The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-05-04

THIRTEEN INDICTMENTS FOUND
AGAINST COMPANIES EN-
TERING CLEVELAND.
HANNA co., RINGLEADER
Relating and Violation Of EIkins Law
Alleged by Grand Jury-Gov-
eminent Can Collect
Million.

Cleveland, Ohio. Thirteen indict-
nents on a total of 10 counts, charg-
ing four iron ore carrying railroads
entering Cleveland with rebating, and
alleging that two Of the railroads and
three individuals were guilty OF con-
spiracy to violate the Elkins law, were
returned by the federal grand jury
here. The railroads are the Pennsyl-
vania company, the Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern, the Bessemer &
Lake Erie and the New York, Chicago
& st. Louis nickel Plate).
Dan r. Hanna, president, and R. l..
Ireland, second vice president of the
M. A. Hanna company, and D.. T. Nc
Cabe Of Pittsburg, fourth vice presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania company,
each were indicted on one count, which
charges that the Hanna company has
an alleged contract with the Pennsyl-
vania company whereby the Hanna
company is said to have related to
shippers profits of the Ohio & Western
Pennsylvania Dock company, a subsi-
diary concern of the Hanna company.
The dock company, which is included
in the indictment, leases and operates
docks owned by the Pennsylvania COM
pany at several Lake Erie ports.
The NJ. A. Hanna company is n of
the largest iron ore, pig iron, coal and
coke concerns in the country. One
Of the exhibits before the grand jury
shows the alleged payment to the
Carnegie Steel company Of S5O,111.93
as a part of the earnings of the dock
company. The check reads:
ITO the Carnegie Steel company,
debtors. for your proportion Of re-
naming surplus earnings of ore ship
ped from Pennsylvania company dock,
year ending March 81, 1909, as per
statement below, $50,111.93."
District Attorney w. L. Day an
nounced Immediately following the fill
ing of the report that large and i'm
portant suits" would be begun immedi-
ately. The cases are interstate com
merCe commission cases brought to
insure that published ore shipping
rates are effective. The government
will seek to show that the indicted
railroads owned docking facilities in
A%shtabula, Ohio, and Conneaut, Ohio;
that these were operated by compan-
les which were in effect hired" by
the railroads; that the railroads paid
excessive rates to the docking com
panies for loading and unloading iron
ore; that the docking companies paid
over a portion of the money thus re-
whole constitutes a conspiracy in vio-
lation of the Elkins law.
The penalty for rebating is a fine of
not less than $1,000 nor more than
$4,000, with Imprisonment not TO ex.
coed two years. The penalty for con
spiracy is not to exceed a fine of &c.,
900 and Imprisonment not to exceed
two years. In addition, under the Elk
ms law, the government has the right
to bring civil suit for three times the
amount of money related. 1t would be
possible, In case of conviction, for the
government to collect many millions
of dollars.
The investigation leading up to yes
terday's action of the grand jury was
started several months ago and is the
first government inquiry into ore trans
portation methods in the lower lake
regions. The matter was brought to
the federal grand jury's attention
three weeks ago.
Forty Witnesses Examined.
District Attorney w. L. Day and his
assistants. Attorneys Joseph Fogg and
j.. S. Bachman, Attorney John Fl. Mar
BILE for the interstate commerce CON-
mission and Attorney r. G.. Marshall
for the department of justice conduct
ed the case. About 40 witnesses were
examined before the grand jury, in
Guiding officials representing the rail.
roads and ore companies from the
lakes to Kentucky.
Among these were representatives
Of the Jones & Laughlin Steel com
pany. P%ittsburg; the Carnegie Steel
company, P%ittsburg; the M. A. Hanna
company. Cleveland; the Wheeling
Steel & Iron company; the Ashland
Iron & Mining company; the Ameri-
can Steel & Wire company, and the
National Tube company.
The governments next step will be