Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-26
Graft and Rebate Cases
FIJI the Court Calendars.

ing trusts has gathered impetus in
1907, when the whole pack of state
and federal law officers has been In
full cry after the game. The year will
long be remem bered for the vicious
bite which the oil trust got from one
federal judge-namcly, the S2o, 600
fine imposed AUG. 8 by Judge lands
at Chicago as the maximum penalty
for accepting large number of re-
bates from the Alton. But this was
only one of large number of criminal
prosecutions laid against the Rockefel-
Ter aggregation. Indictments contain
ing thousands of counts were brought
in Ohio, Missouri, Texas, Tennessee,
Minnesota, New York and elsewhere
until the total maximum of fines posi-
bly, exceeded the probable income of
the trusts. The principal action of the
government FOR the dissolution of the
Standard OIL Company OF New Jersey,
which was begun at st. Louis NOV. 10,
1906, still remains to be fought out, but
In his examination of witnesses at New
York in September Governments Coun-
sci Kellogg virtually plloricd the oil
trust before the people by compelling
its officials to reveal the various proc
esscs through which it has monop-
olized the oil industry Missouri and
Texas finally barred all Standard con-
Germs.
Other actions against so called trusts
were numerous. and rebate fines were
imposed in several cases
The following are the supreme court
decisions of general interest; Dismissal
OF the Kansas petition against diver
sion of Colorado river by the state Of
Colorado, involving tho principle that
congress cannot limit the action of
courts after creating them: the eight
hour federal workday law sustained;
rate fixing section of the federal law
sustained
Along with the building of new
San Francisco there has been a
cleansing of its official and political
rottenness. First, under pressure of Gu
mulative evidence, came the fight and
confession of Abraham Ruef. manager
of the corrupt city machine, in May.
His confession duplicating Mayor
Schmitz in the acceptance Of brides
made possible the verdict OF guilty
rendered by jury against the mayor
MAY 10 and his sentence JULY 8 to
five years imprisonment. 1t also made
possible the indictments against sew
eral millionaire Dribe givers and the
conviction of one of them. Glass. who
received five year sentence.
Pennsylvania saw the work OF the
capitol Investigators bear fruit.
Gradually District Attorney Jerome
Of New York has got insurance evil
dcnce before the grand jury, and in
dictments have begun to issue against
officials, one of whom. Walter r. Gil
lette, former vice president of the Mu-
| tual, was convicted of perjury and
sentenced to six months.
When in July Judge Prtchard is
sued his federal order against the exc.
cution Of the North Carolina rate law,
thus saving from the chain gang Off
Gals Of the Southern convicted In state
court of having sold tickets for more
than the legal rate, Governor Glenn
arose in his might to back up the state
| court. Finally the Southern gave in
| for the sake of peace and made spe-
| cial agreement with Glenn, Finlay re-
! visinG his petition so as to let the
cases take their course rapidly to the
supreme court for final test Of the law.
| Much the same situation existed in
Ala bama, where Governor Conner was
| equally resolute when the law was OPP
! posed with injunctions granted by Fed
eral Judge Jones on one pretcxt or an
/ other. The Minnesota rate law also
! was held up by Federal Judge Loeb
ren's injunction in September. The
| PENNSYLVANIA railroad. after raising
communication rates when the two cent
/ law went into effect SEPT. /. began a
test case through the state courts.
1t Is not within the purpose OF this
history to recount the long list OF
crimes and criminal trials Of the year
which We're chiefly of interest in the
localities whore they occurred. But
the murder conspiracy charges brought
by the state of Idaho against the oil
ealS of the Western Federation OF
| Miners In connection with the death
of former Governor Steunenberg was
nm event of national, even information
nj, Importance. Secretary Haywood. az
the strong man of the federation, was
the first to be placed on trial MAY
after the whole country had been stir
red up by the preliminary efforts OF
organized labor and the Socialist pa
pers TO raise funds for his defense an(
to get their view Of the matter before
the public-namely, that the who'll
case was conspiracy OF the min
owners to crush the federation. Tn
publication of the Roosevelt lette
CHASING the accused men along wit
Hartman as ''und esirable citizens
had famed the controversy into In
tense heat. The result was seen to dc
pend mainly on the ability of the stat
to corroborate the Orchard confession
Here opinions differed, but in the en-
the Jury voted NO" after considering
vast amount of testimony on bot
sides and hearing the lengthy pleas O
Darrow and Richardson for the de
Tense and of Borah and Hnwley 70
the state. for they brought in the az
Quittal verdict JULY %, and Hay
wood walked forth free and, as hi
friends believed, vindicatcd man. II
deed. he was talked of as the comm
Moses TO lead the Socialist hosts on
of the wilderness. His enemies sal
the jury was inundated into the vel
diet. President Meyer was released o
heavy bail, but Pettibone was hel