Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-28
DEFENDANTS TO APPEAR DEC. 4
They Will Be Given Until January ]
to File Their Answers.
LAGNATEs MEET IN NEW YORK
Extended Conference is Held in
Office of J. p Morgan.
ATTORNEY FILES CERTIFICATE
Public Importance nnd Asks
that IL lie Determined
Promptly.


TRENTON, N j.. oct 97.-Three
judges and not one. as originally re-
ported will sit in Judgment on the suit
brought by the government against the
United states steel corporation. Il was
announced here today. They are George
Gray OF Wilmington, Del; Joseph Buff
flngton. Pittsburgh, and William NJ.
Lanning OF Trenton-the samo tribunal
which recently crowned with success tho
governments fight against the so-callod
powder trust"
The United States district attorneys
office here was not optimistic OF a
speedy trial Of the suit. In the case of
the suit against the powder trust 1t was
pointed out, twelve volumes represent the
testimony and peadings taken during an
interval of three years after the filing
of the suit. The case against the steel
corporation. considered even more far
reaching than the powder suit, will
hardly be completed within less than this
| time. they believe. Even then they point
out, the final decision may be delayed
two years or more by appeal to the
| United states supreme court.
On December 4, under the rules OF
the court the defendants will lanswer
TO do this involves a penalty of $500 fine
and contempt OF the court, which may
be punished with Imprisonment.
After answering the subpoenas, coun-
sci of the defendant will be allowed until
January 1 to file their answer to the
governments petition, but this time may
re extended at the discretion of the
court indefinitely. The court docket is
not overcrowded and the court will be
prepared for the answers on that date,
II was said today.
Hearings May BE Prolonged.
The law provides for the appointment
OF an examiner or examiners after the
filing OF the answer to take testimony.
As testimony probably will be taken all
over the country II Is likely there will be
more han one examiner,
The examiners will be named by the
court and will conduct public hearings 70
take first the testimony to be offered by
tho government, then the defendants and
} then the governments rebuttal Should
the defense then desire, It may present
! testimony In surrebuttal. There is no time
limit for the taking of testimony.
Deputy United States Marshal Wood
bury snowden. Jr, who went TO New
and others copies fthe petition OF the
federal government was back at his desk
today, but positively refused TO give out
any information, saying that he has iron
clad instructions not to talk. 1t is known,
however, that copy of the petition was
served on Judge Gary at the Waldorf
Astoria hotel in New York last night.
MHEnntes Meet in Morgan's office.
NEW YORK. oct. 27.-Chairman Gary
and several others high in the councils
OF the steel corporation entered J. p.
Morgan's office today soon after Mr..
Morgan's arrival and remained for long
time In consultation. In the forenoon
Chairman Gary was In conference with
the companys attorneys.
No formal reply will be made to the
complaint for some days. It was said to-
day, butt his phase OF the situation will
be thoroughly gone into at next Tues
days meeting OF the directors.
Copies OF the governments petition
were served on Charles Steele, Daniel q.
Reid and John d. Rockefeller. Jr.. direct
ors Of the steel corporation.
wIcIScrsham Files Certificate.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 27.-Now that
J the governments fight to dissolve the
United States Steel corporation has been
fairly started there will be no slow
movements In the battle.
When the bill was filed in the United
States court at Trenton yesterday asking
for the dissolution OF the corporation and
It's subsidiaries, Attorney General Wick
ersham also filed "a certificate OF public
Importance" This states that the case is
Of the utmost Importance to the gov
ernment and asks that II be heard by
bench OF three justices. Ordinarily Il
would be heard by only one.
Attorney General Wickersham and
other Department OF Justice officials ex-
Iect to make progress much more rapidly
than was done In either the STANDARD
on and Tobacco cases, II was a little
less than five years from the time those