New-York tribune., 1910-03-21
POULTRY MEN NOW
M.1NY INDICTMENTS
EXPECTED TO-DAY.
Retailers AHegc Persecution
for TestifyiHg Regarding
High Prices.

Indictments involving about a score OF
commission merchants and jobbeTs en-
gaged i'm the live poultry business. il is
noon by the grand jury which has been
investigating charges Of 2 combination
% eXtort high prices.
On the heels Of this report. II was
said there would be an investigation
into charges that the alleged cOmbina-
tion had already begun persecution OF
the kosher butchers and independent
dealers who gave testimony during the
last month in the grand jury inquiry.
Jacob Adler. of Brooklyn. is one Of
the witnesses who testified. He said
that because Of his connection with the
investigation he has been unable To get
supplies of live poultry. and as a result
has been compelled 10 close up his store
at No. lao Boerun street. i'm that bOr-
ough. He ALLEGES that the Beef Trust
has helped TO discipline him for his
leadership in the fight Of the kosher
butchers against hiGi. prices.
The New York Live Poultry COmmis-
sion Merchants Protective Association
and an organization of the wholesale
dealers I'm live poultry have been
charged with conspiring To manipulate
the supply Of poultry in order % force
up the prices.
The members Of the commission meT-
chants association are Jewell Brothers.
Clennon Bishop. George g. Brown.
De- a.
Company. Charles Westerberg. James
y. Norris. Son & 90 and Collins & 60.
Among the most prominent members
Of the wholesale dealers organization
arc Louis j. SchWab. "SOT' FrankeI.
Samuel Werner. Jacobs & Werner. FleCk
& Hillmau. NJ. II. WallOWitz. DanzigeT
Brothers. Samuel Goldstein. Abraham
Kessel. Michael Garlic and Newmark &
Werner.
4 prominent member of the Commits
sion Merchants Association said that al
though ne expected 70 be indicted he
could not understand on what grounds
the grand jury might base such action.
Our business is regulated strictly by
supply and demand" ne said. We re-
ceive a shipment of live poultry. dispose
of it as quickly as possible az the best
market price and~ receive our COmmis-
sion. We have no other interest in the
shipment"
II is charged. however. that during
the grand jury inquiry one of the whole
sale dealers in league with certain conf
mission merchants delayed disposition Of
several carloads Of poultry for a week. in
order 10 force the retail dealers TO pay
two cents a pound more than they We're
willing To pay at the outset.
n is also charged by this same dealer,
who was one 81 the witnesses before the
grand Jury. that the commission mer-
chants controlled ~ per cent OF the
shippers of live poultry TO this city. lie
declares that an examination Of the rec
ords will verify his statement.
To refute the statement ~ wholesalers
and receivers that they are not in league
10 keep up prices. the retail dealers point
out that they are now compelled To buy
geese and ducks by the pound. whereas
up 10 two or three years ago geese and
ducks were sold by the pair az an ad-
vance "f half shilling. 6's cents, over
the receivers price To the jobber.
Instead of paving rs shillings for q
pair Of geese" Mr. Adler declares i'm his
charges. IAN advance Of half a shilling
on the receivers price 10 the iobber. we
are forced - pay 3. and cents a
round for the geese over the receivers
p-ice The combination, Of jobbers is So
strong that We must take them al this
figure or get out of business. We can
not get them direct from the receivers.
Furthermore. We deal mostly in fowls.
but are forced 10 take. two crates ~
chicks or spring chickens. with each
crate If fowl. or We can't get the fowl"