The sun., 1917-05-25
u. S. INDICTS SO
IN ONION PLOT
Nationwide Monopoly, Price
Fixing and Hoarding
Charged.

BosroN. May 24.--Eighty-eight cor
porations and individuals were indicted
by the Federal Grand Jury hero to-day
for conspiring to monopolize interstate
commerce in onions
The indictments. which were returned
as result Of a nationwide inquiry into
the cost Of food conducted last winter
by United states Attorney George w.
Anderson of this city, allege that the de-
PENDANTS divided up the territory OF the
country between them for the purpose
of eliminating competition. that maxi
mum prices were fixed for the purchase
of onions and that the supply was
boarded in order to increase prices.
Mr.. Anderson estimated that the an
nual crop Of onions amounted to 200,-
100000 pounds. three-fourths of which
Ne said was alleged to have been con-
trolled by the defendants. In outlining
! the case Mr.. Anderson said:
Crop Bought and Hoarded.
THE gist OF the charge is that the de
PENDANTS have maintained a nationa
onion association. composed Of large
onion Dealers who buy up the bulk oi
the onions of the Northern States during
the summer and early fall. storing then
in warehouses owned or controlled by
the various members and putting then
upon the market from September e
April. The Government charges tha
this association has had a DOMINATING
and Illegal control Of the onion trade fol
the past three years
THE Government expects to show tina
as early as September. 1915, at least Z.
| ~ ~ L..
vested. was In control OF the members o
this association. The headquarters o
the association are at kenton. Ohio
where the regular annual meeting wa
held in July. The August meeting wa
held at Springfield. Mass Subsequen
monthly meetings were held in othe
parts OF the country.
ut Is part OF the plan OF this as
sociation to have monthly meetings II
various parts OF the country so as to ge
as large an attendance as possible O
members who might otherwise be reache,
only through the mails. After thcs
monthly meetings the secretary issue
to the members printed confidential re
ports containing summary review @
the amount of onions available I'm vari
Gus producing sections, followed by sue
suggestions as: The bulk of the onio
crop Is now in the hands OF speculate tor.
fully 15 per cent. OF whom are member
of this association This report show
, that the movement for the entire Unite
States need be only eighty cars a da,
The results rest with the members. an
by all means arrange TO keen onion
moving regularly We should not foe
ourselves and make this fictitious yalu
market. but be sure of condition, an
the key to the situation is to keen som
moving all the time
; Enormous Prohts Received.
For the 1916 crop the producer
probably received less than two cen,
n pound. In midwinter many OF thes
onions were sold to retailers an
through them TO consumers at 10 to /
, cents pound. II is claimed by III
Government that this tremendous ma,
gin between the price accruing TO III
!, producer and the price paid by the cor
sumer was largely due to the illeg.
= control OF the trade exercised by tn
), association"
The following corporations are name
\ in the indictments:
= NJ. Piowaty & Sons. Chicago: II
: Horr-Warner Company. Wellington
Ohio John =. Froy Company. Rocheste
y. Y: Wayl, Zuckerman q Co. M
: A. Levy & J. Zentner Company, bo,
of San Francisco; Jackson Sobrin
Company. Inc. Mlddleport. n. Y. Il
: Farmers Mercantile Company and Il
Farr Produce Company, both of Greele
Col. Olathe Produce Association. Olath
Col: Bridge & Souter Company, Int
r Canastota. y. Y: G. Il. Hoagland
Sons. Williamson. y. Y.
Separate indictments were returned
many cases against officers OF the con
panies named.