The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-24
us. GRAND IURyx
WILLNVESTIGAlt
FOOD PROFITEERS
Judge Mccall Lays Emphasis
On Amended Hoarding Act.
Touches Upon Postal, Reve-
nue. and Liquor Violations.

The activities of profiteers In food
and commodities in Memphis will re-
ceive the serious consideration OF the
federal grand Jury for the November
term Of court for the Western district
OF Tennessee, Il the instructions given
70 that body Monday morning by Judge
John E. Mccall are followed. While
the laws covering prohibition revenue,
postal regulations and other federal
statutes were touched upon by Judge
Mccall in his charge. tho greater por-
ton OF his remarks to the newly i'm
paneled grand jury was devoted TO the
recently amended profiteerlng and food
boarding act
A number of illustrations were used
by Judge Mccall in defining to the
Jurors the intent of the profiteering
act. He declared that where a mer-
chant sold an article for double its cost
TO him and figured that he had only
made so per cent on the real but had
in reality made 100 per cent on the
cost, he had violated the federal law
Cotton men who advised their clients
to hold their cotton for higher prices
violated the law, he said, because Of
the fact that the law states that neces-
stiles Of life shall not be withheld from
nrice
Defines Prof1teering.
The exemption given to agrlcultrists
under the amended law, Judge Mccall
saiu' was IN his opinion an injustice as
was also the exemption given to labor
unions, but his private opinion on the
matter he stated, did not change the
law The exemption cited does not deem
It violation Of the law for a farmer
70 withhold his products from the mar
ket, nor does 1t term violation CO.
operative or collective bargaining.
certain percentage added to the
cost OF an article of merchandise in
order TO take care OF income taxes and
other taxes levied by the government
IN ADDITION to q percentage OF profit
within reason did not constitute profit
eering., according to Judge Mccall.
Merchants are entitled to the same
net profit now as they made before
tne enactment OF income tax laws and
other laws designed to raise money 10
pay the war debts, the Judge explained,
ana II. any instance where merchant
Inquired his percentages on profit to take
care OF the Increased taxation he had
not violated the law provided his DER.
lcentage. OF profit was not excessive
Praeticaliy all lines OF business hand.
llng the necessities OF life such as
cfothing, foods, machinery and imple-
ments used In the productions OF food
or clothing were touched upon by Judge
Mccall during the course OF his ex.
tended remarks to the grand Jury. They
were urged to go into the matter care
tuily and thoroughly and with a view
of enforcing the law to the letter.
~ In qualIying the jurors. for both thf
grand and petit junes Judge Mccall
stated that the spirit OF unrest now
prevalent throughout the nation was
indeed grave situation and that the
courts OF the land were the sole means
OF bringing about better conditions. Ne
asked every juror TO judge for him
sell whether or not his own personal
aItalrs were of more Importance lust
at this time than were the affairs OF
the nation. Not one juror was excused
ZOE business reasons all those who were
excused having illness in the families.
Judge Mccall pointed out that there
could be no enforcement OF federal laws
without indictments by the grand jury
and he declared that the grand jury
was Just as important as the Judge or
other official of the court.
BY way OF suggestion OF procedure
along matters pertaining to violations
or the profiteering law, Judge Mccall
suggested to the district attorney that
this matter be handled in such a way
that when the grand jury had completed
It's work the court and the public might
H.
Panels Chosen.
The grand Jury began its, work i'm i
medlately following Judge McCall's
charge. Cleland X. Smith, 1872 South
Front street, was named by the judge
as foreman Of the grand jury, which
follows:
Cleland X. Smith, foreman; W. G.
Gibson. Mallory street; John Nealis, 2l5
Court avenue; L. e. Critchfield, Ripley.
y. b. Bledsoe, Raleigh; d. w. Stewart,
100 South Front street; j. r. Leake,
1853 Young avenue; I. Sugarman. 724
jefferson avenue; II. Coffman, Curve,
W. r. Kinney, Brownsvile; FL. M, Pill
cher, Lotus building; Ed Mullins,
Brownsville; T. G. Ferguson, Ripley j.
Y. Perry, Somerville; Ben s. Parker,
Peabody hotel; B. N. Griffin. Bruns-
wick; R. S. Simpson, Brownsville; r.
G. Boblett, .Williston. and H. P. Jor-
don, oil Estivai.
The two petit juries were impaneled
with the following personnel
Jury No. 1--P. p, Williams, Thomas
c. Phelan, j. M. Dean, Joseph Orgill,
A.. Il. Jennings, Robert r. Ellis. s. b.
Johns, Ben A. Bogy, J, T. Fisher. w. G.
Sullivan, A. I. Prichard r. 3. Rob-
ertson, and Walter GordoR
Jury No. 2--Alston Boyd, s. Y. Gar
ant Fontaine, +. c.. Crawford, W. r,
Whitaker, l.. B. Archer. ]. f. Hunt,
Harris Taylor and w. c. Crawford.
The following three men were quail
fled as extra jurors:
j. b. Kerr, T. b. Bradford and w. C.
Howard.
The court recessed at 10 o'clock until
1880 o'clock The entire morning was
n