The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-31
ALI READY FOR THE DISSOLUTION CASE 
 Opposing Counsel Hold a
 Final Conference GEN. WRIGHT ON HAND Caruthers Ewing Makes Statement in Which He Blames J. A.
 VanHoose-Returns
 To Memphis

VanHOOSe-ReturnS
 To Memphis
 After several extended conferences yes terday between representatives of either side, the remaining details of the case of the United States against the Southern Wholesale Grocers' association were completed, and thls morning the noted dissolution litigation will be started.
 The case has been filed in the district federal court for practically one year, during which time the most active eff forts have been made by the agents os the government to gather additional evil dence to support the claim that the grocers' association Is trust, operated in restraint of trade and in violation of the Sherman antitrust law. This there will be no delay in start ing the legal fight. which perhaps will be in process of trial for many months. On account of the fact that the gro- cers association met the first serious in Birmingham and that many of the merchants reside here, the beginning of the case has attracted the most unusual interest.
 The conferences yesterday were held between representatives of the govern ment and those of the grocers' associa- ton and late yesterday afternoon both sides were together mapping out plans and trying to agree as to the elimina- ton of certain extraneous matter.
 Those who arrived yesterday included for the government O. F.. Harrison, assistant attorney general and O. D. Street, district attorney.
 Wright and Ewing Come
 The grocers had the following repre- to reach Birmingham: Gen. Luke E. Wright, and Caruthers Ewing of Memphis, attorneys for the alleged illegal association; J. IT. McLaurin of Fla, president of the asso- citation since 1907 and at present head of the organization, and J. A. Brown of one of the state attorneys of the grocers' association.
 The grocers' association men held an talk at the Hillman, after which they met MT. Harrison of the depart ment of justice and went over further matters.
 Later in the evening Caruthers Ewing left for Memphis, while General Wright remained here and will defend the asso- citation during the first few days of the case. Examiner Robert N. Bell and other attaches of the court met also yesterday and outlined what details they wished to deal with today.
 Documents Come First
 The first few days of the case will be devoted to the introduction of documents of various characters which have been accumulated by Hinton G. Clabaugh, special agent of the department of jus tice, in his personal fight against the grocers' association and since being re- tained by the department of justice.
 The written evidence will be filed as court record and none of it will be con- tested by the defendants so far as known.
 The various attorneys and officials of the two contesting sides were not in clined to discuss the forthcoming evi- dence to any great extent. The federal held the view that the case was one for the court to handle and while the public was vitally in- terested in the allegations of the gov ernment it would be best to permit the case to be tried by the courts rather than in public.
 However, Caruthers Ewing of Memphis did not hesitate to talk of the case, as he says 1t is a great mistake and that finally it will be so admitted by all those interested.
 In talking of the case Mr. Ewing said: :
 Ewing Blames VanHoose
 "The Southern Wholesale Grocers' as- sociation. as it now stands, is perfectly willing that the decree sued for by the be granted. In fact, we have not the slightest objections to giving them what is to be the final outcome if they make out the case. The confession Is made by our association that former President VanHoose, who Is now in no wise connected with the association, wrote some questionable letters, which were not to the liking of the assocla- ton members. They were not reflection of the sentiment of the members and as he wrote them he should be held to ac- count.
 ''rhe grocers' association at that time may have been operating illegally, as the government contends, but so far as it now operates there Is nothing illegal about the association. It certainly is no violation of the Sherman antitrust law for man to write letters which were not the reflection of the association mem oers."
 The federal authorities were as much pleased with their side of the contro- versy. It is held that the association las operated illegally and is now an il- egal body. It will also be claimed that in their operations of the association many grocers have made serious errors and are subject to punishment other than ] dissolution of the existing association. President McLaurin of the association. who is here to watch the case has not made any statement for publication, as le stated he preferred not to discuss the ,ase while in trial
 -.s.--
 MethOdists Refused Harvard
 Newark, N. J., March 30.-In addressing he Newark conferences of the Methodist Episcopal church today. Rev. pr. Frank i,, Hamilton ,bo opcaIIo, ,f tba Ap,aricar