The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-30

spiracy.
 Two Federal grand juries, the first converting here more than a year ago. subpoenaed tons of cor respondence and other documents from private files of these com panies and returned indictments against 28 companies and Fl indi- VidualS.
 Defendants facing trial first are charged with combining and con- spring for the purpose of arti- ficially raising and fixing the tank car prices of gasoline allegedly through a buying pool operating among independent refiners in the East Texas and Mid Continent fields.
 Prices which these major com panies charge jobbers are based upon spot market tank car sales quoted for the previous day in trade publications, the indict- ments charged. The government argued that by influencing this market, which amounts to less than 3 per cent of the gasoline sold m the Middle West area where they operate, these major com panieS were able to raise their prices to jobbers and increase re- tail prices by so doing.
 Two Journals Accused
 Participating in this practice, the government charges, and co-defend- ants with the oil executives in the drst trail are the Chicago Journal of Commerce and Keith FanShier dts petroleum editor, and the Ma tional Petroleum News and Platt's Oilgram, and Warren c. Platt Cleveland o. president of the last mentioned publications. Clyde M. Boggs, Arkansas City, Kas., and Ar thur V. Bourque, Tulsa, Okla president and secretary treasurer respectively of the Western Pe- troleum Refiners association, also are defendants in the action.
 The trade journals are charged with aiding the conspiracy by know tngly publishing as spot market tank car price quotations the prices paid by these companies in their buying program beginning in February, 1938, were assigned independent retiners as dancing partners" the government charges, buying from them at high, arbitrary and pro- gressiVely increased prices In order to influence jobber and, ultimately consumer prices.
 Trial to Be Lengthy
 Tfial of the first case is expected to last from 6 to l2 weeks. Housing facilities are being reserved for be- tween 200 and 500 persons, includ- ing the defendants, their families, Secretarial and household staffs.
 William J. Colonel "Wild BillD Donovan, former assistant U. s. at torney general, is chief defense counsel. Burden of the prosecution falls upon John Henry Levin and Hammond E. Chaffetz, young as- sistants of Attorney General Homer Cummings, sent here from Wash ington. Judge Patrick T. Stone, regular jurist Of U. S. district court for the Western Wisconsin district, will preside.
 In additional to personal appear ance of the defendants here to en- ter pleas of not guilty the case al- ready has been carried through legal technicalities which may lead to an appeal to higher jurisdiction.
 Defendant corporations in the first case include Standard of h. diana, Socony- Vacuum, Cities Ser vice, Continental, Gulf, Pure oil, Shell, Sinclair, Texas, Mid-Conti- nent, Phillips, Skelly, Barnsdall, Deep Rock, the Globe companies of Oklahoma, Illinois and Kansas, and some subsidiaries Cities Service Export, Empire, Louisiana oil, Gulf Refining. and Wadhams.
 Names of Defendants
 Executives facing trial on the same charges include:
 Standard Of Indiana-Edward G. Heubert, president; Allen Jackson and Edward J. Bullock, vice presi- dents, all of Chicago; and Ira A. Smith, Tulsa, Okla, buyer.
 Socony-Vacuum-John A. Brown president; Charles L. Jones and Charles E. Arnott, vice presidents of New York; and H. T. Ashton, St