Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-09
f. H. DANIEL BACKS
CHARGESBY RITTER
Asserts Latter Was Punished
for Cutting the Price of
Coal.

Coal.
Ernest H. Daniel. president of the
Carry Ice Cream Company. at a hear
ing before the Senate manufacturers
committee today corroborated testi-
mony given by John c. L. Ritter yes
terday that Ritter has been cut off
from receiving coal for delivery to
the Carry Ice Cream Company by the
Standard Coal Company.
Mr.. Daniel testified concerning a
conversation he had had with Q. F.
Woodward of the Standard Coal Com
pany, in which Mr.. Woodward is
alleged to have said that ''he didn't
like Ritter's methods of doing bust
ness and that pressure had been
brought to bear on him" which COM
PEELED him to cut off Mr.. Ritter and
the Carry Ice Cream Company from
any further supply of coal.
The pressure was brought upon Mr..
Woodward. Mr.. Daniel said, according
to his recollection of the conyersa-
ton by those who dealt with the
Standard Coal Company and those
who controlled the company.
Forced Out of Business.
Mr. Ritter had been selling coal con-
siderably under the price charged by
the other dealers in Washington, and
Mr.. Daniel was testifying in connec-
ton with charges made by Mr. Ritter
10 the. effect that price fixing by an
association of coal dealers in Wash
ington had been carried on, and that
Mr.. Ritter was forced out OF business
because he sold under the associa-
tons price.
Mr.. Daniel testified also that he and
other consumers. including w. C. Car
ter and A. a. Chaplin. had later or
ganized a company with Mr.. Ritter
to sell coal in Washington, and that
they had sold coal cheaper than other
dealers. He said that on several oc-
casions other dealers had spoken to
him about the coal business and had
told him that it was not good thing
to do
IL. P. Steuart told me-" said Mr..
Daniel, that we were making enc
mics in the business who would prob
ably try to get back at US. I under
stand that it was because we were
cutting the price.
My company. the Garry Company,
is large manufacturer of ice. Mr..
Stewart told me that there would be
a movement on foot to start a new
ice company here"
What did you reply to thafo'' asked
Senator La Toilette, chairman of the
Senate committee.
Il told him that that did not worry
me and that if they didn't conduct
the ice business any better than they
did the coal we'd soon own the ice
business" NC
Mr.. Daniel said that several coal
dealers had offered to buy them ont
OF the coal business. These dealers
ne said, were members of the coal
associa ton.
Mr. Ritter was on the stand +hss
morning before Mr.. Daniel and was
cross examined mostly by Senator
Reed OF Missouri. in connection with
the charges he had made of a cow
blnatlon to force him out of the coal
business. wal
Combination Formally Charged.
specific charges that a combination
exists in the coal trade to maintain
nlsn prices OF coal in this city and to
smut OIL the supply of coal TO deal
ers who cut rates were put before tha
committee yesterday afternoon nv Mr.
Ritter, who said the "combinat;on n,,t
him out of business" put
Chairman La Toilette ruled that the
committee would go further with the
inquiry after Senator Reed demn.r.t
Missouri, declared that the uitnass,
had established prima facie case
or conspiracy to violate anti-trnst
laws on the part of local associa-
tlon ana moved that Department of
1ustlce agents be summoned to ex-
PLAIN their attitude in the mattar
Mr.. Ritter told the committee tho,
ne was selling soft coal at sse5 =
ton, wh1le the price of the coal assn-
citation was $S.75. He said he startad
IN the coal business in February. 1919
ana that ne continued in business
until April, 1920, when he was "fnrcs5
out" because he couldn't get anv mo-.
coal any hi'ie
Makes Further Disclosures.
me witness told of ATTENDING ,
meeting of the coal associat loo in tb..
Chamber of Commerce hall one da,l.r
was Seii1ng pea coal at 50 a TON and
the members Of the association We're
s sa y AROUSED. he said. One of them,
coal wash away" before he wonid
sell 1t under the "association nrina ;,
Ctners, ne said, declared that this was
the Hfst opportunity the coal men had
naa IN years to make money and they
p;ttn 20 make the most of it.
obtaining coal to sell ami insisted
tnere mad been a combination to mn
MIN out of business because he vas
selllng under the Association price"
ne oo.alned some large clients among
the consumers. he said. Finally. he
sald, ne incorporated his COMPANY
under the name of the National Coal
Company, Inc.
me coai mems assoca ton had a
meeting Mr.. Ritter asserted he had
been informed by one of his 1918 Gus
tom rs who added: And they put
you right out of business. You aren't
coal man at all any more"
Gets Suggestion From Mine Agent,
Anotner man. representing a coal
inning company, sugges ted to him,
Ritter continued. to raise your price
20 cents a ton each week until you
get only 10 or Is cents below the as
soeiatlon price" which was figure
curing 1918 and 1920, according to
the witness by an association of local
coal dealers. He refused. he said. and
after April. 1920. he could not get any
coal.
There wasn't a man in the country
who would contract to give me my
next years supply" Mr.. Ritter as
serted. and I had to do business with
anybody I could and who would sell
me dirt for coal"
He didn't lose any money. but
did have q lot OF fun. he added in
further detailing his experiences.