The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-18
Former Agent Declares Packers
Had an Agreement.
THEY DOCTORED THEIR MEAT
Employees Of All the Companies Demant
Explanation Within 48 Hours for
g Violation Of Rule.


Trust inquiry being conducted BY Attor-
ney General Crow. In. the session adjourn
ed from Jefferson City to st. Louis Nom
day. brought evidence tending to show
that men are hired under an agreement
by the companies 10 see that meat Is sold
at uniform prices.
II also brought out the fact that the
Beef Trust held 81. Louis by the throat,
and foisted upon the city inferior and
diseased beef. Incidentally a meat inspec-
tor OF thirty years experisnce told of the
remarkable ingredients used by the pack
ers In making sausage.
This testimony was given by James
Spaulding, who said he came TO St. Louis
In lssI and opened zap a house for the Ar
mour Packing company at 2i00 Clark ave-
nue.. He was In this position FIVE years.
when he went TO Des Moinee. Iowa, for
the company. After being there some time
he came back TO st Louis and for several
years. until last Christmas. he was en-
ployed by the ST. Louis Dressed Baef and
Provision company to manage distrib-
uting house at 5000 South Broadway.
About a year ago" said Mr. 6pauld-
ing, II had some pork on hand that was
not OF first quality. and, not wanting TO
sell II to my regular trade. i disposed OF
IL one day TO a peddler for half cent q
pound less than the regular market price
Within twenty-four hours man en-
pioyed In q general way by all the COM
panies walked into my Office and asked
me what had been doing.
IT told him I had been doing nothing
when he replied Instantly that i had
been selling pork under the price. ex-
plained why I had done 30. and after
looking around for q while he went out
did not hear of It afterward."
TO MAINTAIN PRICES.
did you know. when you were In the
employ of the packing companies, that
they had a formal and specific agreement
TO maintain uniform standard OF
prices 70
"I knew Of It. but never had any doc
or other evidence In my pos
session by which such an agreement
could be proved In court"
WAS there anything else in which you
knew the packers TO be interested mu-
tualy9'
"They had what they called the C. o.
D. ust.' which was made every Wednes-
day night at meeting OF representa-
tives from each OF the companies
What eompenies9''
"Armours, Swift e. Co.. Cudahy Mel
son Morris and the st. Louis Dressed
Beef and Provision company. The c. o.
d. list was made up of names OF small
dealers who bought from the packers.
When a man had not paid on Wednesday
night all bills contracted UP 10 the pre-
vious Saturday night. he was put on the
c. 0. d. list, copy OF which was fur
nished TO all concerns for office refer
ence. Thereafter he had 10 pay cash for
goods which he might buy at any OF the
places"
The forenoon and a great part OF the
afternoon we're taken up in hearing the
OF and the CROSS examination
of 7. l.. o'suilivan. city meat inspector.
who has been in the meat business In st.
Louis for the last thirty years.
DOCTOR THEIR MEAT.
Mr. osulivnn stated that Armour &
Co, Swift q Co. Cudahy and Nelson Nor
IFS sent much inferior meat TO this mar
xet. the best goods going east, They doc
.or II up said Mr.. O'suIlivan. with
chemicals called frostine. a liquid made
II logwood, borax and alum, and applied |
With a brush.
I'm the cheaper grades OF wiener |
vurst." says Mr.. O'Sullivan, instead OF |
lsing meat from yearlings, the heads OF |
logs are chopped up and used. II Is good |
neat. but cheap. They also mix potato
lour with IT, This is like a starch. IT Is
Intended to absorb the water that Is used /
n the meat.
THE use OF chemicals is quite common |
o do away with the necessity OF smok-
ng the meat They use logwood freezene
nd other compounds that they mix with 4
he stun before IL is put IN castings.
1T makes the sausage look rs II IL were
moked, and IL can be had in many COL
rs. They sometimes put the sausage I'm
moke house for little while 10 dry IT,
'hese chemicals are not healthy IN sau-
age. They also use borax and dip OF
lfferent kinds.
Chemicals are also used I'm preparing
he casing for the sausage. II fs soaked In
yater and scraped. put In salt. and then
hemicals OF different kinds are used"