The Washington herald., 1907-07-14


famine prices for the frozen necessity,
there is at least one feature for which
hospital authorities. hotel managers
boarding house keepers, and every private
individual are thankful in these hot and
sultry midsummer days, and that is the
certainty that there is a plentiful supply OF
the article stored away in the various Zee
houses and plants, sufficient to satisfy all
demands
Last winters natural ice crop was one
of the most prolific in many years. and
the local ice dealers took advantage Of the
big harvest and low prices. and replen-
ished their stock 10 the utmost.
Last year Washington was In the throes
of an ice famine, and love or money, at
times could not secure the precious
frozen crystal There was much suffer
ing in consequence among the sick in the
hospitals, and housekeepers, hotels, and
people in general were loud in their ap-
peals for amelioration OF a menacing
condition.
It was claimed by the ice manufactur-
ing companies at the time that their ia
cilities were not Of sufficient capacity to
supply the ever growing demand. and that
they were Obliged to import natural ice
from the New England dealers. Even
with numerous four-masters arriving at
the ice wharves every day. discharging
their precious cargo, ice dealers professed
that the supply was insufficient to satisfy
the demand.
Increuse I'm Price
The scarcity Of the article and the big
demand brought about an increase in
price, and many customers alleged at the
time a shortage in weight, which the
companies blamed on the ice wagon
drivers. disclaiming all responsibility in
that respect It was further stated at
the time that the dealers had combined
20 control the sale OF ice as well as its
price The newspapers took up the mat
ter and the grand jury instituted an in
vestigation with the result that on July
y last that body returned an indictment
alleging violation Of the sherman anti
trust law on the part of the ice-makers
and dealers.
That's where the matter stands to-day.
Nothing has as yet been done TO bring
the accused 10 trial, and to bring the
vailing before the ice famine OF last year.
Indicted over Year Ago.
The indictment against the ice eompa-
MES was returned by the grand jury
little over a year ago, and when seen
about the matter yesterday. it was stated
at the district attorneys Office that the
trial may be called up next fall"
July =, 1906, the grand jury indicted
the American Ice Company and the Cha
pin-Sacks Manufacturing Company. the
two principal corporations dealing in ice
in the District of Columbia. They were
indicted for an alleged violation Of sec
ton 3 Of the act OF Congress approved
July 2 $780, commonly known as the
Sherman antitrust law. July 70 the in
dicted entered a plea of not guilty, and
their bond was fixed at 5000. Included
in the indictment were the names Of
Samuel A. Kimberley, general manager
for this city Of the American Ice Com
pany, and George p. Hoover. sVperintend-
ent of routes Arthur A. Chaplin. presi-
dent and agent, and Samuel c. Redman,
secretary and treasurer OF the Chaplin
Sacks Company, were also named in the
indictment.
The grand jury made its report 10
I.
legged that the two companies, through
their respective officials. did. on April
%. 1906. unlawfully and knowingly. con-
tract. combine. ami conspire that they
should charge the same price for ice
sold TO retail dealers, with a view TO
destroying competition: that they should
not sell ice to dealers who should there
after sell ice at retail at less than 20
cents per hundred pounds. or less than
p cents per hundred pounds at whole
sale: and that this contract was made
by the concerns for the purpose of pre-
venting and destroying competition
among them as TO the prices that ice
should be sold by either of them to
dealers.
Long List of Witnesses.
BY this contract. it was further al
legged, the companies restrained the bus /
mess, trade. and commerce Of their re-
spective corporations, and also the
dealers Of the District Of Columbia. The /
witnesses who appeared before the grand /
jury, and upon whose testimony the in |
dictments were founded. were L. c. /
Reynolds, Clarence Idle, John D. Saund- |
ers, ". H. MARI J. w. AtwelI. Dennis !
Connor William R. Padgett. Eugene
Liverpool, Edward NJ. Willis, L. P.
Steuart. Nicholas Auth, William J. Cap
ner, John W. Hodgkinson, John r. Fer
ris, S. Nally, John G. Allen, Thomas J. |
Nash, Frederick Herman, Robert J. Ber- |
ryman, Joseph B. Waters. Walter B |
Weaver William J. Dante, w S Corby, /
David NJ. Oliver, R. W Vandeventer. |
Arthur Smith. Edith Y. Crane. J. French /
Simpson, John T. Ball, jr., Charles W. /
Taylor, James Donaldson. Walter I,
Simmons, John E McGaw, Wallace B. /
Blick, A. J. Guillat, Edward B. Turin. |
and Richard Sweeney.
Exactly how many Of these witnesses
have died since the indictment has been
returned. or have removed from this city. /
could not be ascertained, but II is thought
that when the trial is called up the prose-
cution VIII find that quite a number of
the witnesses cannot be found, having
either died or left this city
Additional indictments were returned by
the grand jury October ], 1906, against the |
American Ice Company, its manager.
Samuel A. Kimberley, and its route agent.
George +. Hoover, and the Chapin-Sacks
Manufacturing Company, It's president.
Arthur A. Chaplin, and its secretary
treasurer, Samuel c. ReGman. Violation
OF the sherman antitrust law was al
legged and charge Of conspiracy to com
nit an offense against the United States
was also made To these charges the
accused plead not guilty October e. 1906