New-York tribune., 1910-01-28
MILK MEN TESTIFY
TELL OF DEAD WAGON.
Independents Shoe Ho7U Com
petition Has Killed.

The notorious dead wagon, which. II
has been charged. the Milk Dealers Protec-
tive Association sent over the routes of in
dependent dealers to undersel and drive
them out of business. figured In both the At
torney Generals and the grand jurys probe
OF the Milk Trust yesterday.
Several Of the dealers testified before
Referee William Grant Brown as TO the
tactics used by the association in which
this wagon took part. At the same time
George w. Bleffert of No. 42s East seth
street the driver of the vehicle, occupied
the time of the entire session of the grand
jury and had en opportunity to cnlighten
the members of that body on the subject
Officers of the association have defined
Bleffert's duties as those of q collector OF
stray cans.
Tame Helfand, dealer. of No. 1887 Park
avenue. testified that he changed from
wholesale dealer named Lieberman, mem
ber of the Milk Dealers Protective Associa-
ton. to Miller Brothers, when the latter Of
fered him milk at 90 cents less Bleffert
came along. he said, and enticed him away
from the Millers with further reduction in
the price of 90 cents can. The Miller con-
Germ lost another customer In Nathan Mo-
golef of No. 401 East 18th street, when
to Mogolof, Bleffert cut the Miller price 40
cents can.
The first connecting link between the
meeting of milk dealers in Williamsburg
last fall and the Milk Dealers Protective
Association of Manhattan. was supplied by
Charles Orr, of the National Dairy Com
pany, in Brooklyn. He understood that the
question of price was discussed at the meet
ing. which presided over by John p.
Wierck. of the Empire State Dairy Com
pany. On that occasion Orr heard about a
dinner of the protective association, and
bought a ticket for S..
c. II. c. Beakes. of the Beakes Dairy
Company, the next witness, said he presid-
cd at this dinner, although ne was not
member. He acknowledged talking to an
other dealer named James c. Rider about
raising the price, but denied that he had
urged Rider to do so. He admitted dis
cussing in a casual way the subject of rails
ing the price with men connected with both
the Borden and the Sheffield Farms COM
panies
William Rogers, president of the Shelf
field Farms company. it was alleged by
Joseph A. Ferris, head of the Ferris Milk
and Cream Company, years ago trailed his
wagons to lure away customers. Mr. Fer
he met in getting his milk supply and the
obstacles which had been thrown in his way
because he insisted on conducting his bust
ness independently. He said that his wag
ons were tampered with nuts removed from
the wheels, so that loads OF milk broke down
in the streets, and drivers were inveigled
into drinking and neglecting their work.
Adolph Huth, manager of the New York
Dairy Produce Company, who acknowledged
being at the Williamsburg meeting, said he
had intended to raise the price, but at the
last moment changed his mind because two
of his competitors did not raise it.
1t is understood that Ferris, Huth,
Beakes, Orr and Helfand will be called
upon to testify before the grand jury.
Joseph Laemmle, secretary of the Con-
soldated Milk Exchange, has been sub
poenaed to appear before the jury to-day.
Samuel Levy, one of the members Of the
Milk Dealers Protective Association, had a
long talk with Assistant District Attorney
De Ford yesterday, and is also expected to
testify to-day.