The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
STEEL CORPORATION ANSWERS CHARGES Disclaims Any Attempt to
 Suppress Evidence CASE IS POSTPONED Contend Papers Destroyed Did Not Show That Farrell Aided Opera
 ton of Wire Pool-No Need
 of the Injunction
CASE IS POSTPONED

| New York, March 1.-The United States Steel corporation and other defendants l made public today an answer to the fed eral government petition for perma- nent injunction to prevent the destruction of books and papers which might be used as evidence in the investigation of the affairs of the Steel corporation.
 The answer denies the allegations of the government that the papers of the American Steel and Wire company, | which were destroyed last fall, would have shown that J. A Farre, now president of the United States Steel corporation,
 aided or abetted in the operation of the wire pool for which many officers of the
 wire trust were fined, dlsclaims any at
 tempt to conceal or suppress from the gov ernment any papers or documents bearing on the conduct of the steel business, and declares absolutely without ground the "imputation' that any of the defendants
 are about to destroy or likely to destroy pertinent papers, or that an injunction is necessary for their preservation. In Dickinson's Hands
 Owing to the recent death of Judge Lannng of the United States court in New U ", refusal of the court to hear argument il the matter without d full bench, the answer was not actually filed but was i placed today in the hands of Jacob M. Dickinson, attorney for the government, in | Philadelphia. The answer was made pub | lie here later. and will be filed when
 tho federal court takes up the pending motion.
 | The answer explains the destruction 1 of papers relating to the case of the American Steel and Wire company, l which occurred, 1t is alleged. after all | the papers. were submitted to the grand jury and which was due to ignor- ance of the possibility that they would | be wanted further It was denied at | the time that there was any discus
 sion in the press that the United States would bring suit against the United 1 States Steel corporation under the anti trust act.
 "These defendants deny" the answer states, that said papers thus destroyed
 tended to show that J. A. Farrell, for merly president of the United States Steel corporation, aided or abetted in | the operation or in the conduct of said
 wire association or had any part there
 in or anything to do herewith. No Further Danger
 These defendants deny that there is | imminent danger or any danger what ever in the destruction of any pa pers in the possession of the United States Steel corporation or in the pos .
 session of any of it's subsidiary com panies that would be evidential in any | case against the United States Steel
 corporal ton or any of it's subsidiary companies.
 ff"These defendants say that ever since | the organization of the United States l Steel corporation 1t has pursued the ut
 most publicity with regard to it's affairs
 and has constantly, year after year,
 thrown open its books and papers to the representatives of the government and | that said representatives have. time after time, made full. complete and exhaustive
 examination of said records and papers. l The sworn Statement of Charles Mac Veagh and Reynold C. Boiling of the
 corporations counsel and of Frank
 Baackes and George A. Cragin of the
 American Steel and Wire company are
 included in the answer. 1t is stated that | the destruction of the wire company s
 papers was made at the offices of the
 company at Worcester. Mass by the | order of Mir. Baackes, in entire good | faith without either MT. Macyeagh or Mir. Boiling knowing of the destruction. Await Successor
 l Philadelphia, March 5.--Until a success sor to the late Circuit Judge Lanning is
 appointed the United States district cour, of the Third judicial district will lot i hear arguments on a rule granted to show cause why permanent injunction should
 not be issued restraining the United States | Steel corporation from destroying books and papers which might be used as eyi. dence in the suit instituted by the gov
 ernment for the dissolution of the corpor- | ation.
 l For the same reason the court post 1 poned appointing a master to take testi- mony in the sherman law suit against Inc Steel corporation. Meanwhile the tenn porary injunction stands The matter be7 fore the court was to come up for argu-
 ment in the United tSates court at Tren-
 ton, but as Judges Gray and Burlington are sitting in Philadelphia. the matter
 was transferred here and heard by them. The late Judge Lanning was the New
 Jersey judge for the district.