The Washington herald., 1912-05-14
MEMORY FAILS
STEEL WITNESS
American Tinplate Organizer Can
not Remember Facts in Disso-
luton Suit Hearing.
DENIES ACCUSATION THAT
TRUST GOT TOOL OUTPUT
Daniel G. Reid Also Refuses to Tell
How Many Steel Shares He Re-
ceived for His Holdings.

New York. May Ri can lead horse
to water. but can't make him drink.
I can compel the attendance Of wit
nesses at this hearing. but can't make
them remember"
Judge ]. NJ. Dickinson snapped this at
the Steel Trust attorneys to-day when
they objected strenuously to the line Of
questions he put to Daniel G. Reid, or
ganizer OF the American Tinplate Com
pany. which he was instrumental In
merging with the big combination. Mr..
Reid is one OF the most influential d.
rectors OF the Steel Trust, and was the
first Of that corporations governing board
10 be called as witness in the govern
ment's dissolution suit, testimony in
which is being taken before Special Ex-
aminer Brown, in the custom-house.
The governments chief prober had
striven vainiy to refresh Mr.. Reds men,
ory by reading from the record OF his
testimony regarding the tinplate indus
try in the investigation made fourteen
years ago by the Industrial Commission
appointed by President Mckinley to make
a thorough investigation OF every big
Industrial combination in the country.
The governments leading. lawyer even
asked the witness how much stock he
vice Of the trusts lawyers he hatly re-
fused to answer.
Rapid Growth of Industry.
Mr.. Reid told an interesting story. of
the rapid growth OF the tinplate indus
try IN the United States, from. a small
beginning, which he and W. B. Leeds.
with the assistance of Judge w H.
Moore. had made in Indiana. This
was in 1891, ten years before the Steel
Corporation was formed. They had
bought up about 200 mills, he said, be-
fore the merger with the Steel Trust was
effected.
This had been done mainly by an un-
derwriting syndicate, of which he was a
member. Mr.. Reid added that It had
been the custom OF the tinpIate makers
to meet annually in Pittsburg and dis
cuss the scale Of prices for the coming
year. In the formation of the big tin
plats company. which the government Is
now attacking as one of the several
trusts within the Steel Trust, only two
concerns OF any considerable conse-
quence had been left out. he stated: but
these had been taken in later Stock In
the new concern was given to the own
ers OF the purchased properties in most
cases.
who were your associates in the un-
derwriting syndicate or agreement he
was asked.
IT don't know" the witness answered.
IT only heard gossip about other men in
the agreement. I heard, for example,
that Marshall Field was one of them"
Mind Is Blank.
Did not the American Tin-plate Com |
pany enter into an agreement with man.
ufacturers OF tin-plste machinery to buy
their whole product. so that your COM
petitors could not buy the necessary ma |
chinery?"
IT don't remember. My mind is a total |
blank on that subject" Under pressure |
from the governments counsel Mr.. Reid !
said that about the only living person |
who might know about this matter is
W. T. Graham. now head Of the Ameri- |
can Can Company.
did you and your associates go into |
the American Tin-plate Company to
monoNo olize the business?" asked Mr.. |
Severance on oross-examination.
I'VE did not replied Mr.. Reid. We |
went inAD It to reduce overhead charges, |
lessen the cost OF production, SC. |
We could buy what We needed in larger |
quantities and at reduction, and thus |
save money" He added that there had |
always been strong competition since |
the organization OF the American Tin
plate Company, and that this was |
stronger now than ever.
Under further examination Mr.. Reid |
said he thought total stock issue of |
s46, 10000 had been made by the Ameri-
can Tin-plate Company when the merger
was formed
IF it took SSs.OOOoOO to buy the other
what became of the other $1O,-
OOO, 900 of stock?" asked Judge Dickinson.
ing: 'T suppose the underwriters and
syndicate managers got it"
Did you get any of ftp
Yes, I did"
How much?"
Il don't remember"
The National Steel Company, now a
part of the trust, had a contract, the
can Tin Plate Company with the steel II |
needed. That was the reason the Ma
tional Steel Company had been organ
lied. he said.
Brooklyn JObbeF's Testimony.
From a little book Of prices, which he
produced from an inside pocket Mr.. Reid
showed that in 1897, the year before the
American Tin Plate Company was
the price Of full weight tin plate
was S3.26. In 1898, the year the big COM
to $3.50. In 1888 1t was $i.E per hundred
pounds; 1900 $4S2, and in 1901, 1t was
'L35.
Mr.. Reid could not remember that the
American Tinplate Company had con-
tracts with makers OF tinplate ma
to buy all of their output.
In conclusion Mr.. Reid said that he,
Judge w. H. Moore, J. H. Moore, and
". B. Leeds. had directed all the nego-
tiations which resulted in the merger
Of the American Tinplate Company
with the steel corporation, and they
insisted that every company in the
or none would have to be
aiken over.
Jacob Meurer, a Brooklyn jobber and
of metals, was the only
,ther witness OF the day. He testified
that before the organization Of the
American Tinplate Company he could
buy almost anywhere, and bought
where he conld buy the cheapest but
hat after the formation of the COM
oine it was almost impossible to buy
anywhere else.