The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-05-13
The BEEF TRUST.
The Government Attorneys
Will Present Their
Case Today.
An Injunction Against the Trust
Will Be Asked Of the Court.
Railroads Said TO Be Working in
Interest Of Trust.


Chicago, May Immediate request
for a temporary restraining bill. and
the possibility that the government
may ask that goods under shipment be
confiscated is the program to be fol
lowed by the federal authorities in their
assault upon the beef packers. A
semi-officisl state ment was made at the
office of the United States district at
torhey today that the bill would likely
be filed early Friday.
The confiscation clause, which, it is
hinted, has been incorporated in the
bill, grows out of the mysterious rela-
tions existing between the packers and
the railways, and the intimation that
the Attorney General proposes to force
the issue on the confscatiOn clause Of
the Sherman antitrust act has caused
alarm among the packers.
United States Attorney Bethea re-
turned from Washington today, having
| left there yesterday after several con-
sultations with Attorney General Knox.
Ae declined to say what changes had
been incorporated in the bill as orig
inally prepared in Chicago, and diplo-
matically avoided answering queries as
to the possibilities of criminal prosecu-
tions growing out of the filing of the
Injunction against the alleged beef
trust. Aside from admitting that the
bill was being printed in Washington
to-day, Mr.. Bethea was non-communica-
Tive.
1t was learned that the charges are
based on evidence secured from all
parts of the American continent. The
admission that the government would
demand an immediate injunction to
stop the alleged restraint of trade by
1.-The so-called meat combine" Is con-
sidered to mean that the packers are
going to be given the fight of their
Hives.
While the packers are waiting for
the government to act, they are NOT
holding conferences, legal consulta.
tions or anything else. Their attorneys
say the case is one in which no man car
prepare defense until the federal bill
, / is filed, and it is known what it con
tains.
Criticism of the action of the West
;" ern railways in raising rates at this
time is heard on all sides, and decided
protest is likely to go up from the pub
lie when it is known that the packer:
l,.,t thot he
roads, through their managers, have
simply taken advantage of the hue and
lcry against the meat men to make al
increase which is sure 70 come out o
the consumers.
Jefferson City, Mo, May THE ex
listence in St. Louis of uniform an,
Ii xed meat prices and the secret rebat,
in addition to the G.. o. ID. list wa
shown by testimony taken at this morn
Iing's session of the beef trust inquiry
Maurice Prendiville, q St. Loui
union market meat dealer, was tn
first witness examined today. Prendi
lville testified that Armour, Swift, Mel
son Norris, and Cudahy had a fixe'
\ agreement regarding prices.
"The packers buy cattle on successive
days" said he, $50 that each can bu
at his own price. There is very littl
independent buying in the East 81
q Louis stock yards. The big packer
keep others out by telling the cattle
men that If they sell any cattle to tn
r. independent buyers, they must sell a.
I'd to them"
n "Did you ever get a rebate?" wa
asked of Prendiville.
"Four or five months ago | got re
bates on pork from Nelson Morris. A
one time the cooler managers told N
that they had an agreement not I
sell at less than Sc per hundred. The
- would evade the agreement by sellin
=, some cents lower?"
80 as there an arbitrator in st. Louis?
.r asked Attorney General Crow.
81, 1.-The cooler managers meet ever
;, Wednesday afternoon and form G
:. d. list, and on Saturday they hold al
other meeting. 1 do not know WI
e fixes prices for them, but they al
:. fixed the last OF each week for the wee
following.
when a man does not sell his catt
in East st. Louis" continued the wi
ness, ''and ships them elsewhere, Il
packers send dispatch ahead Of hiI
70 instructing the buyers to offer only
ne much. Meat this year is much inferi
nd TO that sold last year. The number
III cattle sold and killed in East st. Lou
~ this season has been unusually larg
rt- Most OF the meat has been placed
nd storage"
est William Tamme. of St. Louis, formt
-. ly city salesman for Swift, testified u
uniform price at which statesmen of
,et companies were instructed to sell.
torney Ernst C. Dodge has charge