The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-09
Claimed That Uncle Sam May
Prevent Carrying Out of
Working Agreement Adopt
ed in Richmond.
LINDEMUTH HAS RESIGNED
FROM THE PRESIDENCY.
Chicago Report States That
Becoming Angry at the Ac-
ton of Local Independents,
He Quits.

IT is reported from Chicago rnar the
United States government may inter
fere to prevent the Home Telephone
company and the Bell Telephone com.
pany or this city in carrying out the
working agreement both companies
recently entered into. 1t is also re-
ported that A c. Lindemuth, presi.
dent of the Home Telephone COMPANY
or this city, has resigned his position
as president of the International In
dependent Telephone Association be-
cause of the action Of the local indie
pendent company. The disnatch
states that Mr.. Lindemuth was not
consulted in regard to the consolida-
ton with the local Bell interests and
that he was so displeased when he
heard of the action of the Home com.
pany that he at once rendered his
resignation to the board of directors
OF the international Independent Tele-
phone Association. His resignation
was accepted.
l.. E. Browne, secretary of the Home
Telephone company, stated today
that he knew nothing of Mr.. Linde-
muth's reported resignation. When
asked IL Mr.. Lindemuth had been con-
suited In regard to the Home company
entering into a working agreement
with the local Bell company, he said
that as far as he knew, Mr.. Linde-
muth had not been consulted. Mr..
Browne read the Chicago dispatch, but
said that he had no comment to offer
on 1t. The dispatch reads as follows:
A conference which may result in
government intervention in the strug-
gle between the Bell Telephone Com
pany and the International Independ-
ent Telephone Association was held
here. 1t was precipitated by the re-
cent conclusion of working agree
ment between the Central Union Tele-
phone Company, which is alleged to
be Bell concern, and the Richmond
Home Telephone Company of Rich
mond, Ind The head of the latter
company was A. G. Lindemuth, who
also was president of the independent
organization. He told the other Off
GERS of the organization and the mem
bers of the executive committee who
attended the conference that the ac-
ton was taken without his knowledge
or consent, and then resigned as presi-
dent of the international association
This resignation was accepted and the
conference decided to raise fund for
the presentation of the alleged mis-
conduct of the Bell company to the
federal courts under the Sherman an
thrust act.
The Independent interests claim
that such arrangements as the Bell
Company is concluding with various
Independent exchanges is contrary to
public policy.
1t is contended that telephone COM
panies are public carriers, especially
in the case of companies which oper-
ate exchanges in towns bordering upon
state boundary lines, such companies,
it is claimed, conducting interstate
business and coming within the jurs-
diction of the federal courts. Combi-
nations between such companies are
alleged to be in restraint of trade A
considerable fund for the enforce
ment of these claims was pledged at
the meeting, $4,000 being made i'm
mediately available and the campaign
placed in charge of a subcommittee
with power to act.
The members of the executive com
mittee who were present today were
A. c. Lindemuth. Richmond. Ind; J.
B. Ware, Grand Rapids. Mich; James
S. Bradley. Toledo. O.; A. c. Davis
Parkersburg. w. Va; F. l.. Woods,
Lincoln, Neb.; H. D. Critchfield, Mil
waukee, Wis, and F. D. Houck. Har-
risburg. Pa. In addition representa-
tives were present from the Independ-
ent telephone companies of Indianap-
oils, Minneapolis, st. Paul, St. Louis,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Buffalo. Kan
sas City, Detroit. Cleveland, Column
bus, Dayton and other cities.