The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-30
Shows That He Acted in Full
Faith With Independent In
terests at All Times in TeIe-
phone Matters.
NEW LIGHT SHED ON
TELEPHONE SITUATION.
Conditions Surrounding Re-
cent Telephone Merger Ex-
planned by Him in Defense
Of His Position.

Direct de nial of all allegations and
assertions that he has in any way re-
pudiated his former efforts in the in
terest of independent telephone COM
panies in Indiana or has been a traitor
to the cause as was charged by the
Central Union Telephone company
through its publications, is made by
Arthur C. Lindemuth former president
of the Richmond Home Telephone
company. In a statement to the Pal
ladium Mr.. Lindemuth says he has
acted in good faith in all his dealings
as president of the local company and
president of the International Indepen-
dent Telephone company
1t is claimed the Richmond Home
Telephone company made its working
agreement with the Bell, or Central
Union company, without the consent
of knowledge of Mr.. Lindemuth. Upon
his learning of the condition and the
charge that he was representing the
International Association of Indepen-
dents and at the same time the COM
pany of which he was president was
making an agreement with the COM
petition, Mr.. Lindemuth resigned as
president of the International and
soon afterward submitted his resigna-
tion as president of the local COM
pany. Not only has he presented his
resignation as president of the COM
pany, but also as a director He will
devote his time to securing evidence
| against the alleged misconduct of the
Bell company to the federal courts
under the Sherman antitrust law His
special line will include the prosecu-
ton of cases of alleged illegal mer-
ger.
| Mr.. Lindemuth has been quoted
throughout the country as saying:
More than year ago at conference
Of telephone men held, here, it was
announced that sooner or later the
Central Union would abandon local
| fields in several cities and an agree
ment would be reached whereby the
independents would be able to pro-
vide for their patrons the long dist
ance service Of the Central Union"
Issues Explanation.
To refute this statement Mr.. Linde-
muth has written:
Il want to say that the statement
attributed to me is absolutely untrue.
At the time the statement is alleged
to have been made l was president of
the Indiana Independent Telephone
association and it is not at all likely
that 1 would have made such a state
ment as that at public telephone
meeting. Besides did not believe the
fact or prediction contained in the
statement at that time nor do l be.
lieve it now.
l have been informed and believe
that the Central Union company was
ready and willing to abandon the local
exchange field in Indiana to the Inde
lpendents upon an equitable basis
This fact, however, was generally
known to every Independent tele
phone man in the state of Indiana
was mentioned in the executive com
mittee meetings. at district meetings
and on the floor of the state conven
ton. In fact, a proposition along
these lines was presented in writing
by epresentatives of the Central
Union company to the joint meeting
of the first second and third districts
of Indiana and carried up and present
/ ed by the executive committee at the
state conve ntion, but being unsigned
by the official heads of the Centra
Union and the A. T. & T. Co., the com
mittee refused to consider the PROPOSE
ton. This matter was fully discuss
ed on the floor of the conve ntion, and
a resolution presented by the execu
tive committee, of which I was chair
4 man, covering the entire history o
the matter, was adopted by the state
convention and published in the Indi
ana bulletin at the time
THE positive statement contained
in the circular that sooner or later the
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