The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-05-09
RECORDS OF
WIRE POOL
DESTROYED
WERE TO HAVE FIGURED
IN STEEL TRUST SUIT
Harry Whitney, a Witness In Anti
Trust Action, Says He Was
Ordered to Burn Them.
Springs Sensation With Story of
Officials Attempt to Fix
His Evidence.

NEW YORK, May s.-The des-
Itruction OF the evidence used before
the grand jury In the famous Jack
son wire pool" cases by officials OF
the American Steel and Wire Com
pany, one OF the big subsidiaries OF
the United States Steel Corporation.
was the principal subject OF the testi-
mOny to-day in the hearings OF the
governments dissolution suit against
the corporation before Commissioner
Henry +. Brown. II is the govern
ments purpose. according to Judge
Dickinson. special counsel in the
case. TO determine whether the
papers were destroyed before or af-
ter the filing of the pending suit on
October 20. last.
The testimony to-day was given by
Harry A. Whitney. until recently a
sales agent at the Worcester. Mass
works of the American Steel & Wire
Company. who asserted that he pe-.
sonally burned the evidence trunk.
ful OF minutes and other records ot
one OF the pools in which the wire
conspiracy is alleged to have partici.
pated. Whitney said that he had re.
ceived the instructions to destroy the
evidence from Frank Baackes. vice
president OF the company. but when
Judge Dickinson pressed him 20 give
the exact date upon which he received
the order. his memory failed him.
Was Story Cooked Up?
Witness created a sensation when
he told Of an alleged conversation that
occurred between himself. Baackes
and George W. Cragin. Whitney's i'm
mediate superior in the company. just
before being called 10 testify in the
grand jurp investigation last January
into the destruction Of the papers.
As sworn TO by the witness. the
conversation raised the question as
10 whether Whitney had been instruct
ed TO testify that Cragin and not
Baackes had given the orders TO burn
the evidence. Whitney was reluctant
apparently 10 repeat the alleged con
versation, but was finally pinned down
to saying that CraEin had said that he
tCraginl had testified that he had
given the order himself. and that
Cragin wanted me 10 avoid sayins
Baackes gave me the instructions. n
could. Baackes has been sub
poenaed as witness in the pending
suit.
Another Pool probed.
Charles 6. Roebling. salesman for
the wire firm OF John A. RoebIina
Sons Company. OF Trenton. y. J.. told
~ the operations OF the Bare Copper
Wire Association. another of the se,'
en pools. According 10 the minutes
articles Of agreement and rules Of the
association, which tho witness pro
duced. the price Of copper wire was
fixed IN about the manner as alleged
in the case Of other pools.
Judge Dickinson put into the evi
dence an interesting letter from r. +
Jackson. supervisor" OF the pool
written MAY 3. 1906. 20 the Robbins
firm In answer 10 a complaint that IN
formation concerning the pools price.
was leaking out" The letter read
IN part.
"f ! were able 10 control tho tan
~ the members Of our association.
would A. far a. this Office Is con
cerned. our motto is Addition. Di
vision and silence A N how the
leakage can be- stopped. I am frank 2,
say don't know"