United States v. E.C. Knight

156 U.S. 1 (1895)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

D had purchased stock in four Philadelphia sugar refineries. Those purchases along with the stock it already owned in American Sugar Refining, allowed D to control the manufacture of sugar within the U.S. The Government took immediate action and charged that the stock purchases represented restraints on trade and was contrary to an Act of Congress of July 2, 1890. P charged that defendants had violated the provisions of an Act of Congress approved July 2, 1890, c. 647, entitled, 'An act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies,' 26 Stat. 209, providing that every contract, combination in the form of trust, or otherwise, or conspiracy in restraint of trade and commerce among the several states is illegal, and that persons who shall monopolize or shall attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with other persons to monopolize trade and commerce among the several states, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The Government sought to cancel the stock trades and redeliver them along with a request for an injunction against further violations of the Act. The circuit court held that the facts did not show a contract, combination, or conspiracy to restrain or monopolize trade or commerce 'among the several states or with foreign nations,' and dismissed the bill. The cause was taken to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the decree affirmed. This appeal was then prosecuted.