The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-08
SEVERAL TRUST CHIEFS
MAY BE IAMnEn IM %

y -
Chicago, Aug. 7.-when scoring John ID.
Rockefeller and his associates az 'con-
taminators or society,"" and calling the
standard on company q trust, Judge Lam
dis hned 1t $29, 10000 Saturday he outlined
2 course eof procedure which may land sev-
eral trust magnates in jail. He started to
carry out his idea of prison sentence when
ne called a special grand jury for August
IA TO investigate practices of the Ch9earo
and Alton Railroad company as involved
On the oil case. 1t is said that this prose-
cution VIII be made on the grounds of
conspiracy, for which the federal statutes
provide prison sentences OF two years.
John ID. Rockefeller's private fortune
may be seized TO pay fines aEgregatinR
xllIeSo.VOo. II the OIL king fails or refuses
70 satisfy the Judgment of the federal
court he Is liable to indictment for con-
spiracy to do an illegal act, the govern
ment attorneys assert, and together with
all other officers Of the Standard OF Indi-
ana and the Standard of New Jersey. is
liable upon conviction to imprisonment
Tor two years for each count of the indict-
ments. ,... ...... - .
Fine May Be SweiIed.
The extreme liability Of the two cor
porations includes all counts In the pend
ing eight indictments. Originally there
were ten indictments containing nearly
5000 counts. Two were quashed by Judge
Landis. The remaining eight, inclusive OF
the one In which the fines were imposed
contain 4,42 counts. The penalty In each
case may be from $1,000 to $4,000. II the
maximum Is assessed in each count as in
the ], 49, counts of the first indictment, the
sum OF $SS, 10000 will be added to the $29,-
$4,000 already decided upon by Judge Lam
dis, ....
Judge lands obiter dictum plainly
shows his determination to collect all
fines from either the subsidiary corpora
ton, which he describes as a mere fiction
for the purpose Of escaping liability or
from the parent company, and failing In
both cases to proceed against the private
fortunes Of the principals. "
After More Bad Ones.
Judge Lands ringing denunciation of
the oil magnates and his comparison of
men who use the power Of the railroads to
crush competition with mail robbers and
counterfeiters has given the government
attorneys inspiration to investigate all
laws which may enable them to send vio-
lators of the rebate laws to prison.
Their examination Of the laws since the
inf1iction OF the fines has convinced the
government lawyers they can aid the exc
cution against the corporation by seizing
the private fortunes of every officers of
either company who has received profits
derived from illegal rebates. The govern
ment lawyers contend that large portion
OF the enormous profits Of the corporations
consists of Illegal rebates. In view Of this
assumption they hold the opinion that ev-
cry millionaire, having proprietary inter
est in the alleged oil trust is liable indi-
vidually for the entire possible aggregate
OF all fines and collectively they are all
liable. or course collection of vast sums
from the corporation will satisfy the judg-
Anent and no action will be taken against
the Individual In that case.
BY the broadcast Interpretation of the
law the government attorneys say every
responsible director and officer Of the two
oil companies can be held under indict-
ments for conspiring to do illegal acts and
upon conviction they are liable to impris-
onment. r-.... '