Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-05-14
Complaint is Filed by Attorney Gen.
eral Knox Charging the Beef Ba.
rons With Violations of Law.
MANIPULATE PRICES OF CATTLE
An Injunction Against Members Of
the Trust is Asked for-con.
spiracy to Control Prices.

Chicago. May l0.-The second step
in the investigation of the so-called
beef trust was taken today by the
filing with the clerk of the United
States circuit of the bill for an in
junction, prepared by Attorney Gen
eral Knox, United States Attorney
Bethea and Special Counsel VIM. A.
Day.
The document was handed TO the
clerk by Mr.. Bethea. and the clerk
stamped IL and received IL on the rec
ords. The application for an injunc.
tion is based on the allegations In the
bill which will be made In the United
States circuit court, probably within
ten days.
The bill of complaint is against
Swift q Co.. the Cudahy Packing Co.,
the Hammond Packing Co.. Armour
& Co., Armour Packing Co.. the G. II.
Hammond Co, Schwarzchid & Sulz-
berger, Nelso, Morris & Co., and the
individuals composing these corpora.
tions and firms.
1t declares that they have been and
are now engaged in the business Of
buying live stock at stock yards
throughout the United States, and
slaughtering such live stock at plants
maintained for that purpose; that
they are also engaged in the business
of selling fresh meats to dealers and
consumers and shipping these meats
over the lines of the railroad com.
panies serving as common carriers.
The defendants, It is alleged, con.
troll about 60 per cent OF the total
volume OF trade, having. during 1901
purchased. slaughtered, sold and ship.
ped 100000 cattle, 100000 sheep
and 100000 hogs. In violation OF
the provisions of AN act TO protect
trade and commerce against unlawful
restraints and monopolies.' and in Or
der to restrain competition among
themselves. they have directed and
required their agents at various stock
yards to refrain from bidding aginst
each other. except perfunctorlly and
without good faith. when making pur-
chases of live stock. and by this
means inducing and compelling own.
ers to part with il at less prices than
they would receive il the bidding
were really competitive.
In further violation of the act they
have engaged in, and continue. un.
lawful combination and conspiracy
among themselves for bidding up.
through theeir agents. the prices OF
live stock for few days at time so
that the market reports will show
prices much higher than the state Of
the trade will warrant. thereby induc-
ing owners to simultaneously make
shipments. and by reason Of the re.
sulting large offerings the defendants
obtain live stock at prices much less
than II would bring In the regular
way of trade.
II is also alleged that they have en-.
gagged In and intended to continue an
unlawful combination and conspiracy
to arbitrarily. from time TO time,
raise, lower, and fix prices and to
maintain uniform prices at which
they will sell. directly or through their
agents. fresh meats TO dealers and
consumers. holding secret, periodical
meetings and agreeing upon prices
to be adopted and enforced, until at
a subsequent meeting the same may
be changed: restricting and curtail.
ing the quantities of goods shipped
whenever necessary: maintaining the
prices fixed by imposing against
each other penalties; establishing
rules for the governing OF credits to
dealers, and the conduct OF their bus
mess with penalties for violations
keeping a black list" OF delinquents
and refusing to sell to them.
The bill charges further that in
further violation OF the act OF con
gress, the defendants have made and
imposed arbitrarily uniform charges
for carriage and delivery when no such
charges have been customary In the
trade. or would be made. but for the
combination and the conspiracy
thereby increasing the charges for
meats to dealers and consumers; that
they have made arrangements and
agreements with officers and agents
of common carriers to receive by
means of rebates and other devices
unlawful rates for transportation and
have thus monopolized. and unless re
strained will continue to monopollze
the commerce In live stock and fresh
meats. An injunction is, therefore
prayed for. cnjoining defendants and
their agents and attorneys from con
tinuing any of these unlawful proceed
II