New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-23
HAD TO FIGHT RIVALS
Witness Declares Cash Register
Company Sought All Trade.
KNOCKOUT MEN, EMPL DYED
Called On, Manager Asserts, to
Work When New Machines
Came Into the Field.

Cincinnati, Nov. n.-That the trial OF
President John II. Patterson and twenty
nine other officials or ex-offlcials OF the
National Cash Register Company. OF
Dayton, Ohio. charged with violating the
criminal section Of the Sherman antitrust
act will be a long drawn out AFFAIR was
foreshadowed to-day, when the exanina-
ton of the first witness, started yester-
day, failed to end before court adjourned.
Henry G. James, an automobile dealer
Of Detroit, was on the stand all day. and
will continue his testimony on Monday.
the court deciding to have no Saturday
session. "Knocker cards" which were
sent to agents Of the company, according
to James. 20 be filed out whenever rival
machine was wiped out of the agents
territory" were put in evidence over an
objection by the defence, as were also
National Cash Register magazines.
In one of the magazines the prosecution
read an article stating that IS would be-
taken from the sale Of each National ma
chine In order to maintain competition
department" From the same magazine
Mr.. Wilson, attorney for the defence, read
paid $4,000 to protect Its patent rights
James testified that Captain James
Crane, president of Crane g. Co., Of this
city, general agents for the National COM
pany, had followed him about when he
was an agent for Bensinser & Co. telling
him he had better go over to the Ma
tional company, as Bensinger Co. were
infringing on patent rights. He learned
later that Bensinger & Co. had been sold
to the National and he was sent TO Cleve-
land as sub-agent for Crane G. Co. While
there he received numerous "knocker
cards" to be filled out whenever rival
machine was wiped out" whether 1t
was replaced with National or not, and
he said the general trend Of the letters
from Crane & Co. was to wipe out the
opposition entirely"
A letter was read from Crane to James.
saying: TRY to get the salesman Of the
Lanson company to come over to the Ma
tional."
James testified he was made district
manager at Detroit in 1905. He said
Knockout men" worked only In sales
where opposition was found. and II was
his duty to place National machines by
any means rather than allow opposition
to enter the territory. Whenever he heard
Of new machine coming into the field.
he said. all he had to do was to call for
the knockout men,"
Chicago, Nov. 22-Paul 3. Middlekun,
president OF the Acme Harvesting Ma
chine Company, Of Peoria; II. B. Utley.
purchasing agent Of the international
Harvester Company. and E. n. Wood.
It's secretary, were recalled as witnesses
to-day, when the Chicago hearing of the
suit OF the government TO dissolve the
International concern was resumed.
Mr. Middlekufr was questioned regard
ing the output Of his company In the
years from 1908 to 1912. in efforts 70 show
that the business increased steadily while
In active competition with the alleged
trust He admitted that there had been
a steady growth.
Counsel for the defence announced that
they waived the cross-examination or
Rodney B. Swift, formerly confidential
as a government witness regarding the
organization OF the International 'H@i,
vester Company and the alleged fixing
of a member OF the Kansas Legislature.
Washington. Nov 2-Testimony OF the
governments principal statisticians in the
dissolution suit against the United States
Steel Corporation was completed to-day
before the examiner. Henry p Brown,
and adjournment of the hearing was
taken until about December 4, when ad-
dItiona! witnesses will be called by the
government at a hearing In New York