Arizona republican., 1913-05-25
ALLEGED GROCERY
 TRUST UNDER FIRE
Witness McCurrey Gives Testimony In Investigation by Attorney
 General.


 On account of the fact that the illness of his mother in the east pre- cludes the possibility of his attend ance at the hearing of the case against the alleged grocery trust next Saturday, R. F. McCurrey, sales man ager of the J. w. Doris Grocery company was given permission to give his testimony to the attorney general yesterday.
 The premise of the complaint was
 based upon a letter said to have been
 sent by the J. W. Doris company
 to J. F. Graves, a merchant at Glen dale, informing him that his account
 with the Doris house would be en- tirely unsatisfactory in the event MT. Graves did not cease his methods of selling certain standard brands below an agreed price.
 McCurrey is the man who is sup posed to have had the conversation with Graves, when the matter came up that eventually provoked the let ter. In his testimony yesterday the witness disclaimed any knowledge of a conspiracy, confederation or agreement to keep prices up in Glen dale, but said that his business there
 that day had been to protect the other retail men who were affected by the business methods of Graves. He said that Graves in his advertisements had misrepresented the prices of other merchants relative to certain goods sold to both by the Doris company, at which the other grOcers were kick ing. saving they would refuse to trade with Doris if the wholesale depart ment sold goods to Graves less than the price charged them for the goods. Following this the witness talked about everything except the matters contained in the letter, and because the investigation is not in the nature of a trial but merely to bring out evidence upon which to base lndlct- ments provided that evidence enough is found for that purpose, the attor- nny- general switched the line of his questioning to complaints that had reached his ears relative to the all legged transactions of the alleged gro cerv trust, composed of the Doris, WakeIin and Goldman stores, against
 Manager Smith of the Arizona Grocery company, in order to, as was clalmeu, force smith to keep up liie pI4Cco- The attorney general sought to bring out whether or not the witness knew anything of an agreement be- tween these three firms, and request made by them on a local bank to refuse Smith the loan of any more money; of the fact that Doris SO 1 licitors did not visit the Smith gro- 1 cerv in the latter part of 1912 and early in 1913. but no direct answers ! could be obtained.
 | McCurrey said that when he took charge Of the sales department oi the Doris grocery, he found that the solicitors did not visit the smith grocery, but they have subsequently, done so He said that the reason fol l this was that under ordinary circum- stances a grocery firm that cuts prices rms on very narrow margins and Is l likely to go to the wall at any time l However since that time Smith hao proved up and was regarded as very good business as far as he knows of now.
 It is likely however that no more witnesses will be examined in thlS ease until next Saturday morning al
 1o o'clock. the time set for the hear ing under order of Judge Phillips o1 the superior court.