The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-17

hallway Lines Allege Serious Loses
Kansas City, Mo-, Oct. 16.-Chairman
George Carmon OF the Western Railway
Association and Inspection Bureau, is
authority for the publication of the fol-
lowing document. which is the COM
plant flied with the Interstate Com
merce commission by the Western Rail-
way Weighing Association and lnspec-
ton Bureau of Chicago, against The
Reid Brothers Packing company, limited
Of Kansas City, Kan. The chages are
as follows:
This complaint was fled with the IN
terstate Commerce commission on or
about September Z, and was referred
to the United States district attorney
for prosecution in the eastern district Of
Kansas by the department Of justice.
and the case was brought before the
grand jury at the term of the United
States federal court sitting at Wichita,
September y, and indictments have been
fled against the members OF the firm,
and others who Were directly interested
in profit by undertaking that was prac-
ticed by that firm.
tanned, through authoritative sources,
1T is found that The Reid Bros. Packing
company. limited entered into an agree
ment with George L. Carman, superin-
tendeut OF the Western Railway Asso-
citation and Inspection Bureau, with
headquarters in Chicago, on or about
the first Of July, 1893, and that the agree
nlent is OF the same character az that
IN effect with large number of indus
tries packing houses throughout the
territory in which the Western Railway
Association and Inspection Bureau OPP
crates. BY the terms of this agreement
the railroads through the machinery Of
said association, would accept from the
shippers the weights and classification
of the articles as specified on their
bills of lading o. shipping tickets. and
would bill cut this property and carry it
to the end of the Zines Of said associa-
ton without weighing the property or
opening the cars for inspection, and in
return for this service. which was in
augurated TO prevent delay to the cars,
and perhaps claims by reason of incor-
rect weighing. which occurs at times.
the packing house firms, and other in
dustries. permitted the inspection OF
their invoice books py a representative
Of said weighing association.
TT seems that the weighing assecia-
ton has large number OF travelling au-
ditors who are especially assigned to the
checking of the records of the different
industries who are in the agreement,
which checking is lone to see if the
weights and classifcations specified on
the bills OF lading are correct in every
particular.
1T seems that the Reid Bros. Packing
company opened out and commenced
slauglltering poultry, and shipped
large amount Of dressed poultry TO the
east, as also fresh pork l0ins. antelope,
and game, which they specified on their
bills Of Iading in a large number of in
stances as 'fsa1t meat" and as salt
meats take a rate of from 40 cents to |
90 cents per hundred pounds from Kan
sas City to New York. and poultry takes
rateo from 81. 20 TO $3.50 per hundred,
II Will be noticed that there is a large |
discrepancy as between 80 cents and 81 30
and we learn that in a great many in
stances there We're 10, 900 to u, 900 pounds
of poultry billed out as salt meat" on
TIE basis of the 80 cent rating to New
York from Kansas City, when the rating |
should have been on the average about |
s125 per hundred pounds. causing a net |
loss TO the railroad of from $50 to $50 per |
car. as between Kansas City and New |
York. and in order TO deceive the trans |
po"tation companies, as wei as the |
agents Of the Western Railway Arssocia- |
ton and Inspection Bureau, fictitious |
records were kept by the Reid Brothers |
Packing company, limited. wherein they |
would specify a shipment of dressed |
poultry 10 be dried chucks." AS chuck |
meat is very largely shipped by the pack /
orc = fal fnr N tod nv hxal
travelling auditors that this meant "dri- |
ed chuck meat" while in fact another |
invoice was made and copies in another |
book. which gave a clear description Of |
the property as f'iressed Chickens
turkeys" frogs legs" antelope" |
etc.
superintendent Carlpan has been
ma king an investigation in regard 10
these shipments for a period Of about |
two years in order to locate the irreeu-
farity. which not only he but his repre-
sentatives felt was being practiced, as
1t was noticed that there Was a large F!
amount of poultry being slaughtered
land dressed, while but few cars of poul- |
try were billed out as poultry" by said
packing company.
'aIIhe machinery Of the association has
been in active opera lion in looking up 1
and by reason of Investigations that
have bene made by the weighing asso-
ofauson. II has obtained and has i'm its
possession a large number OF invoices
end other data showing that the poultry
was loaded in the cars While it was spe-
cited on their shipping tickets and on
their books as meat which practice
IL contrary 20 the spirit and intent OF
section 10 of the interstate commerce
law. as approved in April. 1883. which /
provides for a punishment of a fine and
imprisonment for each case of under
billing and under classification OF the
property.
Complaint was fled by the Western
Weighing Association and Inspection
Bureau. and Superintendent Carman
says that he will not be fcund wanting
in furnishing the proper evidence at the
time Of the trial, which he hopes viii be
SO conclusive in its showing that il will
not fail ito convice the guilty parties.
indictments having been iiled against |
them. William J Reid and Robert
Reid. who are Of the firm OF the Reid
Brothers Packing company. limited: r.
5. Sinclair, who was Interested as man.
a.ger and part owner Of the Reid Broth
ers Packing company. limited. and was
also a large owner and Was interested
n the plant of the Kingan Packing COM
pany Of indianapolis: also Thomas
Spencer. who was confidentiaL clerk and
supposed 20 be directly Interested and
Vas fully aware Of the Illegal practice
hat were being carried on by this conf
gany.
The poultry and game was. in near
y every case. marked and ,nvO6ced d.
rect to different commission men in
tTr< f,rs= -
Ear would be- billed direct with all 81
IL Contents 10 Inhli Sinc.iai.. 4. On ani |