Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-13
SEATING COMBINE INDICTED
Makers Of Church and School Furniture
Charged With Violating Sherman Act
FIXED PRICES AND STRAW BIDS OFFERED
Federal Grand Jury in ChieaEo Ac-
euseE Nine Corporations Of Com
bininE 60 Deceive Public with
show of Competition.

CHICAGO, March l2.-F. A. Holbrook Of
Chicago. who has been referred to as the
directing force OF the so-called Church and
School Furniture trust, and nine church
and school furniture manufacturers were
named In indictments returned late this
afternoon by the federal grand jury. In
addition two petitions were filed In the
United States circuit court asking for an
Injunction restraining the furniture COM
panies from further violations OF the Sher-
man antitrust act, under which law the
indictments were returned. The indictments
charge the defendant corporations with
controlling so per cent OF the church pew
and school desk business IN the United
States.
The companies manufacturing church fur
niture against whom indictments were re-
turned. follow;
American Seating company, Chicago A.
n. Andrews company, Chicago; X. II. Stat
ford Manufacturing company, Chicago; Su-
Perior Manufacturing company, Muskegon,
Mich; owensboro Seating and Cabinet
company, greensboro, KY; Southern Seat
ing and Cabinet company, Jackson, Tenn. {;
Cincinnati Seating company, Cincinnati, o; ;
Fridmnap Seating company New k Hs1 SIiSi
Ind. F. A. Holbrook, Chicago.
This indictment contains three counts
The first charges conspiracy in restraining
of trade under section 1 Of the antitrust
law. The second count charges a con-
spiracy in monopolizlng trade and COM
merce throughout the United States. The
third count charges a conspiracy and COM
bination in restraint of trade and COM
merce and charges a number Of overt acts
in furtherance OF the conspiracy. The in
dictment also charges that the above cor
poratlons and F. A. Holbrook had organ
ICED an association called the Prudential
club" The object Of this association was
to prevent competition in the sale Of church
pews throughout the United States.
The grand jury declares that the methods
and means used in preventing competition
and restraining trade were minimum fixed
prices agreed upon, below which none Of
the defendant corporations were allowed to
sell church pews. 1t is also contended in
the indictment that the defendant corpora
lions reported. the names OF all the churches
or prospective purchasers requiring furni-
ture to f. A. Holbrook and that Holbrook
assigned and allotted the prospective sales
to the different corporations in the COM
bination. The indictment also states that
the men OF the combination put in STRAW
bids" for the purpose OF deoeiving the pub
lice and making a show Of competition. The
school furniture companies indicted are:
Minneapolis ONCE and School Furniture
company, Minneapolis; greensboro Seating
and Cabinet company. greensboro, KY;
Cincinnati, o.; Haney School Furniture
company, Grand Rapids, Mich; Peabody
School Furniture company, North Manches-
pany Morrison, ILL.,; 70. H. Synfford Manu-
featuring company, Chicago; A. M An
drews company. Chicago; American Seating
company, Chicago, and F. A. Holbrook,
Chicago.