Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-05
COOLLY IGNORED.
Chicago's Big Packers Snub
the Senate Committee.
ARMOUR EXPLAINS HIS CONDUCT.

Not Give n Fair show-The senator
Makes Some Comments and Reads
TeIrgram-More Evidence of Combine
-Ex-Editor West Fighting for Control
of The Times-IIiinois Central Promo
tions--windy City Notes.
CHIcAoo, Sept. 5-Neither Mr. Armour
nor any member Of the alleged dressed beef
~combine" appeared before the senatorial
committee investigating the dressed beef
Industries yesterday. Mr.. Armour, In an
tinterview, said: "The reason we did not APP
pear before the senatorial committee was
that we knew we could not expect fair treat
meut from the hands of Mr.. Vest, who is
VIGOROUSLY on record as opposed to the
dressed beef interests. We are perfectly
willing to appear before an impartial COM
mittee and give them all information per-
tanning to our business that is not of strict
ly private nature"
The committee adjourned yesterday after
noon to meet tomorrow morning at Des
Moines, Ia
The Chairman Was wroth.
1t was easy to see that Chairman Vest was
in no good humor when the committee met
yesterday, and the big Four were not on
hand. Another thing that tended to in
crease the Missouri senator's aggravation
was the refusal of one of the witnesses ex-
amined in the morning-George T. Will
inns, secretary of the Stock Yards company
to answer question. He had been or
lered to produce list of the names of the
stockholders of the company, but when he
took the witness chair he coolly announced
thas he had consulted lawyer and decided
10 RI tba lief 10
wanted any longer
Vice President Sherman of the Union
Stock Yards company, was the next wit
ness, but developed such quantity of ig-
norance as to points the committee was after
that he soon got his release.
Had knowledge of a Combine
The most important witness examined was
Paul DAMN, young man who was formerly
bookkeeper and a subordinate manager for
Nelson Morris He testified that he saw an
agreement signed by Armour & Co, Nelson
Morris, and Others stating that on and after
certain date prices on dressed beef would
be so and so In different states. He had
general idea that the combination fixed prices
in about eight states
VIII Report to the Senate.
At the close of the session Chairman Vest
said the committee could issue attachments
for the big shippers, but could not force
them to testify if they were brought before
them, therefore he proposed to report the
matter 10 the senate and leave 1t in their
hands. The penalty for refu using to obey a
senate committees subpoena is a fine of from
500 TO 81, 900, or Imprisonment for from one
to twelve months
Telegram from Armour.
IL think II is also proper TO say" said SEN
ator Vest, that have the following tele-
gram received from n gentleman of respecta-
bility. IL was my intention to bring it to
the attention of MIR. Amour had he been
present l now desire it to be made part OF
record The telegram is dated Chicago
Dec Is, 1ssS, and is addressed to H. p
Lacey, Freeland, Pa. 1t reads:
Cannot allow Schwabe to cont niue killing
live stock. IL he will not stop, make other ar
rsngements and make prices TO get his trade.
ARMOUR & Co.
With reference to this telegram Mr. Ar
mour said yesterday: "The telegram that
Mr.. Vest read this afternoon for the purpose
OF getting IL on the record was directs to
our agent, whom we had perfect right to
tell that he should not kill cattle il he sold
our dressed beef, and is entirely stripped of
its force when II is understood that the man
was our own representative"
Senator Vests Comments.
Senator Vest, upon returning TO the hotel
last evening, got back at the Chicagoans by
making the following statement to The Her
aid reporter in his own hand WRITING:
Mr.. Armour's pretepse that he was I'M
willing to appear before our committee be-
cause of my hostility to the dressed beef in
dustry is very thin. am only one member
of the committee, which is composed of five
senator's, one from each of the great cattle
producing states of Illinois, Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas 1t is as fair and Just a COM
mittee as can be selected from the senate,
and one of the committee, Senator Farwell,
is Mr.. 'sSownsman.
understand Mr.. Armour says that the
telegram sent by his firm to Fl. p Lacey at
Freeland, Pa, and which l read before the
committee, was sent to his agent and that he
had perfect right to tell him that he should
not kill cattle If he sold our dressed beef
Mr. Vest here read the dispatch AMI con-
tinued: $50 it seems Mr.. Armour wanted to
get the trade of his representative, for, il his
explanation means anything, it is that
Scwabe was his agent and not Lacey This
is simply nonsense"
Got the Cold Shake.
To sum things up, the committee has been
treated with decided GOODNESS by the big
packsrs of this ely. Why they did not use
thsH power TO compel attendance Ia not
known, as they were reticent on that noin,
The feeling OF the men Interested >vas that
Chairman Vest was "forninst" Chicago and
looking cut for points in the interest of ST
Louis, and this feeling was manifest in the