New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-06-03
e Firm
iz1ed $4,000
As I'roffiiteer
Maximum Sentence Eslsy,osed
on John HI. Roberts Co..
OF Utica, by Judge Howe;
Convicted on 1T Counts
Produce Men Penalized
Food Prices Drop in Face
of Federal Offensive:
Six More Indictments

The Federal offensive against nrof,-
teers in foods and clothing began to
gain ground yesterday.
In Syracuse fire of 500 900 was i'm
posed on the John A. Roberts Com
pany, of Utica. for prof, te ering in cloeh
ing, by Federal Judge Harland r. Howe.
The Now York and New jersey Pro
duce Company PLEADED guilty before
Judge Augustus N. Hand in the Fed
eral Court here and was fined $1,000
for rrofteering in potatoes.
half dozen clothing and food deal
ers were indicted on numerous counts
for alleged profitecring.
Food Prices Take Drop
When news of the punishment dealt
out to the New York and New jersey
Produce Company got about foodstuffs
began to drop off in price. Vegetables
were uniformly cheaper and in some
cases butter and eggs also fell sharply
The fine imposed on the Roberts con
Germ by Judge Howe was the heaviest
dicted on eleven counts and fined
$4,000 on each. In imposing the pen
atty Judge Howe said:
II believe that convicted profitcers
should be sent to Jail That would dc
more than anything else to impress
the merchants who are doing business
that they must contine themselves TO
fair and reasonable profits Rut the
defendant, being corporation, there
can be no prison sentence. | believe it
is plainly the duty of the court to i'm
pose the maximum sentence, which is
$4,000 on each count"
The Federal grand jury at Syracuse
also handed up indictments egainst
three clothing firms and four sugar
manipulators. The clothiers are s.
Burdick G. Sons Inc, Of Syracuse, in
Pulitzer, Bimghamton, ten counts, and
Michael j. Leo, Utica, nineteen counts.
The alleged sugar profteers are Robert
3. James, Oswego; A bert a. lnman,
Fulton; Joseph McCafcry, Oswcgo,
and Harry Martin, Montreal.
Produce Firm Pleads Guilty
In this city the New York and New
Jersey Produce Company pleaded
guilty to an Indictment charging it
witt profitcering in potatoes on ten
counts The hrm is said TO have pur
chased potatoes at $4.25 a hunderd and
SOLD them for from $3.50 to $770 a
hundred.
Charles e. Hughes also appeared In
the Fede al Court here yesterday and
argued before Judge Julian W. Mack
indictment for profiteering against Will
liam NJ Wood and the American
Wooden Company.
Mr.. Hughes held that wool cloth and
"wearing apparel" we're not identical
and quoted at length from statutes,
court decisions, dictionaries and Gus
torns regulations to enforce his con-
tention. In response to this Herbert
c. Smyth, special Assistant Attorney
General, brought forth another list Of
statutes, court decisions, and so on.
Judge Mack adjourned proceedings till
Tuesday morning, instructing counsel
TO file briefs.
Judge Hand required Morris Spirit,
alleged sugar prohteering jointly with
Dec Meter, Of New York, to give SO 1000
bail.
Arguments on the demurrcrs to the
proGteering Indictments against the
five Chicago packers and their repro
sentatives were postponed yeste rday
by Federal Judge Chatheld in Brook
lyn until June 16. Those under indict-
rncnt are Wilson &, Co. and their local
representative, Louis Joseph; Armour
z, Co. and Harold G. Mills, local man
agcr; Swift & Co and william Cleary,
local preventative; Cudahy e CO..
and Oliver II. Saunders, representative,
md Morris 4 Co. and G. W. Ehlcrs
and lama Naah ypureGEntdflypg.
Retailers Cut Prices
Six retail food dealers, accused OF
charping excessive price, we're brought
before Arrnln W. Riley, chief Of the
"Flying Squad yestcrday,. ana
twelve more viii answer rollcall IN the
Federal Building to-day. The retailers
questioncd yesterday gave Mr.. Riley
their assurance Of absolute cooperation
In his effort 20 eliminate cxohbitant
profits. In the stores Of these mcr-
chantg, ycstcrday afternoon, Old pIlcc
signs Were replaced by ne" ones SNOW
inp considerable reduction
Many storee which have charged 10
cents Il pound FOR onions ever SINCE
the new Tom crop arrived were 'k-
ing only eight cents. The price Of
80. / ncw potatoes in n large numbcr
Of markets remained firm at ~ cent
n pound until ycstofday, when II
dropped TO 1ZM cents Cpcnnbers and
ca6Da9e Were alg> cheaper, although