The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-25
LUMBER CONCERNS
ARE FOUND GUILTY
Decree OF Custer Is Issued
Against Them by Missouri
Supreme Court.
HEAVY FINES ENDORSED
Companies Arc Convicted OF
Combining in Restraint
OF Trade.

Jefferson City Mo. December e.
Tho Missouri Supreme Court TO -day is
sued q decree OF custer against SOW
eral Wholesale lumber companies The
Supreme Court suspended its decree
OF custer against the twenty companies
named on condition they pay the zines
imposed and hereafter conform TO the
antitrust laws Of the State
The fines aggregate $4,000 IT ad-
dition TO the suspended custer DEGREES
issued the licenses Of three other com
psnes not incorporated In Missouri
were revoked and fnea wore imposed.
The custer decree applies 70 the fol-
lowing companies. which also are fined
tho amounts indicated:
Ar Bennett Lumber Company Slt,-
900; Bowman Hicks Lumber Company,
10000, Bradley Lumber Company, $50.
900. Calcasicu Long Leaf Lumber Com
pany. $4,000. Colonial Lumbe: and
Timber Company. 10000; Central Coal
ana Coke Company. $4,000; j. Cater
Lumber Company. $1,000; Dixie Lumber
Company. $1,000; Foster Lumber Com
PAM, 5000: George ". Miles Timber
and Lumber Company, $1,000: Gray
son Mcleod LuT Dor Company, $4,000;
Ifogg Harris Lumber Company. $1,000:
Le!dh- Ravens Lumber Company. So
600: Long Bell Lumber Company. $780,
600: Lewis Warner Saw;nill Company,
So, 600: Loylin Land and Lumber Com
pany $4,000; Missouri Land and Lum-
souri, lumber and Mining Company,
$4,000 the OZan Lum Der Compan5-, So
600; Van Clevenc Lumber Company, So
600
The decree o, the court was issued
IN accordance with the rcconm nda
ton OF special commissioner who,
after taking testir1 ony. reported that
tho companies had entered into an IL
legal agreement 10 control the price
ot lumber ard limit the production
thereof.
The commission found that the com
panies had violated the law In the
following ways:
BY using what was known es en as
ISOLATION price list.
81 ourtailing the output IN ium-
hcr in 1904 and 1909 for the purpose %
Increasing the price OF yellow pine
lumber
b. entering into What was known
as the joint trade relations agreement
In 1906 between members OF the yellow
Pine Manufacturers Association and
members OF various .ctaiI dealerr as
solutions
b. blacklistins certain retailers
who did not conform. to trade ethics"
- dividing territory and refusing
20 sell to consumers in car load lots
or 10 cooperative stores. fhe names
~ the foreign, companies "hose IL
cerScs vera revoked ana the Nacs
In, posed. bat suspended, fellow:
Chicago Lumber and Coai Company.
$4,000. Dierhes Lumber and Coal
Company. 5000 Freeman Smith Lu,n-
Der Company. $1,000; Arkenaas Lurn-
her Company, $4,000.
The Detroit Timber and Lumber
Company was found not guilty because
il was not defniteN- shown that tho
concern was :: rlember Of the Yellow
Pino Manufacturers Association.
The suits against the lumber COM
panies were Med in 1905 b. Herbert
s liadiey, then tttorucy General. act
'ng IN concert Wlth the Attorney Gen
erals of Kansas. Oklahoma and Texas,
who filed similar suits in their States.
Thc reason thc supreme Court sus-
rondcd the decree Of custer is set forth
thus:
"Heing OF the opinion that there are
diverse degrees Of guilt among these
respondents. and that upon the sur
face a least tho yellow Pine -Associ-
alton has reformed Il the evils which
it lon.; openly and Flagvantly practiced
we are OF the orinion that the ends
OF iustice Will lie .ubserved by grant
in= stay OF execution pending the
further order OF this court. OF the
decree OF forfeiture and custer Gs 10
some OF these RESPONDENTS upon the
payment or the fines scverally assessed
against them within thirty days"