OCR Text |
Show BILL POSTERS INDICTED: PRICE COMBINE CHARGED CHICAGO. Jan. 27 Indictments, charging v idlatlon of the Sherman antl-ttusi law against 31 officials of the Poster Advertising company of 'hlcago and the Poster Advertising association with central offices in New York, wore returned by Federal ! grand jury today. I The companies are charged With having worked together," to obtain: I leases .n all suitable billboards In towns in which the population Is mdr than 2,1 ft is alleged that the companies used ''unfair, tortuous and unlaw lul meth ods" in excluding from these towns I their competitors. The indictments name the president ,and secretary-treasurer of each com-i com-i panv and the hoards of directors whose members arc scattered lb rough - out the Country, Among officials of the Poster Advertising Ad-vertising company named as defend-' ants arc. Secretary, treasurer, dlrec-jtors, dlrec-jtors, A. S. Ueall. Sioux City, Iowa, and. 'A. L Lausen, San Francisco. Calif- The maximum penalty for convic-tlon convic-tlon under section 2 of the anti-trust ! act is one year in prison and $5 000 (fine. In 19 Di Federal Judge Landls or-I or-I dcred that the two companies bo dissolved dis-solved after civil suit had been instl-intofi instl-intofi against the firms in the United' States district courts. During the bearing bear-ing testimony was offered In an ef-M fort to, show that the companies had charged advertisers unfair prlci Pending a hearing on the appeal, ipio jurist entered an order restraining Hl companies from further alleged prici manipulation. r ( |