The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-16
Attorney General Jackson Un-
earths Sensational Evidence.
WILL BEGIN AT COLBY
Mr.. Jackson to Open Fire on
Lumber Trust There,
Affidavit Which Tells of Meth
DDS in Northwest.


given to Attorney General F. S. Jack
son an affidavit of a most sensational
nature, charging that the lumber
companies for which he worked at
Colby and Brewster. Kan, are parties
to an ironclad combine, for the pur-
pose Of eliminating all competition.
All prices on lumber are fixed by
the yellow Pine association in ST.
Louis. Attorney General Jackson
says that the same combine exists
throughout the state Of Kansas and
other western states
Furthermore it is charged in the
AFFIDAVIT that rebate by means of "ov-
ercharge claims" are paid regularly
by the Rock Island railroad The re-
bate charges will be referred to the
federal officials for investigation, and
may result in serious trouble for the
Kansas railroad, or for the lumber
trusts
Mr.. Chance was formerly employed
ny the ChlGago Lumber company and
the Foster Lumber company. He was
recently discharged from the employ
of the Chicago Lumber company, and
feels that he is under no further OBJ
legations to keep the secrets of the
trust
Attorney General F. S. Jackson. ac-
companied by w. G. Bissell. Phil
lipsburg lawyer, left today for Colby,
KAN, where they will at once begin
the first proceedings against the al
legged lumber trust which it is claim
ed is doing business in Kansas.
The proceeding is before the dis
trict court for the purpose of getting
evidence against the trust. The agents
of the lumber companies will be ex-
amined.
The case promises to be one Of the
greatest Importance because it in
IL h. OI, - -
the Rock Island railroad company.
Robert M. McGonigle of Colby, one
of the leading Republican politicians
of the Sixth district, is agent for one
of the companies charged with being
in the combine, and may be subject t.
a fine in case the state makes good its
charges.
Mr.. Chances Affidavit.
Chances affidavit follows:
A. c. Chance, of lawful age, being
first duly sworn, says:
My age is twenty-five years; for the
past six years / have been engaged in
the lumber business in some capacity,
in the employ Of either the Foster Lum-
Der company or the Chicago Lumber
company. For the first two years I
worked as yardman and general utility
in the Foster yards at Colby, Kansas.
during vacations, Saturdays and after
school hours. The next year 1 was
yard foreman and second man in the
Foster yards. For the past three years
have been manager of the Chicago
Lumber & Coal company's yard at
Brewster, Kansas.
Both the Chicago Lumber & Coal
company and the Foster Lumber COM
pany invoiced their lumber stocks to
the local managers at the prices shown
in what is known as the Yellow Pine
association lists. These lists were a
about "a inch thick, contains all the
prices then current on the lumber
stocks then handled by all the yards
that I have any knowledge Of. These
| lists were used to fix the value of the
stock on hand when the yard was in
voiced They were, as I understand
| them and as the same was explained
to me, a list issued by association
| of wholesalers in order that the price of
! lumber should be the same in all retail
yards.
| While was an employe of the Foster
| company the manager of the Colby
ward was instructed not to cut the
price on lumber that was fixed by the
monthly price sheets, which were sent
out by the auditors, they having been
received by him from the head office
When became manager Of the Brew
ster, Kansas. yard of the Chicago Lum-
| Der company I received these same
/
tions not to vary the price one cent
from the instructions, "even if I did not
do a dollars worth of business" l have
several times compared the lists re-
ceived by me with the lists received by
the manager of the Foster yards which
I was instructed to do by the company
if they were different. In every in
stance I found the prices Identical, ant
even typographical mistakes were
identical in the lists of the same date
The Chicago Lumber company and the
Foster Lumber company at Colby anG
at Goodland, Kan, divided the territory
into zones, and the Chicago manager
was not permitted to sell in the Foster
zone or the Foster manager in the Chi
cago zone and it was also the inStruc
tions to the managers of both com
panies, that if they were called upon tt
figure upon a bill of lumber that ths
manager of the other yard had figured
on. that the second man figuring shouls
figure the bill a little higher than tn,
first 1t was the further instruction
that all bills amounting to more thai
twenty live dollars must be figured OF
a carbon pad, one copy to be given t.
i the prospective customer, one to b.
kept on file and one sent to the heat
office without closing the deal And 1
so happened on all bills of any size tha
the company first figuring the bill
would sell the same, and the manage
i, or the company nSurlnS the last bill
would be instructed that he had mad
a mistake and figured the bill to-
, cheap. On one occasion 1 sold bill t.
J. H Standish and in doing so got int
, the Goodland, Kansas, Foster zone Il
a very few days Ben Foster of the Eos
ter Lumber company and William
Simpson. auditor Of the Chicago Lum
Der company, came up to adjust tn
matter. I took him copy of the bil
ard he fgured the profit thereon an