The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-01
ALLEGED.
Sues Corn Prod
ucts Company.
Dissolution Is Asked i'm New
York Court.

New York March 1-DissoIution of
the Corn Products Refining company
an alleged starch, glucose and syrup
trust, is sought by the federal govern
ment in a civil antitrust suit filed
here today, charging the $50, 900 900 COM
bination with entering into a conspir-
acy and into contracts to destroy
competition in violation of the Sherman
law. 1t is alleged to have kept the
prices of corn products at unreason-
ably lower figures to harass and dis
courage independent manufacturers.
Controlling Sc per cent of the entire
American production of starch and glu-
cose and so per cent of the interstate
trade in mixed syrups the alleged Ist
is charged with fixing resale prices;
with manufacturing cheap grade candy
at unreasonably low prices in retalia
ton against confectioners who
buy starch and glucose from inlepend-
ents'-wfth practically suppressing the
private brands of mixed syrup of
grocers by quoting low prices on it's
own syrups. and with unlawful threats
and contracts to destroy competition.
Aside from dissolution the govern
ment asks for an injunction prohibit
ing the alleged restraint of trade. The
suit recalls the long-drawn out fight
between the department of agriculture
and the Corn Products Refining COM
pany over the branding of it's corn
syrup.
The following corporations, officers
and directors are named as defendants:
Corn Products Refining company,
New Jersey; National Starch company,
New Jersey: st. Louis Syrup and Pre-
serving company, Missouri; Novelty
Candy Company, New Jersey; Penick
and Ford, Limited, louisiana; Edward
T. Bedford William J. Matheson, Fred
erick T. Bedford. A. B. Boardman.
Frederick T. Fisher, C. H. Kelsey,
George s. Mahana, George NJ Moffett,
William P. Nicholas. a. A Smith,
James Speyer. E. Beverly Walden. G.
NJ. Warner, r. S. Burns and A. NJ.
Watkins. all of New York city; Thomas
P Kingsford. Oswego, N. Y: c. H.
Lorenz and Louis Suss, ST. Louis; F.
A. Lohmeyer, c. w. Lohmeyer and
Edward T. Bedford, of Jersey City, N.
J.: Benjamin Schneewind, Chicago, and
William S. Penick, Jr., and James P.
Ford New Orleans.
The bill, filed by United States Attor-
ney Henry A. Wise, is signed by Attor-
ney General Wickersham and James A
Fowler. Jesse c. Adkins and William
H. Miller. his assistants
Illegal Contracts Charged.
1t is alleged the defendant combination
dismanted many of the starch and GID
cose factories it absorbed, selling the
properties in most instances under coven-
ants that the land conveyed should never,
not for a long term of years, be used IN
connection with the manufacture of SIM
liar products. The alleged trust and its
predecessors are charged with having
taken contracts from officers and directors
of certain absorbed companies not to en-
gage in the business for a period of years.
When the Royal Baking Powder cor
pany acquired control of the American
Maize Products company, the defendant
combination, it is alleged, threatened to
engage in the making of baking powder,
resulting in agreement whereby the
maize company sold to the defendant the
surplus product not consumed by the
baking powder company. To suppress COM
petition the combination is alleged 10
have employed the firm of Stein, Hirscn
&, Company in 1903 and 1909 to sell glucose
at low prices as independent manu-
facturers. When the National Candy
company organized in 1906 the Clinton
would come in competition with that of the
latter. the bill says, informed candy man
ufacturers throughout the country unless
they bought a sufficient percentage of the
glucose they needed from the defendant
combination it would go into the candy
business itself in competition with them.
In consequence, it is alleged, the Corn
Products Refining company acquired con-
troll of the Novelty Candy company to
retaliate against the National Candy COM
pany and manufacturing confectioners
purchasing glucose from he Independent.
Until prohibited by the interstate COM
merce commission the company is al
legged to have secured from railroads an
excessive share of the through rate on
account of its own switching line whicn
was alleged TO amount to rebates.