The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-08-08
STANDARD OIL co.
FINED $29,24O,OOO
FOR VIOLATING LAW AGAINST
ACCEPTING REBATES.
LARGEST FINE EVER TAXED
Under Seven Indictments Still Pend
ing Against the Standard Oil Com
pany Additional Tines Amounting
to $88,44O,00O May Be Levied.

dis in the United States district court
fined the Standard Oil Company of
Indiana, $29,240,0OO for accepting re-
bates from railroads. The fine is the
largest ever assessed against any in
dividual or any corporation in the
history of American criminal juris-
prudence, and is slightly more than
131 times as great as the amount
received by the company through its
rehating operations.
The case will be carried to the high
er courts by the defendant company
The penalty imposed upon the COM
pany is the maximum permitted un-
der the law and it was announced at
the end of long opinion in which the
methods and practices Of the Stand
ard Oil Company were mercilessly
scored.
Judge Lands read his opinion and
occupied about one hour in its de-
livery. He reviewed the facts in the
case, took up the arguments Of the
attorneys for the defense and answer
ed them and then passed judgment
upon the company which he declared
violated the law for the sole purpose
of swelling its dividends.
The decision Of Judge Lands in
part is as follows:
""This is prosecution Of the Stand
ard Oil company Of Indiana, for al
legged violation of the act approved
February 10, 1903, known as the Ell
kins law. The charge is that the
defendants property was transport
ed by the Chicago & Alton railroad
at rates less than the rates named in
the carriers tariff schedules, pub
llshed and filed with the Interstate
Commerce Commission, as required
by law. The offenses are alleged to
have been committed during the per-
iod from September l, 1903, to March
/, 1905. The indictment contains
1903 counts, each charging the move
ment OF a car a year. Certain Of
the transportation is alleged to have
been from Whiting, Indiana to. East
St. Louis, ILL.,, to st. Louis, Mo. The
plea was not guilty. In the trial, AL
counts were withdrawn from the con-
sideration of the jury on the grounds
not going to the ultimate questions
/ involved in the case. On l 1862 counts,
the verdict was guilty. Motions for
new trial and arrest Of judgment
having been overruled, the matter is
now before the court for the IMPOSE
ton of the penalty authorized by
law, under the statute making it un-
lawful for any person, persons or
corporation to offer, grant or give,
or to solicit, accept or receive any
rebate, concession or discrimination
IN respect to the transportation of
any property in interstate or foreign
commerce by any common carrier. >
At the conclusion of his opinion
and after announcing the amount of
the fine, Judge Lands directed that
a special grand jury be called for the
purpose of inquiring into the acts Of
the Chicago & Alton Railway Com
pany, it having been proved in the
case just closed that the oil company
accepted rebates from that corpora
ton. This jury is summoned for
August ID.
The decision Of Judge Lands
aroused almost as much public inter-
est as did the presence of John D.
Rockefeller and other officials Of the
Standard Oil Company in the court
room on July 9th.
Under the seven indictments still
pending against the Standard Oil
Company additional fines amounting
to $88, 100000 may be levied against
the company if it is found guilty Oil
trial. In these seven indictments are
a total Of 4,442 counts and the maxi
mum fine in each count would be
$4,000.
To Suppress Moroccan Disorder.