Norwich bulletin., 1912-05-21
Bought Out Beet
 Sugar Interests
HOW THE SUGAR TRUST WIPED
 OUT COMPETITION.
A HAVEMEYER LETTER
Suggested That President Mercy As sume Confidential Relation With the Trust to Buy Stock of Beet Sugar Concerns.

New York, May 20.-In its effort to prove the business of the American Sugar Refining company interests a monopoly in restraint of trade, the government entered upon it's second week of taking testimony in the disso- lution suit today by probing Into the beet sugar industry in the west. Ches- ter Mercy of Denver, president of the Great Western Sugar company, was on the stand all day, and probably will be called again tomorrow.
 Dominant Figure in Industry. Although MT. Mercy testified that he was originally persuaded to invest in the beet sugar business against his in olination, he has been dominant fig- ure in the industry for the past de- l cade. He had been identified in an official way with so many companies l that while on the stand he had to refer to book for the enumeration of them.
 Sale of Greeley Plant.
 Assistant United States District At | torney James R. Knapp questioned the 1 witness particularly concerning the entry of the American Sugar Refining company interests into the west. Mir. Mercy testified about the sale in 1902 | of the Greeley plant, of which he was the head, to the late H. o. Havemeyer 1 of the American company at S125 a share. At that time he said there were but three beet sugar plants in | Colorado, all in active competition.
 The government introduced letter | written by Mir. Hevemeyer shortly af- 1 ter obtaining controlling interest of the 1 Greeley plant to MT. Mercy as follows;
 To Buy Up Beet Sugar Plants.
  might probably be willing to assume a 1 confidential relation between me and my associates in reference to a possi- | ble purchase of the stocks of the differ 1 ent beet sugar corporations in your l state, perhaps the Lehi company and | perhaps the companies of which Mir 1 Eccles is president. You would have | to employ somebody, of course, in your | interest and of absolute integrity to | keep thoroughly informed of the stocks | of these different properties aud advise 1 by telegram or letter, as the case might be, of the quantity and rate"
 Bought Stocks for Havemeyer. 1 The witness admitted the receipt oi | such a letter from Mir. Havemeyer and | while he said that the proposal by Mir Havemeyer was not carried out, he-tiit | purchase stocks for him, 'but it was l generally known for whom I was act 1 ing
 Mir. Aorey said that as AIr. Have meyer acquired the controlling stock o1 the Eaton and Windsor companies he (Morey) became president of them.
 Ease of Consolidation.
 Mir. Knapp read letter of Jan. 2d 1903, by Mir Mercy to Mir, Hayernevel in which the ease with which a con- soldation could be effected was point. ed out
 You went on purchasing stock il various companies with the idea O ultimately soon of consolidatin. them?' asked 4dr. Knapp.
 T don't think we had the idea a: early as that" answered Mir Mercy.
 Didn't you become president of al the various companies with the idea O an ultimate consolidation
 ' don't think so."
 The witness was still on the stan, when adjournment was taken until to morrow.