The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-07
HEAVY FINES FOR
PEDDL|NG Of OIL
Standard, National and Rich
mond Companies Heavily
Assessed
ALL CASES APPEALED
TO HIGHER COURTS
Attorneys Satisfied That High
er Tribunal VIII Reverse
Decision on Ground That
No Law Was Violated

squire Cheafhana. of ChesterGeld,
rendered his dceision Friday morn
Ing I'm he cases Of the three COM
panies charged with peddlinx oil
from their wagons.
The Standard OIL Company, Ma
iionai OIL Company and Richmond
OH Company were nned $3.50 each
FOR the sale Of OIL from sheir wa
xous and the driver of each was
dned ef00 additional
When magistrate Cheatham con-
vened the Oak Grove Court Friday
morning, lawyers representing the
three oil companies were present. as
IT had been announced that the jus
tiee would render hts decision In the
peddling cases that were heard last
Friday and which were taken under
adrisement.
Magistrate Cheatham announced
that according TO his understanding at
the law. the oil companies had vfo-
lated the statutes and he fixed the
punishment at $25o--against each of
the companies and 500 against each
OF the three drivers.
No Surprise at Decision.
No surprise at the decision WAS man.
Tested among the lawyers. who at
once noted appeals and the cases were
all certified to the next term OF the
eonvenes the second Monday In May.
The case heard last Friday were
test cases. II being agreed that there
should be one case heard against each
company and one against "A driver at
each company
The lawyers representing the de-
PENDANT oil companies claimed that
no law had been violated. that the
drivers only delivered oil to merchants
M ..rxl. -.
names were furnished and who had
contracts for oil 10 be furnished.
Oil Exempt or Fuel.
Another contention was that the law
against peddhng specifically placed
fuel ON the list OF articles as being
exempt ard that oil WAS sold in large
amounts for fuel.
The lawyers also said that the in
tent OF the peddiing law was 10 pro-
tect the retail merchant and that the
oil companies only sold the retail rner
ohaats
The commonwealth contended that
in taking the oil in tank wagons and
delivering the same To the merchants
on tie regular trips, was a direct viola
ton OF the Law
Squire Cheatham though. 40 too. and
apparently looked upon the cases
against the oil companies as partic-
uiaTly serious as he fined them $3.50.
osa the frat -at1eusa, The minimum
fine In 800. and maximum $500.
Drivers Owned No Oil.
The drivers who were fined had ab
solutely nothing In the world to do
with the matter further than TO obey
the orders as given the mhy their en-
pioyers, Not one of the drivers hned
was in business for himself. or was
selling his own oil.
Jerreil Would Become Rich.
The aggregate Of the fines irnpos-
ed amounted to $I.050--the JEW prc@
v;as.s thas IN peddnng cases the off,
GERS making the arrests gets half the
fines. Should the higher court sus-
tain the decision of Magistrate Cheat
ham, Officer Terrell. who reputed the
cases would get $s2s--as his share OF
the fine money.
This. however. Is very small part
of what would be coming to the coun
ty officer. as there are thousands OF
cases against the oil companies. IL the
magistrates decision Is upheld In the
higher courts.
The Oil companies are apparently not
worried over the matter and are de-
iivering oil every day In the same old
way they have been doing for many
years in the past.