OCR Text |
Show OUSTED FROM TEXAS ' Supreme Court Affirms Decree Against Waters-Pierce Waters-Pierce Oil Co. Washington. Jan. 18. The supreme court of the United States today affirmed af-firmed the decree of the state of Texas, Tex-as, imposing a fine of $1,623,000 on the Waters-Pierce Oil Company of St. Louis and ousting it from the state on the charge of violating the Texas antitrust anti-trust law. The court also sustained the action of the Texas state court in the appointment ap-pointment of Robert J. Eckhart as receiver re-ceiver and thus again decided against the company. The decisions in all the cases were unanimous. The action was begun in the state court under the state anti-trust laws and resulted In a verdict directing the cancellation of the company's permit to do business in the state and fixing a penalty of $1,623,900 for the violation viola-tion of the laws from the time that the permit was issued on May 31, 1900, till April 24. 1907. when the action was begun. The bill charged that the company com-pany had violated the state's laws every day since it had entered the state, through a conspiracy with the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey Jer-sey to control the oil business In Texas! Tex-as! The company denied the charge. The penalty was at the rate of $1500 per day from May 31, 1900. to April 1. 1903, and at the rate of $50 per day from that time. The case came to the supreme court on a writ of error. Justice Day announced an-nounced the decision of the supreme court, affirming the findings of the Texas court. The case turned upon the point as to whether the proceedings proceed-ings of the state against the company had been In accordance with the constitutional con-stitutional requirement for due process pro-cess of law and the court held that such was the case. While -regarding thte fine as very large, Justice Day's opinion held that It was competent to Iippose it. |