The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-12
FIRST BLOW STRUCK IN
FIGHT ON THE BEEF TRUST
Cut Filed Against the Packers Reviews the Char
aCter of Their 0fenSeS.
D.ton in Full Printed BeIosAeges They Are Engaged in
Conspiracy


/ competition among themselves, (Which
would otherwise EXIST. as to the pur-
chase of livestock necessary TO the pro-
duction Of the meats produced by them,
I have engaged IN and intend to con-
tinue an unlawful combination and
conspiracy between themselves for Gi-
( recting and requiring their respective
purchasing agents at the said several
stock yards and open and competitive
markets where they CustOmarily pur-
chase such livestock. to wit, Kansas
/ City and st. Joseph, Mo-; Omaha, Neb.;
Sioux City, Ia: St. Paul, Mimi. East
/ ST. Louis and Chicago, Ills. aforesaid,
I (the same being livestock produced and
owned principally in other states and
/ territories Of the United States, and
shipped by the owners thereof to such
stock yards and open markets for
competitive sale TO persons and cor
pOratiOHs engaged in producing and
/ q aling in fresh meats in the manner
/ afOrcsaid). to refrain from bidding
against each other. except perfunct0ri-
/ ly aud without good faith when max
. inE purchases Of such livestock on be
q half OF the said defendants, respective
+ ly. and by this means inducing and
compelling such owners Of such live
stock to part with the same at such
D p
! less than they would there receive If
such bidding were really competitive
/ as between the said purchasing agents
Of the said defendants; and the said
defendants have caused and are cauS-
ing their agents, respectively, to re-
/ frain from bidding accordingly, and
/ have induced and are inducing each
other and Will unless restrained by
| this honorable court, continue, in pur-
suance Of such conspiracy TO induce
each other 10 refrain from bidding as
/ aforesaid, which aforesaid combination
I and conspiracy is one in restraint of
| trade and commerce among the several
/ states and territories Of the said United
/ States and the District OF Columbia and
with foreign countries.
Restraint Of Competition.
Seventh-That the said defendants, in
I further violation Of the provisions of
/ the said act Of congress. approved July
r. 1880. and in order to further restrain
/ competition among themselves, which
would otherwise exist. as TO the puT-
/ chase Of livestock necessary TO the pro-
ducti0n of the meats produced by them
and 10 obtain for themselves and each
other undue advantage over the own
ers and shippers thereof in the buying
yards and open markets, have engaged
I'm and intend to continue an unlawful
combination and conspiracy among
/ themselves for bidding UP. through
their respective purchasing agents the
prices of livestock. for few days at a
time a the said stock yards and open
markets so that the market reports will
show prices much higher than the state
Of the trade win warrant and thereby
inducing owners Of such livestock in
divers other Of the said states and ter
ritories to simultaneously make large
shipments OF such livestock from such
other states and territories to such
. stock yards and open markets, instead
of shipping the same TO more natural
and advantageous markets and at more
natural and advantageous times in the
due and proper course Of such trade
and business, and by this means and by
reason Of the resulting large offerings
there Of such livestock. (and by there
upon refraining from bidding against
each other), obtaining such livestock at
prices much less than il would bring in
the regular way of trade If such COM
hination and conspiracy were not so en-
gagged in and continued. and have been
and are now from time to time through
their said agents so fraudulently bid
ding Up the prices Of such stock. and
will unless restrained by this honor
able court. continue TO do so: which
said combination and conspiracy last
aforesaid is also one IN restraint of
trade and commerce among the several
states and territories Of the said United
States and the District of Columbia.
and with foreign countries.
In Unlawful Combination.
Eighth-That the said defendants. in
viola ton of the provisions Of the said
act Of congress Of the sab United
States approved July ?. 1890. entitled
An act to protect trade and commerce
against unlawful restraints and mono
poles" and in order to restrain and
destroy competition among themselves
as TO such trade and commerce and
moRopOlize such trade and commerce,
have engaged IN and intend 10 continue
an unlawful combination and con-
spiracy 20 arbitrarily from time %
time. raise. lower and fix prices and
to maintain uniform prices at which
they win sell directly or through their
respective agents such fresh meats To
dealers and consumers throughout the
said states and territories and the Dis
triCt OF Columbia and foreign countries
and that the arbitrary raising. lower
ing. fixing and maintaining Of such
prices IN pursuance Of the said com
bination and conspiracy. is being. and
is TO be. effected through the action OF
divers Of their agents and attorneys tc
your petitioner unknown. in secretly
holding periodical meetings at some
place or places % your petitioner un-
known. and there agreeing upon the
prices TO be adopted by the said de-
PENDANTS, respectively, in such trade
and commerce to be enforced by them
until al q subsequent meeting the sam.
may be changed. when such prices art
notified by letter and kilograms IL
plain language and divers codes anC
ciphers and they have been. and ar,
maintained. by said defendants by ad
herring 10 the same in their sales mad,
directly. and. among other ways. By
Coilusively restricting and curtailinl
. the quantities OF such meats shipped
By them in such trade and commerce,
: Z to the markets aforesaid. wheneve
necessity or conducive TO the main
tanning Of the prices so fixed: bv i'm
posing against each other divers pen
, alties for any and all deviatiCnS bv IN
said defendants or any Of them from
the prices so fixed. by esta blishIur
: uniform rule for the giving Of credit
10 dealers throughout the said state
and territories and District Of Colum
] hia and foreign countries and for tn
conduct Of the business Of such dealers
with penalties as between the said de
. PENDANTS for violations thereof. by no
, 1 tifviug each other of the delinduen
cies OF said dealers and keeping wha
/ is commonly known as a black list
! of such delinQuents and refusing {
sell such meats 90 any OF such delin
b qucnts which said combination an
conspiracy above set forth is one I'm re
I straiut and monopoly Of commerce
p among the several states and terri
. tories of the said United States and N
Z District OF Columbia and Eith fOreiE