New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-05
THE SENATORS IGNORED.
DRESSED BEEF MEN DECLINE TO APPEAR
BEFORE THEM
THE DELINQUENT PACKERS TO BE REPORTED
TO THE SENATE FOR FEDERAL AcTIoN-MR.
ARMOUR EXPLAINS HIS coNTUMAcY


ARMOUR EXPLAINS HIS coNTUMACY.
Chicago. Sept 4.-The Senatorial investigation into
the dressed beef and nsportaton industries arrived
at position this morning when It became necessary
to resort to vigorous measures or acknowledge the
whole affair to be stupendous farce. g. F. swift
the millionaire dressedbeef dealer, had been sub
Ioenaed for the third time and it reported that
he had agreed appear before the Commission this
morning. lie did not come. Neither did Mr. Armour
Secretary George T. Williams. of the Union STOCK
Yards and Transit Company, was examined. He was
ordered the other day 10 again appear before the
Commission with certain statistics Of shipments and
a list Of stockholders in his company.
You have that lstl" asked senator FarwelL
Mr. Williams murmured No"
"why not?' demanded Senator Vest with flashing
eyes.
Il thought best to counsel about the matter,
and l have been advised not to furnish the list
President John b. Sherman, of the Stock Yards
Company, the next witness.
Who are the principal purchasers of CATTLE he
asked.
The packers and the shlppers-men like Eastman
and Munroe who buy for Eastern parties and dressed
beef dealers like Armour, Morris Swift and the Lbbeys
DO you know who the stockholders are2"
"No, that is the secretary's business
What do you charge shippers for hay -
We charge 81 for prairie hay and III so for tame
hay We also get % cents for yardage"
Can a shipper buy hay outside"
mo, that is the only way We have to gain a
revenue,
senator Coke asked the witness If there any
relations between the stockyars at Omaha and Kansas
City and those at Chicago. Mr.. sherman said there
none whatever. The Commission took a recess
until 2 o'clock. AT the afternoon meeting Chairman
Vest made public the following telegram which had
been turned over to him:
Freeland Penn Dec. 18, 1888.
Can't allow Scbwab 10 continue killing live stock.
II he VIII not stop make other arrangements and make
ARMOUR & co.
The following unanimously passed. after which
the committee adjourned
Whereas, Philip Armour, Nelson Morris, Louis F.
Swift Frank L. VOgel, j. s. Newman and Jacob Meyer,
having been duly and lawfully summoned to appear
as witnesses before this committee have repeatedly
refused to obey the same, IL ordered that the facts
be reported to the chairman Of the Senate of the
Chapter Of the Revised Statutes Of the United States.
1t IS expected to have the matter placed in the
hands of the United States Attorney for the District
Of Columbia, who will cause these witnesses to be
brought before the Federal Grand Jury.
Mr.. Armour has made a statement I'm which he says :
The reason we did not appear before tho
Senatorial Committee was that we knew we
as opposed to the dressed. beef business.
committee and give any information pertaining to
business which is not of strictly private nature.
price of cattle Increase the price of dressed beef
the other hand, 1t is well known fact that cattle
81 per hundred higher than they would be If it
not for the dressedbeef industry. We have never
had any associations with Swift, Hammond or Morris,
directly indirectly, in the purchase of cattle. The
telegram that Mr.. Vest read this afternoon for the sake
of getting IL the record was directed TO own
agent. whom had perfect right to tell that he
should not kill cattle If he sold our dressed beef"