Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-02-10
FEAR STEEL TRUST
DESTROYED PROOF
Enjolned From Doing Away With
More Evidence.
HINT OF CRIMINAL ACTION

Missing Papers Said to Prove That
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 l.
trust suit against the United States
Steel corporation from destroying
books and papers desired BY the gov
eminent. appears susceptible OF the
Interpretation that criminal indict-
ments and prosecutions OF certain OIL
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. II also was
alleged that the letters we're destroy
ed to prevent the government from
proving its case against the steer
trust and subsidiaries.
The rule by Judge Gray directs the
defendants to show cause why per
manent injunction should not be Is
sued and is returnable on March ..
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
much.wanted 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
to sho wthem guilty Of. to wit:
"Of having been involved Of the
aforesaid unlawful association, and
also because none of the defendant
companies has yet been indicted in
respect thereto"
The petition urged that numerous
other papers were produced IN the
wire pool prosecution which contained
data tending to show the guilt o. the
American Steel and Wire company
the United States Steel corpora ion
and the United States Steel Products
texport) company, as charged in the
said petition, as we'll as the fact that
said J. A. Farrell. formerly president
Of the last named company. now the
president of the United States Steel
corporation. not merely was cognizant
of the unlawful pooling arrangement
entered into by the American Steel
and Wire company. through Its OFF,
GERS, but also knowingly aided and
abetted said unlawful practices In vIo-
iation OF the Sherman antitrust act"
The petition further alleges that In
this work OF maintaining prices Ed
ward T. Jackson was employed as
central man. and that he designated
who should be the successful bidder
on government work and on large pri-
vate contracts.
II is still further charged that Jack
son designated the competitors who
we're to bid high. It is alleged that
through this method the government
had paid enormous prices for the pro
ducts OF the Steel corporation.
The destroyed papers. II is charged.
were In n trunk which. with its con-
tents. were delivered on June 90. 1911.
by United States District Attorney
Wise to Charles Macveagh. general
solicitor Of the United States S.eel
corporation. who gave written agree.
ment, II Is said. that he would keep
the papers in his personal charge. subj
ject TO examination by Mr. Wise or his
assistants at any time.