Milford chronicle., 1912-02-09
FEAR STEEL TRUST
DESTROYED PROOF
EnjOiRGd From Doing Away With
More Evidence
HINT OF CRIMINAL ACTION

Missing Papers Said to Prove Tha,
President Farrell Had Knowledge Of
and Aided In illegal Pooling Con.
tracts.
One section of the petition of the
United States department of justice,
on which an injunction has been is
sued at Trenton, N. j., by United
States Judge Gray, restraining the de-
PENDANTS in the governments an i
trust suit against the United States
Steel corporation from destroying
books and papers desired by the gov
ernment, appears susceptible of the
Interpretation that criminal indict
ments and prosecutions of certain Off
GERS of the corporation and its subsi-
diaries are under consideration by the
department.
The petition alleged that several
thousand papers and documents, that
are used by the governments crimi
nal prosecution of the wire pool last
fall, had been destroyed. 1t also was
alleged that the letters were destroy
ed to prevent the government from
proving its case against the steel
trust and subsidiaries.
The rule by Judge Gray directs the
defendants to show cause why a per
injunction should not be is
sued and is returnable on March 3.
The present injunction forbids the
destruction of any other books or pa
pers which the government may de-
sire in the antitrust suit.
The petition AYERS that certain
documents are in immi- !
nent danger of destruction because
there are officers of the United States
Steel corporation and its subsidiaries |
who have not yet been indicted for /
The practices which said papers tend |
20 sho wthem guilty of, to wit:
"Of having been involved of the
unlawful association. and
llso because none of the defendant
has yet been indicted in
aspect thereto"
The petition urged that numerous
,ther papers were produced in the
wire pool prosecution which contained
Iata tending to show the guilt th
American Steel and Wire company
he United States Steel corpora ion
nd the United States Steel Products
EXPORT company, as charged in the
aid petition, as well as the fact that
aid ]. A. Farrell formerly pres dent
f the last named company, now the
resident of the United States Steel
not merely was cognizant
f the unlawful pooling arrangement |
ntered into by the American Steel
nd Wire company, through its Off
ers, but also knowingly aided and
betted said unlawful practices in viO-
ltion of the Sherman antitrust act"
The petition further alleges that in
lis work of maintaining prices Ed
ard E. Jackson was employed as
entral man, and that he designated {
no should be the successful bidder I
D government work and on large pri-
ate contracts. )
It is still further charged that Jack I
IN designated the competitors" who 4
ere to bid high. It is alleged that /
rough this method the government [
Id paid enormous prices for the pro :
lets of the Steel corporation.
The destroyed papers, it is charged.
ere in trunk which, with its con-
nts, were delivered on June 29. 1911, \
r United States Disir' Attorney Il
Use to Charles MacVea gh. general g
licitor of the United States Steel t
rpOration, who gave a written agree
ent. it is said. that he would keep 8
e papers in his personal charge, sub Z
ct to examination by Mr. Wise or his 81
at any time. f