Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1899 — COURT'S BLOW AT TRUSTS. [ARTICLE]

COURT'S BLOW AT TRUSTS.

Indiana’s Supreme Bench on Rights of Combinations. The Indiana Supreme Court struck a hard blow at trusts and combinations, reversing the case of the State on relation of the prosecuting attorney against the Portland Natural Gas and Oil Company. The court declares tMit a public corporation which enters into a combination with other corporations to destroy competition and thereby raise the price at which an article is sold to an extent that is detrimental or injurious to the public becomes liable to forfeit ijs corporate franchise. The information set forth that the defendant company had entered into an actual agreement with the supposed rival company. The Circuit Court threw the case out on a demurrer and the State appealed. The Supreme Court holds that when a corporate company fails in the discharge of its duties and enters into combinations to injure the public it offends against the law of its creation and “forfeits its right franchises.” The case is remanded back to trial with instructions that the complaint be held good.