Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-25
70 ENJO|N BEEF TRUST
Attorney General Knox Instructs
District Attorneys to Begin
Actions q Once.
Evidence Sufficient to Warrant
Suits Secured by Recent
Investigation,
Big Packers May Be Brought
Face to Face With Peni.
Tertiary.

Il |
statement regarding the so-called bes
| trust:
"On April 4 this department directe
| w. A. Day, Esq, of Washington, i
his capacity as special assistant to TIL
attorney general to examine into, a
far as practicable, the public charge
to the effect that combination of tn
= large meat dealers of the United State
had been effected contrary to the pro
This preliminary examination resulte
In instructions to Mr.. Day and MI
Bethea, United States attorney at Chi
cago. April Z, to prosecute sinultan
/! eously in Chicago and the east NOR
particular examination into the allega
tons, and proofs alleged to exist il
support thereof. From their report
II am satisfied that sufficient evidenc
is in hand upon which bills in equit,
for an injunction can be framed to re
strain the combination from furtl1e
proceeding under their agreements
which clearly appear to be In restrain
of interstate trade. Ihave, therefore
in compliance with the law which pro.
widest
1t shall be the duty of the severa
district attorneys Of the United State.
In their respective districts under thu
s direction of the attorney general to in.
4 stitute proceedings in equity to pre-
vent and restrain violations of this
act; directed the district attorney a,
Chicago to prepare bill for an injunc.
/ ton against the corporations and per-
sons who are parties to the combina
| ton mentined to be filed in the United
States circuit court for the northern
district of Illinois"
| This action is result OF an investi-
CATION made by direction of the at
! torney general and the doors of the
penitentiary may open to receive some
of the beef packers. They may be sub
| jected to a fine of not exceeding $4,000
and imprisonment not exceeding one
year upon conviction of the charges
which will be brought against them.
Any beef, mutton. lamb, or other pro-
ducts in which the packers deal may be
confiscated by the United States gov
eminent IL they are seized while these
articles are in transit from one state
to another. Butchers and other per-
sons who have been driven out of bus
mess by the operations OF the beef
trust will now be enabled to bring suit
in the United States circuit courts to
cover damages amounting to three
times the losses sustained by them.
President Roosevelt. thru Attorney
General Knox, yesterday directed that
the beef trust be prosecuted for unlaw-
This action was taken after an investi-
cation conducted by William A. Day, a
special assistant to the attorney gem
eral, who in the period of three days
found sufficient evidence to justify
further investigation.
This subsequent investigation was
conducted at Chicago by Sol Bethea,
the United States district attorney. in
connection with Mr.. Day, who remain
ed in Washington, and upon a more
thorough probing evidence was found
which, in the opinion of the attorney
general, justifies the prosecution Of the
packers, who, according to the provi-
sions of the Sherman anti-trust law.
are made subject to fine and imprison
ment as Well as the confscation of any
of their products which may be found
by the United States government In
transit from one state to another.
The packers also will be subject to
suits for damages by the butchers and
other persons who may have been in
jured in their business and property by
the operations of the beef trust Those
who have been injured in this manner
are given the right by the antitrust
law to enter suit against those who are
parties to the combination, and they
may recover in the United States cir
cult court damages amounting to three
times the losses sustained. Bills in
equity for an injunction will be framed
and presented to the courts to restrain
the combination from further proceed
lngs under the agreement, which ap-
pears to the attorney general to be in |
restraint of interstate commerce.
Proceedings will be instituted at |
once against Swift & Co., Nelson Nor |
ris & Co, Armour & Co, the Cudahy
Packing Company, the G. H. Hammond
Company and the Schwarzschild &
Company.
Judge Day, who conducted the pre-
urinary investigation, submitted to
he attorney general the evidence OBJ
aimed by himself and District Attorney
3ethea. This evidence was of such
character that it convinced Mr.. Knox
hat 1t was sufficient to convict the
packers Of entering into combination
n restraint of trade for the purpose OF
Increasing unlawfully the price of beef
md other meats.
With this evidence in his possession
he attorney general went to the white
louse and had a conference with Pres
dent Roosevelt of more than an hours
Iuration.
After going over the evidence pre-
ented and listening to a presentation
{ the case made by the attorney gem
raj, the president agreed with his le-
al adviser that the law had been
iolated grossly, that the people had
zen made to suffer as result of this
and that the only thing
Or the government to do was to insti-
ute a vigorous prosecution which
you'd not orly result in reducing the
rice of meat but would destroy the
and take from the pack
RS some of the money which they
ave wrtng from the people.
CONSIDERING SHIP SUBSIDY. s
IL n