Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-10-13
NAME WALL PAPER HEADS
FEDERAL GRAND JURORS iNDicT
ON CONSPIRACY CHARGES.
Return True Bill Against Four Biggest
Manufacturers and Four Largest
Jobbers In United States.

Cleveland, o. The four largest
manufacturers and the four largest
jobbers of wall paper in the country
were indicted in the federal court
here, under the criminal section of the
Sherman antitrust law, on the charge
of conspiracy in restraint of trade and
commerce. The indictments follow
an investigation that has been under
way for more than year, in which
the government has been rounding up
evidence that, in it's estimation, war
rants placing the wall paper combi-
nation in the bad" trust classified
ton. Manufacturers of wall paper in
dicted are: Winfield A. Huppuch.
Hudson Falls, N. Y; Robert F. Hobbs,
Hoboken, N. j.; John Mccoy, York,
Pa; George TAFT, Hackensack, N. j.
Jobbers indicted are: Jay B. Pearce.
Cleveland; G. G. Aler, Columbus; Nor
ton Newcomb, st. Louis, and Charles
e. Maxwell, Chicago. Challenging the
legality of the business methods en-
ployed in the manufacture and distri-
button of wall paper. and charging
conspiracy in restrain of trade and
commerce, the government places a
criminal charges against men of ma
ton wide political and financial prom
inence.
Wickersham Backs Inquiry.
Additional prominence is given to
the proceeding because of the fact
that Attorney General Wickersham has
been familiar with the case from the
beginning of the investigation, has
given his officiaN approval to the pro-
ceedings and announces the govern
ment would fight the case with all its
power and would see the whole matter
through to finish. The whole bust
ness method of manufacture and dis
tribution of wall paper would have to
be revolutionized If the government Is
successful in its contention that pres
ent methods are in contravention of
the law. The political and financial
prominence of the men under indict-
ment makes certain the trial of the
issues, in the fullest sense of the
word, when the men are arraigned in
court. The foremost attorneys of
New York, Chicago, st. Louis and
Cleveland will be present at the trial
and take part in the contest. The
government expects to meet strong
array of talent at the trial. For more
than year the government has been
investigating the business methods OF
the wall paper trade. Last July evi
dence was secured to warrant the fed
eral grand jury in returning indict
ments against the four principal job
bers in the country, Jay B. Pearce OF
Cleveland, Norton Newcomb of St
Louis, Edward E. Maxwell of Chicago
and G. c. Aler of Columbus. At that
against the manufacturers, but the
time nothing was reported publicly
government agents continued their IN
vestigations.
Makers Now Accused.
On October new indictments were
returned against the jobbers, but
Charles E. Maxwell of Chicago was
substituted in place of Edward E
Maxwell, indicted last July. In addi
ton the government introduced testi
mony and secured the indictments
against Winfield A. Huppuch, vice
president of the Standard Wall Paper
Co., Hudson Falls, N. Y; Robert F
Hobbs of the firm of Hobbs, Benton
& Rush, Hoboken, N. j.; John Mccoy
of the York Card & Paper Co. of York
Pa, and George TAFT of the w. Camp
bell Paper Co. of Hackensack, N. j
The latter four are charged with be
ing officers of the Wall Paper Manu-
facturers' association of the United
States, while the four are jobbers
charged with being the officers of tn,
National Association of Wall Paper
Jobbers of the United States. Com
plant against the manufacturers ant
jobbers was made to the department
of justice at Washington by propIie
tors of some five and ten cent store!
in the middle and middle western
states. These merchants made tn,
claim that conspiracy existed b.
which the cheap paper dealers of tn,
country were utterly unable to secur,
supplies of wall paper from an!
source. 1t was charged the combna
ton was so widespread and so wei
managed that the supply was absolu
tely cut off. At no point in the coun
try were these dealers able to pur
chase goods for their trade, they com
: planned. Government agents wer
: pat to work at once and are still il
the field covering points as they de
velop. In some way the agents as
sert they have secured possession o
the books in which were recorded tn
: proceedings of the principal meetings
most of which, it is claimed, were hel,
in Cleveland. The principal meeting
| and the one on which the government
J will base its main case was held, gov
, ernment officials claim, at the Office O
} the Jay B. Pearce Wall Paper Co., Il
: Cleveland. 1t is claimed the meeting
: was held May 80, 1910. and resulte
: in perfecting the agreement which tn
: government holds is so obnoxious an
unlawful.