Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-12
THE DRESSED BEEF INQUIRY.
Chicago Packers Refuse to Appear Before
the Senate COmmittee-The Matter VIII

the Senate Committee-The Matter VIII
BE Reported to the Senste-Interviews.
CHICAGO, Sept 5-At the afternoon
meeting of the Senatorial meat investi-
cation yesterday Chairman Vest, in dis
cussing the absence OF Mr.. Armour and
other gentlemen, said he was sorry that a
number of persons including the heads
OF several of the prominent dressed beef
firms, had refused to attend the sessions
of the committee, and had paid no atten-
ton to its subpRnaes. Mr.. Vest said
there was no doubt about the power of the
Commission to compel the attendance Of
persons summoned before it as witnesses,
and read the statutory clause providing
penalties for witnesses failing to appear
before committees of either house of Com
gress. The law provides for both fine and
Imprisonment in such cases as these
Il have here a telegram" continued
Senator Vest, ''about which had desired
to personally ask Mr.. Armour had he APP
psared here. 1 intended, in justice, to do
so before making it public But mas
much as he has refused to appear here, 1
will now make him publicly aware of its
contents 1t was sent to me by gentle-
man about whose responsibility there can
be no question:
"FREELASD, Pa. Dec. Is, 1888.
Cant allow Schwab to continue killing live
stock. II he will not stop make other arrange
ments and make the price so We can get his
trade. lSignedl ARMOUR s Co"
TIE following was unanimously passed,
after which the committee adjourned:
WHEREAS, Philip Armour, Nelson Morris. g.
E. Swift, Frank Vogel, J. 5. Newman and
Jacob Meyer, having been duly and lawfully
summoned TO appear as witnesses before this
committee, having repeatedly refused 10 do the
same, it is ordered that the facts be reported to
the chairman Of the Senate OF the United
States, at Its next session. in pursuance Of
chapter of the Revised Statutes of the United
States.
After this action had been taken, a re-
porter for the Associated Press called up
on Mr.. Armour and asked for an inter-
view. Mr.. Armour thereupon made the
following statement:
'The reason we did not appear before
the Senatorial committee was that we
could not expect fair treatment from the
hands of Mr.. Vest, who is VIGOROUSLY on
record as opposed to the dressed beef
business He is the champion and advo-
cate of the St Louis deserted cattle mar
kets and opposed to Chicago interests. He
has been friendly to all hostile beef in
spection bills that have been introduced
in the various State Legislatures against
Chicago dressed beef which, if
passed, would have destroyed this
business We are perfectly willing
to appear before an impartial committee
and give any information pertaining to
our business which is not of a strictly pri-
vate nature. Wa have never exeTted any
influence TO depress the price OF cattle, or
increase the price of dressed beef; on the
other hand it is a well known fact that
cattle are Il per head higher than they
would be if it was not for the dressed beef
industry, and we can get great deal
more out of the bullock than the
butcher or the man who kills in small
quantities. We have never had any as
ISOLATION with Swift, Hammond and Nor
ris, directly or Indirectly, in the purchase
of cattle. The telegram which Mr.. Vest
read this afternoon was directed to our
own agent whom we had perfect right
to tell he could not kill while acting in
our employ, and it is entirely stripped of
its force when it is understood that the
man was our own representative"
A copy of the statements made by Mr..
Armour was shown to Senator Vest last
evening After reading it carefully, he
said: "Mr. Armour must know that, as
chairman, have no more power than any
other member. Again, if l have any SYM
pathy at all with the cattle trade it would
not be with st. Louis. do not live there.
| have been a resident of Kansas City
for seven years, have property there
and l believe that it is generally con-
sidered that the cattle interest of Kan
sas City is in sympathy with those Of
Chicago. Mr.. Armour's statement in re-
gard to the telegram l read yesterday
afternoon, is deceptive. Schwab was not
his agent understand, at all. but is a
German butcher. The telegram was not
addressed to his agent, so 1 am informed. "