The Detroit times., 1910-12-23
10 RAKE BOOKS OF
\ TOWNS TRUST
FOR EVIDENCE
Local Hearing Ended and Real Fire
works Are Expected When Gov
y eminent Begins Probing OF Rec
ords in Cleveland, Jan. 3.
Capt. James Davidson, Vice-President
of Great lakes Concern, Proves Star
Witness For Prosecution.

With the testimony OF four vessel
captains, which was for the most part
of minor Importance. the local hear
ing I'm the governments suit TO dis
solve the Great Lakes Towing Co. on
the ground that il Is an Illegal COM
bine. came 10 an end Thursday morn
ing. Several OF the witnesses who
had been subpened were not called.
as the testimony they had TO offer was
largely OF a cumulative nature, ana
In view of the damaging evidence
given by Capt James Davidson, Capt.
Harris w. Baker and others against
the alleged trust, Uni.ed States At
torney William l.. Day, in charge of
the case for the government. decided
4 II was not necessary.
An adjournment was taken until
Jan. 3, an $50 a. M. in Cleveland,
when the real fireworks are sched-
uled to be touched off. The officers of
( the Great Lakes Towing Co. have
been ordered to bring their books and
records into court at that time. and
the evidence TO be adduced from them
is expected TO practically "cinch" the
government case.
After the governments evidence is
which probably will mean another
trip TO the various ports, including
Detroit. The company will attempt to
show by Witnesses that il does not en-
JOY a monopoly OF the harbor towing
on the great lakes, but that. on the
. other hand. 1t has active competition
ain the more important ports.
When the taking OF testimony on
both sides is finally completed, IL will
be written up and submitted to
Judges Severens, Knappen and War
rington, of. the United States court of
appeals, sitting especially as circuit
court, together with the arguments.
IL the court decides that the company
is a trust, criminal prosecutions are
likely to follow.
Some evidence tending to show that
the alleged trust maintains a blacklist
was brought out. Thursday. Capt
John Macarthur, of Port Huron. own
er OF the barge Dobbins, testified that
he had commanded the tugs Pallister
and Nelson, owned respectively by
the Sullivan and Thompson lines, on
two trips last summer. Capt David
Murray, of the Dobbins, was then put
on to show that, on one occasion dur
ing the season just closed, the Great
Lakes Towing Co, refused TO tow him
ont OF Lorraine, o., unless he paid the
billTfn advance. "a
He'sdid not have enough money With
him nand was delayed several hours
while the matter was being adjusted.
the--captain OF an incoming steamer
going good for the amount Capt
MURRAY said that on this occasion he
was Told by the trust manager ut
Lorraine that his boat was on the I'M
fair list. The government will attempt
to show that the Great Lakes concern
Disseminated against the Dobbins be-
cause the owner, Capt. Macarthur, had
been in command or me independent
tugspreviously mentioned.
Capt. Edward J. Donahue, of De
troit,- testified that in 1906, when he
was In charge of the schooner Aurora,
of the Weineman fleet, he was Obliged
to lay several hours outside the har-
bot al Toledo before a tug came 10
toy him In. although the Crete. which
arrived outside the harbor an hour
later than he did, was taken care OF
promptly.
Il tolG the tug captain II was Gus
tonnary TO pick up the boat that ar
rived first, but he said he didn't give
a damn what the custom was" the
witness testified. HE had orders to
get. the Crete and he was going to
obey orders, he said"
The captain admitted that he had
not telegraphed ahead for a tug. Mr.
Wineman, head OF the fleet of which
the Aurora was a part. was one Of The
witnesses against the trust There
was-no evidence. however. to show
that-the Great Lakes people had any
thing against him at the time of the
Aurora incident.
Capt. Frank G. Stewart OF the d.
& R.-steamer, Western States. the first
witness of the morning. testified that
the. Great Lakes Towing Co. always
handled his boat entering and leaving
Bufalo. There were no other tugs
engaged In the vessel towing business
in Buffalo as far as he knew
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