New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-16
STATES SEARCH
FOR BREAD PLOT
BEGINS TO-DAY
A. L. Becker, Prosecutor,
Says Raised Price Is
Due to Conspiracy.
SURE WHO SOME
OF CRIMINALS ARE
Forty Violations of the
Law Brought to
Light Yestert}ayr.... -,

81 believe there has been criminal
conspiracy on the part Of some Of the
big dealers 20 put up the price Of wheat
and -four, with CONSEQUENT raise in
the price Of bread. We are reasonably
sure who some Of the big criminals are
and we expect TO get them
This was the statement yesterday OF
Alfred l.. Becker. Deputy Attorney
General, who has charge OF the investl-
CATION which will begin to-day a. the
instance Of the Attorney General TO de-
termine whether the Donnelly anti
trust law has been violated IN this
state by the bakers or -four dealers.
". Becker declared that II was no
purpose Of the inquiry TO suggest
remedial legislation, but purely to de-
tect crime and 10 punish the guilty.
The investigation will open this
morning in the Office Of the Attorney
General, at 200 Broadway The testi-
mony will be taken before former
State Senator Myer Nussbaum, as ref
cree, who has all the powers of the
Supreme Court 10 subpoena witnesses
within the jurisdiction Of the courts of
this state. Eleven witnesses have been
subp9naed 10 appear at the hearing to-
day. They are:
To-day's Witnesses.
Gerald Byrne. Of Greenhut & Co.;
W. II Collins. General Baking Com
psny; George +. Millspaugh. Howe Bak-
ing Company; William Muschenheim..
proprietor Of Hotel Aston; George W.
Perkins. chairman Of the Mayors COM
mittee on food supply; William Pech
ter, chairman Of East Side Retail Bak
ers' Association; Hugo Fredericks,
president Of the Wholesale Bakers As
ISOLATION; William Steinmetz, president
Of the Retail Master Bakers Associs-
ton: Alfred Romer, Shuts Bread Com
psny; James b. Arthur. secretary of
the Ward Baking Company. and Archi-
bald r. Watson, former Corporation
Counsel
SO far about fifty subpenss have
been issued for witnesses in this city
and state. Mr.. Becker received tele
gram yesterday from c. H. Candy, pres
ident Of the Chicago Board of Trade,
stating that he would be glad 10 testify
~ the inquiry AT the convenience Of
the referee. The Attorney General
sent an invitation 10 Mr., Candy, Joseph
Letter, James A. Patton, J. Ogden Ar
mour and other prominent wheat spec
ulators 70 appear and testify. Moth
ing definite has been heard yet from
the others.
Referee Nussbaum said yesterday he
had not yet decided whether TO allow
witnesses to be represented by cour Ell
at the hearings. The question of i'm
munity, ne said, would not come up at
the start, as the first few witnesses
would be used to establish a basis for
the investigation, II is the intention
.aetipoopv fret pf cppara |
character and develop any evidence of
illegal combination or conspiracy. "a
defined in Section $40 Of the General
Business Laws OF 1909, as the inquiry
advances. Those interested in the in
vestigaton state that some startling
revelations in regard TO the wheat and
-four market may be expected.
Commissioner Hartigau of the Blu
re8u of Weights and Measures received
word from Attorney General Woodbury.
yesterday that he had assigned spe-
cial deputy attorney general in this
city 10 prosecute violations OF the
Brooks law which requires the bakers
10 label each loa, Of bread with its
net weight. The Commissioner said his
inspectors found forty violations yes.
tcrday, most of them in delicatessen
and grocery stores.
COMMISSIONER Ildl tlsdU Sdlu VIOLA
ton would be fled against the Ward
Baking Company for not clearly and
conspicuously' putting the weight on
he bread wrappers. which is also re.
quired under the Brooks law. He said
that the weight twelve ounces was
so interviewer IN the design on the
wrappers as rot to be conspicuous, and
could be interpreted as intended 70 de.
Coiye the buyer
Four.Cent Loaf Coming.
The Commissioner said he had Sc
cured the agreement of two bakers
who make about $1,000 lOaves Of breaC
day each, TO sell a twelve-ounce Loaf
If wheat bread over the counter fol
four cents. He asserted he expected
TO get several other bakers to sci
bread for four cents and would soor
make their names public
Out OF the twenty-seven bakers in
vted to attend the conference yester
day with the Mayors committee OF
food supply, only nine appeared. s.
many invitations have been extended
20 the bakers recently TO attend confer
ences and Investigations that IL is sup
posed they are becoming a bit wary.
George W. Perkins chairman of III,