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Show SUGAR TRUST Tammany Hall Started the Anti-Trust Agitation New York, July 20. John Freeman, former counsel for the American Sugar Sug-ar Refining company, today told the special congressional committee Investigating In-vestigating the so-called trust, his version of the formation of the Sugar Sug-ar combine. He said at first that he was willing to share all the blnmo "if there is any," for the mysterious resolution which H O. Havemeyer put through the board of directors ot the American Sugar Refining cpm-pany cpm-pany in 1891 approving "contributions made to political parties." Mr Parsons followed Mr. Freeman on the stand. He said that this was the first big combination, even including the Standard Stand-ard Oil and others, , r "Ah! Here is the real father of tho trusts,' exclaimed Mr. Sulzer. "There has been many makers of sugar prior to 1S87," continued Mr. Parsons. "I was counsel for manv of them. T was counsel for H0." Ilovemeyer, Theo. A. Havemeyer and Elder, and John E. Searlcs." '"Who suggested to you the id-a of bringing these independent companies in 1887 into the sugar refineries company'" com-pany'" "Well. I think it was in all their minds. I'm the man tho'igh, who deserves de-serves the credit or the blame for actually ac-tually forming that company whjch, under reorganization. hecaue of tho Sherman anti-trust lav, became ti.e present American Sugar Refining company. com-pany. I thorough! bcliced !n th combination of capital- of lal-or and any .other interest for Ihe benefit of those interested, when It Is legal." "There were twentv.threc reflnerfes in the United States af that time that you welded seventeen of them into the Sugar Refineries company of 1SS7," said Mr Garrett. "Pan you tell me what effo-ts w-re made to got in the other refiner'es?" "The cnly im who cor te'1 you la now dead. That iR jq'm E Soar'er." "How long did the reftneucs company com-pany last9" "The change in its affairs ho-;an when a nclitical narty broughi suit to disorganize the Nrt River Refinery coinnany," sold Mr. Pirsons. "What pr.rty?" cried most of the Congressmen "We call it Tammany Hall." Then all of them wanted to know whv. "Well, that was about the opening shot of a political rarty against the trusts and both parties have kept It up ever since. That's why I am not n good party man now." The court, Mr. Parsons saH. dissolved dis-solved the North R.'vcr cempanv because be-cause it was a corporation and hnd no right to Join a partnership, which was the form of the sugar refineries company. Mr. Parsons explained how John TC. Searles had raid $700,000 for the S350,-000 S350,-000 North River property and dismantled dis-mantled the refinerv Thfn Searles, "after killing the North River company's com-pany's actual self entered it as a partner part-ner In the sugar refineries company. This the court of appeals declared to be illecal. thus killing a body that had alreadv committed suicldn." "So vou' see, ' continued Mr. parsons, par-sons, "there Is even a lot of buncombe in our own highest court." "Was there not." he wns asked, "a great deal of water in the first $50,-000,000 $50,-000,000 stock of the American Sugar refining companv." "If the refineries obtaining the tr'JSt certificates were worth what they were paid, then there was no water If vcu ask mo if the actual properties of the new company could have been sold in the open market for $50,000,000 I will tell vou no. But to. the new company thej'" were worth what was pnid for them as a matter of policy and business." busi-ness." Mr. Garret had spoken of the pollcv of the comnnny In paying nbout 200 per cent In trust certificates In 100 per cent of actual or stock valuation of ac quired refineries. |