New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-08
''GlASS TRUST" INDICTED.
Sixteen Officials and Directors
Charged.
NOT YET ONE YEAR OLD
Twelve Plants Kept Closed at a
Loss, 1t Is Said--Prices
Raised go Per Cent.

Pittsburg. April THE Imperial
window Glass Company, corporation
of West virginian birth. which lacks
one week of being a year old ana SIX
teen officials and directors were indicteo
by special federal grand jury here
late to-day on three counts;
First-Ccnspiracy in the restraint oil
the hand blown window glass trade IN
the United States.
second-Engagement in illegal compe-
tition.
Third-Attempt to monopolize inter
state trade.
A week ago tonight United states
District Attorney John II. Jordan d.
vulsed the information that federal ON
GERS had completed a three months IN
vestigation OF the glass industry and
would present TO the grand jury on the
following Monday evidence to show that
the corporation acted in violation of the
Sherman antitrust law. AT AIS oclocR
this evening after a four days hearing
of many witnesses. the grand jurors re-
turned an Indictment of sixty long type
written pages.
The officials and directors of the I'm
perial Window Glass Company as named
in the indictment are:
President Myron L. Case. Of Maumee
Ohio: vice president. NJ. J. Healy, OF
Bradford, Penn. and treasurer. j. G.
Sayre, of Morgantown, w. Va. Direc-
tors: Thomas Spillane, of New Bethle-
hem. Penn: G. w Morenus. of Kane
Penn: Thomas Camp. president Of the
Smithport Window Glass Company;
William L. Graham. Of Masontown
Penn: Felix Steinberger. Of Clarksburg
W. Va; J. II. Brewster. Of Weston, "
Va: ]. G. Sayre. Of Morgantown. W. Va;
c p Cole, of Lancaster. Ohio; Q. c
league OF Utica. y. Y: Frank Basin
Of Vincennes. Ind; F. r. Wear, of Kan
sas CITY Mo-; A. Hudson OF Chanute
Kan. and L. c. Baker. of Carey. Kan.
The secretary of the company, J. r
Johnston. Of Pittsburg, was not named
! in the indictment. He appeared as the
principal witness for the government
/ and may, Il is said. receive immunity
/ from criminal prosecution. He produced
/ before the jury a mass Of books ant
papers. letters and other data. Th'
( presentment, however. was also based
on the testimony of number Of othe
witnesses. who had been summoned from
many Western cities.
The Indictment sets forth that tn
company. incorporated in West Virgini;
hot 1lx to
acted as a selling agency and has pre-
vented competition by persuading an
inducing corporations. partnerships an
individuals in the window glass trad
to enter into contract with the agenc
TO sell their entire outputs of han'
blown window glass" and that "the de
PENDANTS were able to establish. fix an
maintain arbitrary. unreasonable an
nom competitive prices for window glas
greatly in excess Of prices which woul
prevail if said defendants had not en-
gagged in unlawful conspiracy"
II is charged that when glass BLOWN
concerns declined to enter such agree
ment the defendants proceeded to leas
the factories. with the purpose Q
monopolizing the trade and restrainin
interstate commerce.
The company is said to control fac
tories in ten states. as follows: Illinois
Indiana. Kansas. Massachusetts. Mich
gan. North Carolina, New York, OhiC
PENNSYLVANIA and West Virginia.
Assistant Attorney General Crossword
Of Washington, and United States Dis
trict Attorney John H. Jordan. of Pitts
burg. have conducted the investigation
! The indictments were handed down b
the United states District Court Jus
tices James 5. Young and Charles
orr presiding. District Attorney Jorda
said that the cases would come UP be
fore the May term of court
The Imperial Window Glass Compan'
is capitalized at S25O.OOO. of which
four days inquisition. testimony. il wa
officially learned. was to the effect tina
the company had cleared $4,000 ne
over and above all expenses.
The companies which were allowed b
the alleged agreement to sell only &
the Imperial company number sixty
six all told representing a capitalize
ton Of between 81 .O00.Ooo and SS,OOOOp
OF these companies it was testified tina
twelve were kept closed the idlenes
involving an expense of $4,000 year
District Attorney Jordan declared to
night that the price of window glas
had increased about 50 per cent sine
the Incorporation of the Imperial Win
dow Glass Company.
The case is the first here under tn
Sherman law. The statute provides tina
upon conviction on any one count
fine OF 5000 or Imprisonment for ont
year, or both, may be a maximum pen
atty.