-
Riddle Company. corporation, before
and on the first day Of November, IN
the said city. each u them being buyers
and sellers OF coal and wood. did uniaw-
fully combine. cOnspiro and agree togeth-
er for their private gains 10 obstruct and
interfere with tho trade and commerce of
the Commonwealth Of Virginia and espe-
cially OF the citizens Of Danville by
breaking down and preventing competi-
ton in the said coal and wood trading
busine by agreeing not to compete with
each other. and agreeing that they would
not make and enhance at their will and
pleasure the price OF snch commodities.
the said commodity being the prime ne
cessity for the health and comfort OF
life.
AS the Indictment charges what is class
ed only AS a misdemeanor. II will be
certified 70 the Mayors court for trial.
and that official, who under the DanviHe
charter is ex-oBcio a justice Of the peace
will give the alleged combiners hear
ing some time next week.
no men IN tho community stand higher
than the members OF the concern who
have been indicted for forming a fuel
trust. All Of them are good church MEM
bcrs. one being ruling elder in the
Presbyterian Church All Of them have
taken part in Danville's long drawn out
fight against tho big trusts. especially
the railway combine. IN fact. il said that
the coal dealers We're the first 20 feel
the iron heel of the railway trust and
naturally the first 10 squeel and become
aligned with the hardest fighters
There Have Been Others.
But after all local coal combines are
nothing new in this city. Away back
yonder in lSSa, Sol Haas. who was then
general traffic manager Of the Southern
Railway. was summoned 20 appear be-
fore the Danville Chamber Of Commerce
10 show cause why De should not give.
Danville better rates on all things. espe-
clally coal a very pious coal dealer who
has long since gone 10 heaven. was qucs-
uoring SIR. Haas very closely about cosi
rates. combinations OF railways on the
same, and Incidentally naying the rail
way when Mr. Haas exposed a local coal.
combine OF which the pious dealer was
a member by blandly pulling from his
pocket and reading g copy OF their cast
iron agreement to maintain prices and
hne any member heavily who violated il
in any particular Every coal and wood
dealer Ia the town Was in il. After read
ing this paper the witness Haas. for OBJ
vlous reasons was excused
year or two ago coal dealers COM
bine was broken into in this city by
the probing OF grand jury, but it seems
this new one endeavored to put UP the
gap through which the Jury got i'm on
the other one. Tor Foreman Darlington
said. in his hrst report 10 ble court:
We find there an an agreement be-
tween certain coal and wood dealers Of
the city OF Danviue TO maintain a fixed
price on coal and wood 10 the ordinary
consumer. We 90 not find that there
IS any forfeit attached TO the failure
OF any party thereto in keeping this
agreement. nor any evidence to show
that they have advanced the price OF
their commodities unduly"
IL seems that the forfeit feature was
the thing that got the former combine
in the hole. and this one prodted by
their experience. OF thought IL did
The new coal trust" has been the talk
Of the town all the week and something
less than j. 90 jests have been fired or
at the expense Of the indicted fuel
dealers. one opinion that prevails uni
vtrsally. is that 1t was very thoughtfuI
OF tho jury and Foreman Darlington to
let the court understand that this was a
gentle and tender little trust that has
not up to the present time pulled the leg
OF the coal and wood burners Of Danviue
"unduly." "Unduly' seems to be a real
good word in this connection, and II is
declared here on all hands that Foreman
Darlington used rare good taste in en-
ploying It. +. S. W.
AMELIA SCHOOLS.