The Cairo bulletin., 1907-08-04
By Judge Lands When He Impos-
es Fine of S29,240,O00 For
Violation of EIkins' Law
Regrets He Can Not lmp,son Dafendants--A Appeal
Will Be TakeR-Roekefe|Ier Plays Golf
and Makes No Comment-Rogers
Silent

Chicago, Aug JUDGE KeueaaS
NJ, landis teday III Tire ETnitad state
district Slrt fined the Standard Oi
company of Indiana $2a,240. 400 10
violations cf the law aganst accap
ige rebates from railroads. The IN
Is slightly more taan 13t times 81
grcat as the amount received by TIL
oenBaay thr' aan tla reaatiag opera
tioHs the lRrgas' amount adiulge'
aeailst eng defendant in the historl
d Ameriyan criminal jurisprudence
1ae casa viii BE carried to the highet
ceafts BY The defendant company
TIL penalty is the maximum per
mitted ader tic law It was
nCuaeea at the end cf long oTi siol
ii which the methods AID practices
Of the Standard OH company are
increilesaly scored. Tie jrdsa de
elared that the efficials Of tie staDd
ard OH ccmpany who are responsible
for tae practices cf which the cor
nornticn Was found guilty were no
better than ccunterfeiters and thieves
MS eAaet lahEuAEE psihk
we may as we'll look at this sitaa
tinn sauaraly The man who deliber
asslg violates this law wounds society
more deeply than does be who ccug-
tergeits The ccin. or steals letters from
S5s sAsg S3sssSx =
a.far taa ssTen Asdie !l
1senflag. tle STANDARD On company
nay be tlnel an additional SIS 10000
II found guilty In these seven ili-
,lietncnts there are 4,422 counts. The
maximum fine on each count is $780,
COZ.
Tile iedge began reading the opin-
len about 10 o'clock and occupied aa
hour in the delivery. He reviewed
the facts In the case, took up the
arguments cf the attorneys for the
defense, answered then aad then
passed iprdement upon the company
which be declared violated the law
fol the sole purpose of swelling its
dividends.
The court held that the railroads
hayc no mere right to make a secret
rate for shipper than board of as
SCISSORS has to make a secret ass sss-
ment on any particular piece Of prop
erty.
He expressed regret that the law
failed to provide more serious pun
ishment than fine but insisted that
the penalty be sufficiently large TO
act as a deterrent, and not of such
size as to encourage the defendant
to persist in lawlessness.
At the conclusion of the opinion,
after announcing the amount Of the
fine. Judge Landis directed that
special grand jury be called to IN
Guire into the acts Of the Chicago aud
Alton railroad company It having
been proved in the case just closed
that the oil company accepted re
bates from that corporation. The
tiry is summoned for August "a.
The decision Of Judge Landls
aroused almost as much public inter
est rs did the presence of John ID.
Rockefeller and ether officials Of TIE
standard oil company in court July
9Th. TIE crush was so great that the
large force OF deputy marshals had
much difficulty IN controlling the
crowd.
During the reading Of the opinion,
when the court said something es
pcciaIIy stinging AGAINST the COM
pany. the spectators would laugh LOUD
~. aud the bailiffs were compelled re-
neatedIy to rap for order
There was loud hand elapping whe
the court said;
when. after all the circumstances
Of the trial have been brought out.
the defendant persistently maintains
that the constitution Of the United
states guarantees &C it the right TO
make a private contract for a railroad
rate this court is obliged 10 confess
that he is unable to indulge in the
presumption that in this case the de
lendant is convicted Of a virgin r.
fcnser
When the reading was concluded
Landis turned to Attorney Starr. Of
the defendant company. aud declared
that he was ready to hear him.
starr said he hal been promised
that there would be a delay in excel +
ticn of judgment, bus the corTt denied
This positively. ser some debate
between the ecuIt and the attofneg ; .
for the government and the company. /
if was agreed thai tine attorney for
the defense be given sixty DAYS in