New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-04
ANTITRUST VICTORIES
AS TAFT QUITS OFFICE
Courts Enjoin Lumber and ADD
ing Machine Men Under
Sherman Law.
THREE NEW SUITS BEGUN
Wickersham Starts Prosecution
of Coal Products and Amer
lean Thread Companies
as Monopolies.

lean Thread Companies
as Monopolies.
William H. Taft's last day as Presi-
dent was marked by two distinct vic
tories for the Department of Justice In
It's prosecution Of combinations in re-
straint Of trade New actions were in
stituted under the Sherman act against
three of the largest combinations not
yet brought within the scrutiny of the
law, and q final decree was filed In the
United States District Court here en-
joining the Eastern Retail Lumber
Dealers Association, the so-called
lumber trust" from continuing its
monopolistc practices.
The fling Of the lumber trust" de-
cree here and the entry Of decree in
Detroit, agreed upon by the Burroughs
Adding Machine Company, which will
restrain that corporation from continu-
ing the practices which the government
charged were violations Of the Sher
man law. constituted the two admins
tration victories.
Three New Prosecutions.
The new actions were brought In this
city against the American Coal Prod
ucts Company, a $4,000 corpora
nd tfc hci vi ha
government charged monopolized about
so per cent of the trade in tar and
even more in tar roofing material; one
IN Trenton. n. j., against the Ameri-
can Thread Company, capitalized at
S12.O0O,OOO. alleged to control go per
cent of the thread business of the
country; and one at Detroit against the
BorToughs Adding Machine Company
q S5500,000 corporation, which agreed
to comply with the governments de-
mands as soon as the suit was filed.
A report from Washington. which
the officials here refused to confirm or
deny. had IL that the American Coal
Products Company would consent to
the entry of a decree against It to
avoid litigation.
The bill in equity hled here sought the
complete dissolution OF the American Coal
Products Company, alleging it 10 be an
unlawful instrumentality created for the
purpose of brigins together competing
interests, and asked further for a divest-
ment Of the Barrett Manufacturing Com
pany, an alleged trust within the trust.
a. t.c Of ha ia nd
tar roofing trade.
Grouped as the principal trust and its
subsidiaries. and as the trust within the
trust. with control over many corpora
lions. the complaint named the following
defendants:
The American Coal Products Company,
owning the shares Of the Barrett Manu-
featuring Company; the Pittsburgh Gas
and Coke Company and the McKeesport
Gas Improvement Company the Barrett
Manufacturing Company, OF West Viz
ginia, holding by ownership or absolute
control the stock Of the following com
panies: The Barrett Manufacturing Com
pany OF Maine, the National Coal and
Tar Company, the United Roofing and
Manufacturing Company, the Eastern
Granite Roofing Company. the W. H..
Rankin Company the Warren Chemical
and Manufacturing Company, the Union
Coal Tar and Chemical Company, NJ.
Ehret, IT., & Co. the Warren Ehret Com
pany, the New York Coal Tar and Chem
ical Company. the Commonwealth Roofing
Company. the II. F. Watson Company
and the Duluth Tar Company.
The individual defendants were Isaac d.
Fletcher. president OF the Barrett Com
pany; William II. Childs. president Of the
Coal Products Company; Ernest J. Steer,
secretary and treasurer of both com
panies; Thomas NJ Rianhard and W. n.
NcIllravy, vice-presidents in both cor
porations; Hugo Henning, president Of tho
Eastern Granite Roofing Company, ell
with Offices at No II Battery Place, here;
Samuel II. Bingham, Of Chicago, and
John c. Runkle, OF Boston. both vice
presidents OF the large companies. and
Frank B. Foster, of Philadelphia, presi-
dent Of the United Roofing and Manufact-
uring Company.
Nine Organizations.
The final decree in the case OF tho East
arm Retail Lumber Dealers Association
yus signed yesterday by Judges Lacombe.
Coke. Ward and Noyes and formally en-
tered in the United States District Court.
The decree affects nine organizations OF
retail lumber dealers In the Eastern
states, and more than sixty individual de-
PENDANTS In the case
Suit Against Thread Trust.
BY Telegraph TO The Tribune
Trenton. March 3.--To restore the thread
industry TO legitimate basis. the Federal
Department of Justice to-day brought suit
ln the Federal Court here to dissolve the
American Thread Company. or Thread
Trust"
The petition in equity on behalf OF tho
government was filed by John Il. Vree-
land district attorney for the district Of
New jersey. II is charged that not only
IS there an unlawful restraint OF trade in
this country. but IN England as well,
where the original combination known as
the Goats" interests was formed. 1t
j. shown that the Goats business was