The Penn's Grove record., 1906-06-29
ICE TRUST MEN GO 70 JAIL
Five Magnates Sentenced For
Conspiracy in Ohio.
Year in the WOrkhouse and $4,000
Fine For Dealers in Toledo
Who Raised Prices.

Toledo, Ohio.-There is much excite
ment here over the heavy blow dealt
to the so-called local ice trust by the
action of the court. Five ice dealers,
all men of prominence in financial and
social circles OF this city, were SEN
fenced to Il years Imprisonment in
the workhouse and to pay a fine of
$4,000 each by Judge Kinkade in the
Common Pleas Court. The men were
indicted under the Valentine Anti
Trust law for combining to restrain
trade. They are:
Joseph A. Miller, who was convict
ed Il. A. Beard, r. G. Lennon, Fl. 2.
Breining and Peter III. Waters. who
pleaded guilty. The Judge said the
sentences might be mitigated in the
event the men made restitution.
Under the pretext that the ice sup.
ply was much smaller than in recent
years these dealers combined and adj
yanced the price from 80 to 100 per
cent. They were indicted, and one OF
them stood trial and was convicted.
The others entered pleas of guilty. The
sentence is the maximum under the
law. If they would escape any part of
it they must pay back to customers all
overchargeS and must agree to sell ice
at the price prior to forming the COM
bination. The law provides for i'm
prisOnment as well as fine. Two or
three of them are worth ut least $780,
eco each.
After a consultation between the five
convicted ice men and their attorneys
1T was decided to make an effort TO
have a modification of the sentence
made. Pending the making out of the
commitment papers they are prisoners
at the county Jail under the super
vision of Sheriff Chambers.
When Judge Kinkade sentenced the
men for being guilty of being members
of a conspiracy in restraint of trade
he told the prisoners and their counsel
that when they brought to him papers
showing that the money illegally ex.
tracted from the public since March ii
by the increase of prices had been re-
turned to the public, and when they
showed that the trust was broken and
that prices would 60 back to the stand
ard i'll existence prior to March II, the
late of the formation of the trust. he
would listen to Il plea of modification.
He did not say that lie would modify
the sentence nor what the modification
would be if he did so.
The men were not locked in cells.
but were confined in that part of the
Jail occupied by the Sheriff. Their
meals were sent in to them, and they
were not permitted to leave the build
ing. The fact that all but one pleaded
guilty made it impossible for the man
ayers to get out on bond or an appeal.
The local price of ice, which was in
creased 10 to 100 per cent. by the COM
bine, has dropped from 80 to 40 per
cent.
The effect of the sentence passed OH
the ice men convicted of violating the
Ohio Valentine Antitrust law that
they pay $4,000 fine, each, and serve
one year in the workhouse-is wide
spread.
Locally, trade combinations are get
ting ready to dissolve, fearing attack
from the County Prosecutor, while
throughout the State the stock markets
nre feeling the effect of the decision.
In all She Ohio stock markets there
has been a liquidation in trust stocks
due to the sever sentence passed OH
the locaj ice men.