New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-17


essen stores who had been their reg
uIar customers by refusing to sell them
bread because they would not retali 1t
A. six cents. The Deputy Attorney Gen
cral will push the investigation hard
along this line, as such an act on the
part Of the largo bakers is fagrant
violation Of the Donnelly antitrust law.
lie explained that it would he gross
criminal attempt TO restrain trade.
There was large attendance at the
first hearing yesterday. II opened IN
small room in the Office of the At
torney General. AT 2g9 Broadway. but
at the afternoon session il was found
necessary to move into a larger room
on a lower floor.
Most of the time was spent IN bring
ing out statistics in regard to bread
and -four conditions among the local
baking concerns, big and small. Rep
resentatives Of the Ward, Shuts and
General baking companies had brought
but little of the real information that
the Deputy Attorney General wanted,
and they were instructed to have the
auditors of the companies prepare
further data and present it at later
hearing. An expert accountant will
probably be employed by the Attorney
General 10 check up the books OF these
companies.
Bakers in Pact Is Hint.
Mr.. Becker sought 20 show through
various witnesses that an agreement
or understanding existed among the
wholesale and retail bakers in this
city, when the price was advanced to
six cents. The evidence did show two
significant things: First, that the price
was pretty generally raised on the \
same day, February 10, and, secondly, !
that there were frequent and special
meetings of some of the bakers asso- |
Citations during the few days prior to |
the raise.
In developing this point. Mr. Becker
began with George W. Perkins, the |
first witness called. While Mr.. Per- /
kins was not willing TO say that the /
price went up simultaneously through
out the city. he declared that the in
vestigstion of the Mayors committee ,
on food supply, of which he is chair
man, showed that it had been pretty ,
general
Mr.. Becker questioned Commissioner
Hartigan of the Bureau of Weights
and Measures, the next witness, closely
in regard to a meeting of the Jewish .
Master Bakers Association, a few
weeks ago, in Liberty Hall, in East
Houston Street, which the witness at
tended. Commissioner Hartigan said
that about $50 bakers were present at
the meeting. and the subject Of raising
the price Of bread was discussed. lie
added. however, that no resolution or
agreement had been adopted at the
meeting relative to raising the price,
and that he had cautioned the bakers
as to the provisions of the Donnelly
law. and advised them to take no con-
certed action. He said the bakers ex-
planned that they had no intention OF
acting together in raising the price,
but that it was an absolute necessity
for many of them TO raise il on ac-
count Of the high price of -four.
Hartigan Tells of Probe.
Asked if the price was raised gener-
ally at the same time throughout the .
city. Commissioner iiartigan replied .
that his investigation had not shown
that rs TO an exact date, but that some
one started the ball rolling last
Wednesday, and the rest seemed TO
follow the lead. lie asserted, however,
that he had found many bakers in diff
ferent parts OF the city who were still
selling bread at five cents, and some at
four cents. Ii was his opinion that
while most of the larger bakers had
raised the price, many of the small
bakers still chung TO the old price IN .
order TO keep their trade.
Alfred Romer, vice-president OF the
Shuts Baking Company; William Ii.
Ill 81 K
ing Company, and James h. Arthur
secretary of the Ward Baking Com
pany. all testified that they raised the
price to six cents on February 10. They .
declared that they did 1t Independently
and individually, without agreement or
understanding with any one else. No
action toward raising the price had
been taken formally By the board OF
directors al meeting. where rec
ord Of it might appear in the minutes
according TO their testimony. Some Of
fetal OF the company had merely
issued the order, and the word had
gone out over the telephone 20 the
various managers Of the branches OF
the concern.
The representatives OF the concerns
denied that they controlled any mills,
but bought their -four from various
mills and mill agents, in the open mar
Let. Most OF them were sure that none
Of their directors had any interest IN .
milling or elevator concerns. Mr..
Becker obtained list Of the directors
of these large Independent companies
from the Witnesses
Special Meetings Held.
William Pechter. chairman Of the /
East Side Retail Master Bakers As
ISOLATION. came the nearest of any 20 .
indicating, at least, that there might .
have been some understanding among .
the members Of his association IN re
gard TO raising the price. The associs-
tion includes in its membership about