Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-24
LESH CHARGES
BUILDING TRUST
WORKS IN STATE
CONTINUED From Page one.)

charged, members had tn send all bids
submitted by them for work through a
clearing house consisting of the Bed.
ford Stone Club Auxiliary.
If any memb sr, according to- one of the
rules of the club, refused to withdraw
his bid on It's being found that he was 10
per cent lower than other members that
member was subject to fine of $500 un-
der the rules. according to the complaint
SAYS THEY HAVE
"BENEFIT FUND"
The complaint sets out that the aux
Hilary leyles and collects minimum as.
sessment Of 3 cents a cubic foot for all
finished stone work sold which funds
are used to pay members of the auxiliary
who have lost money on contracts when
bidding against independent stone men,
or those not members Of the auxiliary
and as a result of this practice, il is
charged. other stone men, or those not
members of the auxiliary were either
forced to become members or driven out
of the stone business, by the auxiliary
members bidding lower for work than the
labor and price or materials justified and
dividing the loss.
PARTICULAR EFFORT
Conferred IN CITY.
indianapolis was the center Of a par
ticular effort Of the combine, according
to the complaint. No Bedford limestone
was possible for use in construction
work here unless purchased through one
of the members Of the Stone Club
Auxiliary or the G. Ittenbach Company
and Edward f. Dux, who are members
of the International Cut Stone and
Quarrymen's Association, the complaint
says
The complaint sets out:
said defendants as members Of said
Bedford Stone Club Auxiliary, Incor
porated. to further carry out said wrong
full and unlawful scheme, combination
and conspiracy agreed not to submit
any bids on construction work calling
for the use of Bedford Limestone In the
City OF Indianapolis except through de
PENDANTS. G. Ittenbach Company and
Edward F. Dux, who are members Of de-
PENDANT. the International Cut Stone
Contractors and Quarrymens Associa
ton. Incorporated, being the sole and
only members of said association In said
City Of Indianapolis, Indiana, and as a
result OF said wrongful and unlawful
agreement and understand ding competitio
In said business in Indianapolis is re-
stricted and trade therein unreasonably
restrained and impeded."
The defendants, in furtherance Of their
wrongful combination" are alleged to
have agreed among themselves as to
prices to be paid for labor in quarries
and stone mills. and by an agreement
and order materially reducing wages in
the district brought about a strike IN
the stone district Of Monroe and Law
renee Counties which has greatly re-
stricted the output Of the commodity.
At other times, members have hired
away labor from competitors not mem
bers OF the auxiliary, according to the
complaint Agreements were entered into
between the auxiliary and the heads Of
unions whereby union men would not.
work for companies not members Of the
auxiliary, II is charged.
UNLAWFUL AGREEMENT
Is CHARGED.
The complaint continues:
said defendants who own quarries
have unlawfully agreed among themselves
to not sell stone to mill operators who
did not belong to said auxiliary and as
a result of said unlawful agreement yarl-
Gus Independent mill operators have been
either forced out Of business or compelled
to Join said auxiliary.
Your reiator further shows the court
that by the combined power and con
certed action OF the several defendants
they are able to. and in fact do arbi-
trsrily control In a substantial and hurt
full way the price Of Indiana limestone
commonly known as Bedford stone that
they are maintaining an unreasonable
high price TO builders and as a result
are restricting building and public i'm
provements and forcing the use Of other
building stone and material by builders
who would otherwise prefer TO use such
Indiana limestone"
Attorney General Lesh expresses the
belief that penal sections Of the law are
insufficient to give adequate relief. and
that there is the necessity for the use