Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-02-19
Letters Introduced as Evidence
by Government Tend to Show
Alliance Among Creameries
SHOULD WORK TOGETHER
Supposed Competitors in the
Creamery Business Believed
to Have Had Working Agree
ment to Down Local Firms.

In the case of the government
against the Henningsen Produce COM
pany ct al, being tried in federal court
before Judge Dietrich. Special Agent
Leon Bone, this morning introduced
letter after letter to show that there
was desire on the spart Of the
creamery trust" to get hold of COM
petttors, to prevent competitors from
getting raw material and to regulate
prices paid for raw materials In Idaho
so that one member of the alleged
combine would not pay the farmers
more than another member.
In all, up to 11:15 o'clock, Special
Agent Bone introduced a total Of 1856
letters between the Henningsen Pro-
duce company ct al, to w. F. Jensen
ct al. and between w. F. Jensen ct al
and the Henningsen Produce company
ct al, all tending to show most prof
liable and pleasurable alliance CT
creamery men. The total of 1856 letters
included 101 letters introduced Tues
day.
WHAT LETTERS SAY.
In many Of the letters w. F. Jensen
was termed My Dear Viggo," and all
appeared to be on tho best of terms.
Al JIG lcLltT ITOIn IH6 f1HZ6lWOOu
company to w. f. Jensen ct al 1t was
suggested that the Hardwood COM
pany would keep out Of Idaho If the
Jensen company would keep out of
Portland. In another letter from the
Henningson Produce company, No. 149
in number of exhibit, it developed that
one company in the combine went into
Malad, Idaho. to prevent local cream
cries doing much business, or getting
any large amount of raw materials
from that point. In another letter
from Jensen to Henningsen, 1t was
suggested that Henningsen withdraw
from Montpelier. In still another let
ter 1t was suggested that one company
was paying 20 cents for raw material
in an Idaho town, and another mem
Der of the combine located there was
offering 80 cents in advertisements.
This, it was suggested, was not right,
and both members should get together
and make prices uniform. In another
letter it was suggested that a certain
company work with another creamery
company ito keep the field covered SO
others cannot come in and take our
pickings away from us
OBJECTIONS MADE.
Attorneys for the defense are max
ing many objections to the letters of
the defendants in possession of the
government which are being read by
Mr.. Bone to the jury, and In some
cases their objections are being sus-
tanned. However, 1t appears that the
major part of the evidence, that Is, the
material part and not hearsay, is being
heard by the jury
The letters introduced seem to show
a very intimate relationship between
the various companies indicted, name
ly: Henningsen Produce company,
Schallnger Produce company, Com
mercial Creamery company, Lakewood
Creamery company and the Clock
Product company; all of within are To-
Gated in Montana. Washington and
Oregon, though having branches in
Idaho in many instances. There are
no Idaho companies implicated in the
indictment under which the present
trial is being conducted, the Jensen
Creamery company having pleaded
guilty to a previous indictment and
paid a fine of $500.