The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-12-28
CHARGE MONOPOLY
TO 8 RAIL HEADS
CHARLES MILLER AND TWO
GRAND TRUNK OFFICIALS
INDICTED.
CONSPIRACY is ALLEGED,
Conviction Of Mon Means Five Thor-
sand Dollar Fine and jail
Sentence OF One
Year.

New York. Dec. 26--Charles s.. Mel.
len, president Of the Now York. Now
Haven and Hartford rnilroad, Edison
j. Chamberlain. president of tho Grand
Trunk railway OF Canada and Alfred
w. Smithers, chairman of the board
of directors Of the GRIND Trunk we're
Jointly indicted by tho federal grand
Jury in this city under the Sherman
antitrust law.
Specific Charge.
They are charged with conspiring to
restrain trade In connection with q
memoranda OF agreement. between tho
two roads under which It Is alleged
the Grand Trunk proposed to abandon
the extension Of its railroad lines to
Providence, r. l.. together with pro-
tected steamship line between Provid-
ence and New York.
The penalty for the crime charged,
which Is alleged to be Il violation OF
Section L., Of the Sherman antitrust
law, ia one year in Jail, a fine of IS, OON
or both.
Promise to Appear.
Mr. Melen and MIR. Chamberlin. upon
being notified of the Indictments,
promised the federal authorities.
through their counsel, that they would
appear to enter pleas
Mr.. Chamberlin whose home ia tn
Montreal ia now in New York and
MIR. Mellen will come from New Hav-
en- Mr.. Smithers is British subject
and is said to be in London. Unless
he voluntarily surrenders. e1tradition
proceedings will be necessary to bring
him within the jurisdiction of the
court. 1t is believed by federal au-
thorities, however. that he will sail
for this country as soon AS he hears
that an indictment lies against him.
"Rut for the commission of the
crime set FORTH" the Grand Trunk eye-
lem, the indictment charges. would
have actively competed with the New
Haven system for the carriage Of In
terstate and foreign commerce be.
tween southern New England citie
IND the West. Through their conn
lions, it is recited, both systems rca
the same cities in the West, both In
the United States and Canada.
AT quiet meeting" between Mel
len, Chamberlain and Smithers In New
York on Aug. S, 1912. the Indictment
charges the defendants first engaged
| In an unlawful combination and con-
spiracy to prevent the construction
and completion" Of the proposed ex.
tension Of the Grand Trunk railroad
system in New England and the oper-
ntion of the Grand Trunk steamships
| between Providence and New York
Two other meetings. it Is alleged.
we're held in New York on Sept. 20.
and Oct. t. 1912. for the purpose OF
completing the alleged conspiracy.
Seven other acts are set forth in the
Indictment.
| Wickersham To Study Gaze.
Washington. Attorney General
F., Wickersham will follow up the inaict-
ments Of officials of tho New York.
New Haven and Hartford and Grand
Trunk railroads for immediate con-
F.! sideratiOn OF the question whether
civil suit should be Instituted to re-
strain tho two roads from pursuing
their alleged combination in violation
Of the Sherman antitrust law. This
question hangs in the balance and the
attorney general Indicated that he
would give it careful study after re-
viewing the evidence ana after con-
terences with Jessie G. Adkins, assist
ant attorney general, who has charge