The Mena weekly star., 1909-03-18
ESCAPES 4 B|C FINE
FEDERAL JUDGE ANDERSON OR pEREp JURY TO AcouiT IN
 STANDARD OIL CASE.
SAID GOVERNMENT HAD NOT PROVED CASE
Four Years Work of Government At torneys at Cost of Vast sums of Money Comes to Nothing by Arb- trary Action of Indiana Jurist-Hul lnas Exactly Opposite to Landls'.

Chicago, Mar. If.-Judge Anderson decided Wednesday to Instruct the jury in the Standard Oil case to find the company not guilty. Thus comes to an ignoble end the prosecution Tor offenses in punishment of which fine of more than s29, 9,0o0.oo0 was imposed.
 The decision of the court was an, nounced at the close of long argu- ment by the assistant district attor- ney. MT. Wilkerson. The jury was immediately summoned and instructed to return verdict of not guilty. This means that all except two of the pend ing indictments against the Standard Oil company of Indiana are void and will be abandoned by the government
 The two cases not affected by Wednesdays decision are cases inyoly ing the shipment of 1915 carloads ol oil from Whiting, Ind, to Evansville Ind. by way of Dolton Junction, oyei the Chicago Eastern Illinois railroad
 Judge Anderson's ruling was based on the assumption that the govern ment has not proved it's case. He ruled that MT Sims. United States district attorney, and his assistants have utterly failed to prove that Is cents a 100 pounds was the lawful rate on oil from Whiting, Ind, to East St. Louis. III.
 The prosecution, which Wednesday ended in failure. after having once been tried by Judge K. NJ. Landis whose decision was reversed by the court of appeals and the case remand ed to the district court for second trial. had it's beginning August 27 1906. On that date ten indictments were returned by a federal grand jury charging the Standard Oil company of Indiana with accepting concessions from railway shipments of oil from Whiting. Ind.
 Demurrers to.1wo of these involv shipments over the Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad and connecting roads to Grand Junction. Tenn, were up held and the indictments were quashed shortly after they had been returned. The eight remaining bills were demurred to, but the demurrers were overruled.
 Two of the eight indictments in volved shipments over the Chicago X Alton railroad from Whiting, Ind, to East St. Louis, H.. and St. Louis, one containing 1908 counts and the other l34 co'slts. It was the 1903 count in dictment on which the oil company pros scution was based
 With 146 counts allowed to stand the case went to trial first before Judge Landis, March 1, 1907. The trial consumed six weeks and resulted in verdict of guilty April 13. 1907
 Arguments for new trial were heard in May, and motion for a new trial was denied. On August 3. 1907, Judge Landis imposed his famous 29.240,00 fine.
 On appeal the case went to the United States circuit court of appeals and was argued year ago The de cislon of the court of appeals revers- ing Judge Landis and remanding the case for new trial was given July 22. 1908. Attempts of the government to obtain a rehearing of the case be fore the appellate court, as well as their endeavors to secure a review of 1t before the United States Supreme court failed
 The second trial was begun before Judge Anderson February 2S.
 The Missouri Case Appealed.
 Jefferson City. Mar. 1.-The Stand. ard oil company of Indiana appealed It's case to the United States supreme court Wednesday, Judge Valiant chief justice of the supreme court, practically has granted the writ of CT TOT and in the meantime the business conditions Of the Standard oil com pany of Indiana and its subsidiary concerns will be undisturbed.