Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-05-10
GOVERNMENT VICTORY
OVER B. UC TRUST
DECREE ENTERED AT iNDiANAP-
oPLIS ENJolNs COMBINE FROM
CONTINUING OPERATIONS.
PRICE AGREEMENTS AND
ELACkLlSTS PROHIBITED
Threats and Other Means of Enforc-
ing Rates Barred-Must Not Dis
criminate or Publish Names-in-
junction Is Perpetual.

Indianapolis, Ind, May 10.-The So
called drug trust" was perpetually en-
joined Thursday from continuing its
operations by the entering of a decree
in the United States circuit court for
the district of Indiana on the COM
plant of the United States govern
ment filed by John b. Healing, United
States district attorney. The defend
ants, 80 in number, who are the mem
berS, officers, directors, agents and at
torneys of the National Association of
Retail Druggists, the National Whole
sale Druggists association, tripartite
proprietors, blacklist manufacturers"
direct contract proprietors," whole
sale contract proprietors' and Charles
@. Bombaugh, are perpetually enjoin-
ed from combining and conspiring to
restrain trade in drugs, fix prices by
agreement, blacklist retailers who cut
prices, or to refuse to sell to any re-
taller on equal terms.
BIacklists Are Forbidden.
All publication of blacklists Is for
hidden and all contracts and agree
ments covered by the charges are de-
clared void. The direct contract Sc
rial number plan is prohibited as well
as the securing of the adoption of
schedules for the sale of drugs.
Charles G. BombAugh was charged
In the bill of complaint with being en-
gagged in printing and circulating lists
called blacklists, which contained the
names of druggists throughout the
country who sold proprietary articles
and medicines at prices less than
those which the alleged combinatir"
ordered
As charged, he would send lis.
each month to every retail and whole
sale druggist in the United States who
belonged to the association Of those
accused of cutting prices and as a re.
suit Of this these aggressive cutters"
as they were called, could not buy
goods.
1t was further charged that those
accused of cutting prices on propri
etary medicines were unable to pur.
chase any kinds of drugs from the
members of the several associations
All such practices are perpetually en-
joined.
Hits "Direct Contract" Men.
The direct contract proprietors"
are enjoined frQm continuing the di-
rect contract serial plan and from CO.
operating with any of the other de-
PENDANTS in carrying out such a plan.
They are enjoined from requiring any
dealer from entering into a contract
restraining trade itf the articles of
their manufacture and from placing
serial numbers on the retail packages
for the purpose of keeping records and
tracing sales and from requiring the
vendee to keep records of and report
sale by serial numbers. All acts
tending to restrict the free purchase
of the articles or their manufacture
are forbidden.
The same prohibitions are ordered
against the wholesale contract pro-
prietors" and they are further en-
joined from securing the adoption of
schedules for the sale of the articles
of their manufacture and of other ar
ticles in any market.
One Suit Is Dismissed.
Attorneys for William d. Freeman,
a member of the "Wholesale contract
proprietors," at the last moment ask
ed for further delay and wanted to
proceed to trial. Special Counsel
Charles w. Miller and Addison c. Har-
ris for the government, in order to
prevent postponement, dismissed the
suit as to Freeman.
''We shall be able to take care of
Mr.. Freeman in another case," said
Mr.. Miller to the court The decree
was signed by Judge A. 3. Anderson
exactly one year from the filing Of
the suit by the government
The decree entered Thursday was
dictated by the government attorneys
and agreed to by the defendants. With
the entering of the decree the litiga-
ton came to an end with a complete
victory for the government