New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-22
THE McGEoCH-FOWLER INQUIRY.
cEysURE OF The FOwLEss FOR LOOSE BUSINESS
METHops-HIsToRY or THE INVESTIGATION.


cENsURE OF The FOwLERs FOR LOOSE BUSINESS
MKTaops-HIsToRY or THE INVESTIGATION.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE.l
- CHICAGO, Aug. 21.-The McGeOch- Fowler
fard investigation has reached end. The Board Of
Trade directors this evening, after long and very bit
Ger zht decided tue Fowlers for the loose
way in which they conducts their business Then by
vote OF 6 TO the motion to suspend Anderson Fowler
and Robert Fowler from the Board for uncommercial
conduet was lost Before separating, the officials
pledged themselves keep the verdict secret until
10 O'Clock tomorrow morning when will be announced
on Change The verdict is double ender BY the CEN
sure McGeoch will be allowed probably to claim dam
ages for tho lard and he claims 100000. this Is
matter of some consequence. But the Fowers by one
vcts have escaped discipline. 1t is known that the
scenes In the directors room during the baotng we're
exciting.
This settles far tho Board OF Trades authority
xoee the most extraordinary litigation begun before
thu Board of Trade On June 1, last. when Peter
McGeoch was In the midst of huge corner.
he refused to accept all the James Wright Co" brand
Of lard rendered by the Fowers this lard being the
manufacture of the Fowlers. The greatest excitement
followed this refusal. The VIII ,e machinery OF the
Board was turned upside down. McGeoch within
twenty-four hours, however, reconsidered his plans
He found that he refused to receive and pay for lard
which had been regularly Inspected he would Do saeet
70 discipline so accepted and paid for the lard but
mt once made charge against the Fowlers before the
Beard OF of adteratng their lard and asked
that the deliveries be declared irregular and That the
Rowlers be expelled from tae Board The trial began
June 1t involved directly 10000 terces Of the Fow-
lsrs lard worth nearly 800 0oO but indirectly great
deal more was involved--the Fowlers good name,
American lard and other interests. Tue filing OF
the charge resulted In McGeoch's collapse. AT once
American lard fell into disrepute. The cash property
could not DO sold McGe0ch failed Then followed
She most disastrous panic ever experienced
fOf
these charges The investigation has lasted through
syeutyfour DAYS There eighteen sessions Of the
Board The testimony amounted to over quarter of a
million Of words The Fowlers they have expended
$4,000 In their defence Professors Doremus Remsen
Whtthaus Habersham and other distinguished chemists
appeared here for the defence. Emory A. storrs and
other counsel also appeared for them The
investigation settled thing beyond ali peradventure
nat chemists and microscopes know absolutely moth
ing about animal fats The testimony Of the experts fol
the defence prosecution varied 30 that the Board o.
Directors settle whether or not any OF them knew
what they were talking about set aside $1,000 and
secced Ave chemists including Professor Delsfontant
representing the prosecution, and Dr. Rose represent
ing the defence to anayze seventeen mixtures
prepared by the Board and the key 10 which they
hold The analysis submitted by these five expert
made plain that the chemical analysis OF lard wa
Impossible. Samples of pure lard which had been Pre-
pared under guard were pronounced by Of then
authorizations Of cotton seed oil and alow and aduler
aious pronounced pure lard Neither the prosecu
SION nor defence depended at all in their closing argu
monts upon the expert testimony. Yet this class o.
testimony cost the Fowiers 81 900.
IRE IN the Western Union Telegraph Company
building which destroyed their instruments and meuet
their wires left the Board OF Trade operators cut %
from communication with the outside world No qdota
tions tape and messages were received
until late IN the day As q consequence the day OF
Change was without incident and dull All The articles
on the list weaker. Even the operations OF th'
lard clique were apparently suspended The shipments
were large yesterdays but were fair and The
receipts oo we're heavy. There were Intervals OF M
teen, thirty, minutes between trades IN th'
grain pits. and there most complete paralysis IN
the provision pits. Lard and pork closed Just about a.
they dd last night Wheat showed little Decline wnils
earn WI IA q "A cent betfer