Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-05
MOST OF INDICTED PlUMBER6
EXPECTED TO MAKE NO
RESISTANCE.
NOMINAL FlNEs TO be
ASSESSED ~ COURT
Simple Scheme by Which Nen.Msm
bers Of Association Were Prevented
From Buying Supplies - Penalty
Ranges From 81 to $1,000 Fine or
May Be Sent to Jail.
pecial to Times-Republican.

ficers of the national and various To-
cal bodies Of plumbers. accused By
federal grand jury of violation of the
anti trust law, will plead guilty and
pay nominal fines, wipe the slate clean
and begin over again. There is no
escape from the federal indictment.
The evidence is conclusive, and no
defense would be possible.
The officers of plumbers associations,
state and national. are accused of hav-
ing conducted their affairs in such
way that dealers in supplies dared not
sell to any but members. Thus the
nom member was forced to join Of be
driven out of business.
The scheme was simple. The nom
member who bought goods of any
house supposed to be dealing exclusive
ly with members, was reported to
headquarters. A little rubber stamp
marked slip was made up. 1t read
something like this: Iowa City VS.
Crane & Co. Third" That meant that
Crane & Co. for third time had been
caught selling goods to a non-mem
Der in the city named. All members
got these slips. When Crane & Co.'S
solicitor went around he found that
everybody was overstocked with his
goods. He made no sales.
This was just one OF the nice little
schemes worked to force all plumbers
to join and to force all dealers to deal
only with members and to maintain
certain prices.
Fine Might Be Large.
The court may inflict punishment or
a member Of $1,000 fine or a Jail sen
tence, or the court may fine violate,
81 and let it 90 at that 1t is under
stood already that in view Of the LONG
fight to secure these indictments the
matter of what to do next has beer
we'll settled, and that in practically all
cases pleas of guilty will be entered
and the associations will pay the fine.
of officers.
But this may not end the matter, a
least in Iowa, for the Iowa laws are
more severe than the federal laws. II
fact the probe started in Iowa two OIL
three years ago and the officials go
badly scared They We're glad enough
to have it switched over to the fedora
courts. The Iowa antitrust law HIT
more directly at suppression of com
petition and price fixing But it make
this conspiracy, and in Iowa conspirac,
means go to the penitentiary.
Plumbers Take Oath.
1t is known that the plumbers TAX
an oath which includes a reference t
maintaining prices according to certain
lists. Then it is known that circular:
were sent out limiting at the "unwrit
ten laws of the association" and deal
ing with protection of our associa
ton" and referring in various ways t,
price matters. Then there was printed
a little book which is supposed to have
gone to all members which gave list!
showing what prices should be charged
for everything, whether by contract
day labor or otherwise, prices vary
ing according to the cost of supplies
These price lists show that plumber
were expected to make a profit rang
ing anywhere from 40 to 100 pc
/ cent.
The bringing Of indictments in tn
federal court against thirtysix of tn
officials of the plumbers association
| is regarded as but one STEP unless i
is found that the associations com
pletely disband and cease to be factor
in the matter of price fixing or trad
control.
Iowans Indicted.
The following Iowans were anon,
those indicted because of their connec
ton with state or local association:
Robert Knauer 51s East Walnu
street, Des Moines: national state vic
president of the National Association
Of Master Plumbers vice president q
the Iowa Master Plumbers Associa
| ton, secretary Of the Des Nome
Master Plumbers Association.
James A. Wallace, 912 Walnut street
Des Moines, member Of the national
| state and local associations.
! Charles G. Bosch. 317 North Mai
street, Burlington; national state vic
president, director national associa
ton.
| Robert e. Knauer Boone; organic
ing secretary Iowa association, secre
tary Boone association.
Fred Kubias, Cedar Rapids: mem
Der national, state and local associa
lions.
Ambrose Clayton, Davenport; sec
| IeCdTy DdNellpOTL dSSOCldtlOH.
Louis Smid, Cedar Rapids; membe
national. state and local association
Richard Mullen. 1895 Main stree
Dubuque; member national, state an
local associations.
H. B. McCarten, Dubuque; forme
president and secretary of the low
association.
]. o. Mcconnell, Iowa City; pres
dent Iowa City association.
q. F. Hawk. Marshalltown; forme
president Marshalltown association.
w. C. McCarten, Marshalltown; FOL
mer secretary Marshalltown associs
ton.
i John Garvey, Mason City: membt
national, state and local association
Thomas J. DAILY, Mason City; pres
dent Mason City Association.
William Scott, Oelwein; member ne
tional, state and local associations.
i Hugo w. Kuypey, Pe!!a; secreta,
IPella association.
4 v. J. Hogan, 512 Pearl street, Siou
City: former president Sioux City a:
) ISOLATION.
John f. Gearen, 4o7 Fifth avenu
Sioux City; treasurer and director
the state association, former pres
dent of the Sioux City association.
Ralph A. Ellis, waterloo; has bee
director and secretary Of the low
association and secretary Of the loo