Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-26
Says Court in Accepting
Wire Gases Pleas. III
81 Of SO Men Indicted Accept
Sentence Without Trial.
Fines Of $1,000 and Sl7o0 and
Costs Imposed In Each Case.

New York, July 25.-The federal
government today scored heavily in its
effort to break up the alleged Wire
Trust when 81 of the SO men indicted
June %, withdrew the plea of mot
guilty" and accepted sentence, without
trial, on pleas of ''nolo contendere."
Upon this passive admission of guilt,
Judge Archibald, in the United States
district court imposed fines of from
$1,000 to $1,000 and costs in each case.
The action came in the face of Wig
orous argument against the acceptance
of the plea by United States District
Attorney Henry A. Wise. II had new
err been accepted in this court, he de-
clared, and he protested against a pre-
eedent.
THE facts in this case are fragrant"
he continued This set of men repre-
sentng practically an entire industry.
in open and perfectly clear violation of
a United States statute combined to
restrain and control trade. The case
against them is so clear and open that
the most eminent counsel in this coun-
try have advised them that it would be
fruitless to attempt TO enter q de-
fence"
The court, however, accepted the
pleas and remarked
This is what you might call trade
offence. 1t is an offence which by the
act of Congress is against the inter
ests of the business world, Congress
has declared that combinations in re-
straint OF trade shall not exist, 1t
seems to me l am not going out Of the
way when | say that just what was
meant by this law has remained in
considerable uncertainty up to this
| time. We now know exactly or very
nearly what il means. and from this
time on there will be no excuse, but |
feel justified in looking upon what has
occurred in the past in this light and
therefore l certainly regard this as
calling for nothing except a proper
Vindieation of the law by fine. The
extent of that fine is somewhat diff
cult for me to fix but 1t should be
| substantial fine and / will impose a
! thousand dollars in this case on each
defendant. Let him pay the costs and
q line of $1,000 in each case"
Judge Archibald shortly afterward cor
| rected himself with the decision that in
instances where the defendant had plead
ed and been fined in one case he would
| modify the fine to 500 for each of the adj
ditienal cases.
The complete list of defendants fined is.
$1700-F. w. Roebling.
$l5U-Frank j. Newberry, Joseph NJ
Marsh. William A. Conner, Philip II
Smith
Subsidiaries J. Marsh, Frank N. Phil
lips. Charles r. Remington
Sl20O-Theodore f. Ryan. John C. Bridg-
man, Henry w Ashley.
Sll0o-W f. Fields, Alfred f. Moore
James II. Mason, Alfred A. cowles, Rus
sell A. Cowles, Thomas Wallace, Louis
AnschntZ, Joseph c. Belden, Edwin l.,
tfisbie, Jr. Thomas b. Kent, Edward
Murray. A. NJ Dickinson, Karl Roebling
Antoine Bourneonville. Charles A. Morss
$l@O-Newell b. Parsons, James A.
Doughty. George b. North, Robert w
Sleberling, Robert E. Lucas, r. EccIes-
ton Gallagher. William II. Hail. Jr.,
Ralph Watrous. George l.. Bowen, Ever
EFT Morss Frank NJ. Potter, Jr
The nine associations in one or more of
which the indicted men are members are
the Telephone Cable Association. the
Bare Copper Wire Association, Weather
proof and Magnet Wire Association, Fine
Magnet Wire Association, Horseshoe
Manufacturers Association, Underground
Power Gable Association, Rubber Cover
ed Wire Association. Lead Encased Rub
Der Insulated Gable Association and the
Wire Rope Manufacturers
William ?. Palmer. president of the
American Steel and Wire Co, Herbert l..
Satterlee, son-in-law of j. p. Morgan,
Frank j. Gould and Charles f. Brooker,
Republican national committeeman from
Connecticut. are among the 46 other al
legged members of the associations who
have pleaded not guilty to the indict-
ments