The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-03
Maximum Penalty Imposed
on Standard Company
in j. S. Court.
VIOLATION OF ELKINS LAW
Appeal Sure to Be Taken-Indi-
ana Plant and Property in
New Jersey May Have to
Be SeId to Pay the
Enormous Sum.

CHICAGO, Aug. 3.--The largest fine
ever recorded in the history of criminal
jurisprudence was imposed today by
Judge K. M. Lands on the Standard
Oil Company of Indiana, namely, S29,-
10000, the maximum under the EllSins
law.
Judge lands, in his decision, said
corporation of Indiana, operates an oil
refinery at whiting, Indiana. that the
Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, q
corporation Of Illinois, operates a line
of railroad from Chicago to East ST..
Louis, Illinois, and that the Chicago
Terminal Transfer Company operates
a switching road from Whiting across
the State line into Illinois, intersect-
ing the Alton road at a station called
Chappell, a short distance from Chi
cago, and that there are three COM
panies operating terminal roads from
East st. Louis. Illinois, across the Mis-
sissippi river to st. Louis, Missouri.
Prior to the occurrences upon which
the prosecution was based, the Chicago
e. Alton Company had filed with the In
terstate Commerce Commission, show
ing the rates for the transportation OF
oil in car lots from Whiting to East
st. Louis to be eighteen cents per hun
dred pounds and the rate for like
transportation from Chappell to st.
Louis to be nineteen and half cents
per hundred pounds.
The Standard, however, was allowed
a rate six Ssnts per hundred
pounds on the traffic to East ST. Louis
and seven and half cents for the
shipments to ST. Louis, bills at these
rates being rendered by the Alton
Company TO the defendant semi
monthly.
The Judge also recommended that a
call be issued for a special Grand
Jury, which is to consider the other
party to the rebating operations of
which the Standard OIL Company was
found guilty, and 1t is therefore prob
able that within a short time proceed
ines will be commenced against the
Chicago and Alton Railroad Company
for the alleged commission Of similar
offenses.
The Standard was convicted on 1882
counts in the indictment against, 1t.
The probabilities. according to attorneys,
! re that the appeal in this case will take
me regular procedure In that event the
briefs and arguments of attorneys will be
submitted to the United States Court of
Appeals at the January term, and IL the
government is sustained there the case will
reach the United States Supreme Court
year from this coming October.
With the end thus distinctly in sight.
the United States marshals are figuring
whether the plant at Whiting Ind, the
only tangible property Of the Standard
OIL Company of Indiana, would yield at
piblic auction sufficient to pay the fine.
All this Is. of course. subject to the belief
that the government will be successful all
along the line.
The stock Of the Standard Oil Company
OF Indiana is $1.000.000, so that the fine,
II the maximum amount is imposed. will
be twenty mine times the capital stock.
The plant at Whiting, however. was esti-
mated by the Standark Oil attorney to be
worth $50,0OO0O0, and should this so de-
preciate as to not bring sufficient TO cover
the fine, action could be brought TO force
the Standard OIL Company Of New Jersey,
the parent concern, to pay the balance.
With this possibility in view. there is no
doubt expressed that II the Government
is finally victorious the Standard OIL Com
pany will pay the fine.
The seven other cases against the COM
pany Will be set for trial. but no under
standing has been reached as to which one
will be tried next