New Britain herald., 1922-03-13
Former Mayor of City One of Eight Individuals and Three Corporations Accused By Federal Jury
Government Claims Ac- cuscd Conspired to Con- trol Output of Street Gas Light Mantles and Boost ed Prices.

New York, March 1s.-The United Gas Improvement Co.,. the Welsbach O., the Cities Illuminating Co.,, Inc, and eight individuals were indicted today hy a federal jury on a charge of violating the sherman antitrust jaw The individuals named in the .n- dctment were: Samuel T. Rodine. Randall Morgan. Sydney Mason, George NJ. Landers, Arthur F.. Shaw, William Finday Brown. Eugene $. Newbold, Charles Vatterson and "other persons unknown to the grand jury"
 Conspiracy Charged.
 The indictment was returned week ago, but was ordered sealed at the request Of Attorney Gen. Daugh- erty. The seal was broken today in federal court. The conspiracy com plained of by the government was formed in 1904 and 1919 and it was charged that the conspirators con- trolled the entire output of ;itreet gas light mantles. When this was accom- plished, the indictment alleges the conspirators boosted the price of mantles in more than 200 cities throughout the country. Some of the cities have more than a4,0oo street lights for which gas mantles are used. it was alleged.
 Those Indicted.
 Mir. Bodine is president of the U. S. Gas Improvement Go. of Philadel- 1 phia. Mir. Morgan .s sice-rresident Band director af the name company, < Mir. Landers is manufacturer of New Britain. Conn.
 1 MT. Shaw is vice. president of the Cities Illuminating Co.,.
 MT. Brown is assistant district at- torney at Philadelphia and director of the Cities Illuminating Co.
 Mir. Newbold is president of the Cities Illuminating Co.,, and MT. Pat terson is president of the Patterson Street Lighting Co. of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
 Landcrs Well Known.
 George M I.anders, one of the men , connected in the above indictment, was for many years one of the lead ing citizens in this city. or more re- cent years he has been residing in New York, since his Decond marriage. Born in this city, MT. Landers occu- pied a prominent place Tn It's political life for many years, after attaining his majority. He was councilman on the republican ticket from the Sixth ward for several years, and was later honored as tho republican mayor, serving for two terms.
 Changes Party. A great surprise was occaSioned by his announcement that he had for saken the republican party Tor the democratic party, and Immediately he was sroomed for nigh positions, One of his first offices was his selection as councilman from the Sixth ward. He was later nominated and elected utate senator from this city. After com- pleting his term, he was again re- turned to the common council from the Sixth ward.
 Mir. landers and Joseph M. Hallor- an were contestants for the demo- cratic nomination as congressman from this district l.anders carried this city, but was beaten by Augus- [ llnP lsoItTSull, W llO Nto ViSStSu. SlO was later named us a member of the state central committee of the party, and was one of it's most active mem- hers. At various times his name was linked with the gubernatorial nomi- nation and also the lieutenant-gov- crnor nomination, but he did not de- sire either of these honors.
 Besides his active participation in political affairs. Mir. Landers was ac- tive for many years in the local man. ufacturinC concerns. He was an of- ticer in the Landers, l'rary and Clark company. and was also at one time the president of the North and Judd Manufacturing company.
 Mir. l.anders since his second mar riage has spent but very little time in this city. coming here only at inter- rals.
 An effort made this afternoon to get either Mir. Landers or his lawyers on, the olng distance wire for Com- ment on she indictment failed.