South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-26
FEDERAL GRAND
JURY ACCUSES
226 COAL MEN
Prominent Operators, Miners
and Companies in Six
States Named.
CONFINED PROM PACE ONEl

nous coai-
The charge IS also made that the
agreements entered into between
the operators and miners provided
that coal should not be- sold at any
time FOR a price that did not yield
a profit 70 the operator; that in
creases OF wages 70 miners should
be added 10 the price Of coal; that
competition among the operators
should be eliminated; that no coal
should be sold below the cost OF
production and that the means OF
increasing cost and production IT
the price OF coal should be by clos
ing and keeping idle the mines.
Have Uniform Cost.
The operators established a uni
form cost accounting system for
the operation OF the mines. II Is
charged. and By agreement. en-
pioyed a greater number OF miners
than was reasonably necessary 20
operate the mines properly.
Agreements entered into at the
conference between the miners and
operators have been continuous
from one conference 70 another up
10 the time Of the fling Of the in
dictment, 10 is averred.
Creating OF high and fictitious
market prices for coal was brought
about by the operators. according
90 the Indictment. by an agreement
following suspension OF the national
fuel regulations Ga February. 1919,
Is not 10 contract FOR the future
delivery OF coal and not TO sell coal
unless they were able 10 obtain "A
price equal 20 or above the price
that had been fixed by the national
fuel administration.
Had Concerted Plan.
Another charge IS made that the
operators, by a concerted plan.
made various reports 70 the mine
bureaus Of the several states and
TO the government that there was
no market for coal and that this
plan caused the price 20 increase
until il wac higher than the prices
fixed and maintained by the na-
tional fuel administration prior to
its suspension.
Regarding the activities of the
National coal association, the in
dictment charges that this organiza-
ton is engaged in marking out zones
into which coal may be shipped and
that reports on production and prices
in each zone enables the operators
10 govern the supply and price OF
coal.
The indictment charges that in the
plan to increase the price of coal the
operators refused TO sell fuel 10 any
one not a member of tire Retail
Coal Dealers association and allied
organizations and that they refused
10 sell coal TO any one for purposes
beyond their immediate needs. thus
preventing the storage OF coal for
future use.
Another plan for increasing fuel
prices. II is charged, was to sell ii
through sales agencies which were
separate in name only from the OPP
Grating and producing companies.
Profits were thereby increased, the
indictment says.
I'scd spot Market"
The operators also created the
spot" market, the indictment
charges. by agreeing to sell coal only
Tor immediate delivery at prices
agreed upon at the time OF delivery.
In carrying out their plans TO cause
scarcity Of coal. the grand jury said
the operators published broadcast
during 1920. articles pointing out
TIT there was shortage Of coal and
urged people 90 purchase.
Alleged methods of the operators
10 avoid deliveries on contracts also
were cited in the indictment 1t
charged contract for weekly de-
Hveries would be made contingent
upon three days a week operation OF
a mine and that the operator pur-
posely CLOSING the mine so il would
not be operated for the three days,
would then refuse delivery for that
week. Further IL was charged that
the operator in a subsequent week
would work the mine an additional
dav OF two over the three days
specified in the contract and would
retain the excess production for sale
IN the spot market at a price higher
than the contract price.
IN the Indiana indictments were
included
The J. WOolev Coal company. the
Beckett ard Shirkie Coal company:
the Tescumseh Coal and Mining CO.
mpary. the Fork Ridge Mining
company. George A Van Dyke. the
ChfcaEo-Carlisle Coal company. the
Dana Coal and Mining COMPANY
the Pan Handle Coal company. Hull
bert II. Ferguson. the Clinton Ccat
company. the Ferguson-Spears Coal
company. joan Chesterfield. the
otter Creek Coal company. VIM. j.
Freeman. the Bon Ayr Coal company
tho Green Valley Coal company,
Morton J.. Gould. the Linton Coal
company. Jacob q. EoIsen,. the Jack
son Hill Coal company. Edwin ID.
Iogson the Knox county Fourth Vein
Coal company. The Indiana Greek
Coal and Mining company. the : w.
Little coal company Phil II. Penna.
Hugh Shirkie. the Shirkie Coal
company. the Glenco Coal company.
the Glendale Coal company Gcorg
II. Richards. ia, Lower Wen Coal
company. Homer B. Ta'lcy. tie Coal
Greek Mining company. the Coal
Bluff MininE company. the Fort
Harrison Mining company David
IuEle. the Ayrshire Coal company.
VIM TT Tobin. the SterinG-Midlani
Coal company the Consumers Coal
company VIM NJ. teller. the Ameri-
can Coal Mining company. the Brazil
Galleries company. Edward Shirhie.
Robert j. smith the Princeton Coal
COMPANY the Deep Vein Coal COM
pany. the Black Hawk Mining COM
pans. the j. 81 Martin coal company.
Henry +. smith The Dry Fork Goa,
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