The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-31

NEW YORK. Oct. 80-The pubs
lie hearings OF the plan submitted By
the tobacco trust for dissolution and
Reorganization under the decree oc
the United States Supreme Court be-
gan before United States Circuit
Judges Lacombe. Noyes. Holt and
Ward to-day. The epoch-making event
attracted the largest array OF legal
talent that has been brought together
In New York at one time In many
years. The governments forces were
headed by Acknowledgement Wicker-
sham, assisted by Special Attorney J..
C. McReynoids. who prepared and
prosecuted the suit against the great
tobacco combination.
Many Of the most distinguished 'cor-
poration lawyers In the United States
appeared for the trust. Joseph H
Choate. dean Of the American bar.
entered the list as counsel for the
four per cent bondholders Of the COM
pany. He characterized his clients An
innocent investors" Louis c. kraut-
hon, chief Of counsel Of the beef
trust, appeared for clients whom h0
denominated The poor holders %
5000 shares Of common stock" Nor
gan J. OBrien. a former justice OF
the Supreme Court, also put In .
plea for other innocent investors" the
same being tho holders OF per cent
bonds to the extent OF millions
Formidable Array Against Trust.
The trusts forces proper wsra
headed by Lewis Cass Ledyard. Ds~
lancey Ntcoll, w. w. Fuller. Juniuu
Parker and Z. 8. Strouck.
Opposed to them directly and rep~
resenttng various organizations and In
tar ests Of independent tobacco Dealers
and producers were
Louis ., Brandeis. Of Boston. who
fought the railroads to their knees
on their united request for an tn-
crease Of freight rates; John
Yerkas, of kentucky. formerly lnIaF-
national revenue commissioner; dsnEG
II. Hunter and Felix H. Levy. OF NsN
York. ID. J. Justice, OF North Care.
lima. and the attorneys-generAl o.
North Carolina, Virginia, South Caro-
Ina. Kentucky and New YORK. AZ
.srnsy-l General CarmQdy. who Wa re1s.
resented by Deputy Gray. tnterveneeF
N behalf OF the tobacco growers and
deslsrs OF this State In spite q tno
public ayowal Of Governor DIX tha&
he was opposed to the program g.
trust prosecution under the snsrmAA
law.
Attorney General Wichersham nice
With the court carefully prepares
bill OF objections 10 the plan. HeNs
erA attorneys for the independent To-
bacco interests declared that II 49,
disappointing In that II haA nok - lsks
sisted as q condition precedent g -
ceptina any plan Of voluntary dtnee
LUTON that there shall be NO commAA
ownership Of stock. NO interiookln9
directors. in fact II not In name.
Ask for Receiver.
Only two Of the lawyers for the In
insisted that the governs
ment should resort TO the SuprsmA
Courts alternative OF receivership pro-
ceedings. This plea was made ~
Henry RI. Hunter, counsel for tho ius
dependent retail dealers, and 4. u
Justice, counsel for the Farmeru
OF North Carolina. Mr.. Jue<
ttce declared that since the Organizes
ton OF the trust the tobacco growogx
of his State had been reduced To pow
erty. and their wives and children haE
To work In the fields to keep the wol&
from the door.
Judges Ward and LAcombe led t.
the Questioning az counsel. 1t seemed
manifest from Judge Wards QueasS
tons that he II inclined to believe tha4S
the trusts lawyers have formulateG
q plan that measures up to the o.
However, II appears TO ~ mi
fOragops conclusion that whatever 4
the action OF tho Circuit Court. Il VI y
be appealed by one side or the 0thf
Attorney General Wfcker1hAS&
cross petition prescrtbss fourteen coM
ditions With which the plan mu9t eQqI
satisfied. and he prefaces HIS dsusan1
~ follows: IA ssss n II
GoEeTnmenes Deaaande. ms
~ObytoNaly the efkee< o. any rirS1S &