Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-09-27
CHICAGO & Al TON
WINS IMMUNITY.
FEDERAL JUDGE LANDS TELLS
Jury IT HAS NO FURTHER
DUTIES IN CASE.
WANTS MoFFETT IN COURT.
Directs That Subpoena Be Drawn UP TO-
Standard Oil Man Who Said 9th
ers Than Trust Were Guilty.

CHICAGO, ILL.,. Sept. 24.-It was de-
cided today by Judge Landis IN the
United States district court that the
Chicago & Alton railway shall not De.
further prosecuted for its connection WITH
the Standard Oil company in the grant
inc of rebates between whiting, Ind, and
East st. Louis, Ill.
1t was claimed by Attorney General
Ronaparte. whose letter was read to the
court by District Attorney Sims, that
Mr.. Morrison, the predecessor OF MIR.
Sims in office, had promised immunity
to the Alton road provided it assisted
in good faith in the prosecution OF the
Standard Oil company.
Morrison's Promise Must Stand.
The attorney general claimed that 1t
was the duty Of the government to see
that no further steps toward the pun
ishment of the railroad for its part III
the granting Of the rebates be taken.
The attorney general asked that the
grand iury which had been summoned at
the instance of Judge Lands, to lnVestl-
cate the Alton railroad, be discharged
and that the matter be allowed to drop
as far as the Chicago & Alton was con
cerned.
Lands Wants Moffett in Court.
Judge Lands in statement which re-
quired fully thirty minutes for its dellv-
crv declined to discharge the jury, but
instructed its members that they had no
further duty to perform in connection
with the Chicago 4 Alton railroad. Inc
court then called attention to state
men recently issued by President Motfett
of the Standard Oil company OF Indiana
in which it was claimed that II the
Standard Oil company was guilty OF
receiving rebates, no other manufactures
was innocent.
The court directed the jury to investl-
cate the conduct of other manufacturers
and directed that a subpoena be issued
for President Moffett.
No Chance to Prosecute.
Judge Lands after the reading OF the
letter of the attorney general, recounted
to the members of the grand jury the
history of the case. citing what he said
were evidences Of criminality Oh the part
of the railroad company i'll connection
with the granting of the rebates, and
saying that the promise OF immunity
must. however, be kept, directed that
the Jury should take 40 further action
against the railroad company in the mat 70
ter.
There is, however" said Judge Lands,
another matter which cit becomes my
duty to submit to you. A document pur-
porting to have been issued by the di-
rectors of the Standard Oil company to
it's employees and stockholders, and which
counsel for the Standard Oil company
assure me they have never seen, and
knew nothing of its contents, has come
into my hands. 1t appears to have been
freely circulated, and | have received
many copies of it.
Oil Man Must Explain.
This document purports to deal with
facts concerning the transportation of
property in interstate commerce in the
neighborhood of Whiting, Ind. In the
document is a statement from James A.
Moffett, president Of the Standard Oil
company OF Indiana, and | quote from
it as follows:
thousands of tons of freight have
been shipped from these points during
the last fifteen years under the same cir
cumstances as the Standard shipments,
and if the Standard is guilty in this case,
SO is practically every other shipper i'll
this great manufacturing territory. Is
there purpose in selecting the Stand
ard as Il victim?
Il hope l need not say to you that it
is my highest ambition to so admins
ter the affairs of this court that no one
can truthfully allege such things as this.
Therefore [ direct that a subpoena be
issued for James A. Moffett, directing
him to attend your next session. l
charge you to give diligent attention to
his testimony Mr., Motfett will be sum-
moned to appear before you next Tues