New-York tribune., 1902-06-05
MEAT FIRMS ENJOINED.
JUDGE CHESTER RESTRICTS COMPANIES
FROM COMBINING TO RAISE PRICES.

FROM COMBINING TO RAISE PRICES.
Albany June (SpeciaD.-Attorney General
Davies. it was learned to-day, obtained from
Judge Chester, of the Supreme Court. yesterday
an injunction order addressed to the managers
of the Chicago meat packers doing business in
this State restraining them from fixing in COM
biuation the prices to be charged for meat
This injunction order the Attorney Generals
subordinates served upon some representatives
of the firms here to-day at a hearing, whicn
10 have been given by ex-Judge Judson 5
Landon, of the Supreme Court as referee. upon
the Attorney Generals recent complaint against
the same firms.
The injunction is addressed to the representa-
tives of Armour & Co.. Swift & Co., the G. Ham
mond Company, of the Schwarzschild Sulz-
berger Company and of Nelson Morris & Co
The Attorney General had submitted to Judge
Chester an affidavit signed by Daniel w. Mere
dlth. of Jersey City, who was six years in the
employment of Armour & Co, at Philadelphia
and for three years or more prior to March r.
1902 in the employment of Swift & Co.
MR.. MEREDITHS STATEMENT.
Mr. Meredith in his affidavit. says he was
the manager of the Wayne-st. market of Swift
& Co., in Jersey City: that there were six man
ayers Of the meat dealing firms in NeW-fork'
that the managers met once week IN New
York ito consider TIL. prices they were TO I'M
pose for the ensuing week for the meat products
of said packing houses. and for the purpose OF
considering the quantity of meat each concern
then had on hand and in transit. ana tney at
such meetings when the necessities of the trade
would require il, would agree to curtai snip
ments of meat by said packing houses from
Chicago and other points in the West to said
territory in and about greater New-fork
Second Mr.. Meredith said that at these
meetings the managers would agree 10 liiill
the quantity of meat in sight at New-fork ana
adjacent points, endeavoring thereby 10 produce
the effect on the minds of retail dealers OF the
scarcity of meat, in order more easily 10 exact
from such retail dealers higher prices Whlch
they imposed for their products. and sucn snip
ments were, as the result of such conferences
and agreements. curtailed accordingly Al
those meetings on all questions OF difference De-
tween the general managers vote was taken'
and the ma iority vote ruled. and the decision SO
reached was supported by their head houses.
ALLEGED PLAN OF BLACKLISTING-
Mr. Meredith added:
That some time about the year 1899 the said
nackIne houses entered into an agreement, and
srbseouentIy enforced the same, in Whicn they
stipulated and bound themselves 10 un,ioIiS loiI
practice in regard to terms on when they "ouId
sell their products to the retail deaiers' Whlcn
agreement provided for blacklisting any OF salo
dealers who did not conform to t'e 'ei+''' N
said agreement
JUDGE CHESTERS DECISION
Judge Chester in his injunction order says;
Ordered and adjudged that the said de1end-
ants the managers. agents, attorneys anu ser
wants and all persons acting or assuming 10 act
under their authority, be ana are nereoE re
strained and enjoined from fixing and deterrln-
ing by combining together the prices 10 De
charged for meat. and from agreeing upon OF
contracting between themselves as TO the supply
of meat to be brought into this state by tneni oi
any of them, and from acting upon any uhdeI
standing tending TO diminish such supply anu
from continuing acting under any aSEee,
nent whereby the price of labor shall De alleCteo
or competition therein prevented, ana tnat me
are enioned and restrained from arpltTaTA$
raising lowering fixing maintaining prices OF
contract or combination between them ana
from maintaining prices 50 fixed or uniform
prices by adhering to the same In their safes Dy
restricting the quantity or meat shlppeu OF pS
imposing penalties upon themselves ana each
other. and they are each further ordered 70 re-
frain from in any wise combining or continuing
any con1bina ton the effect of which is or shall
be 70 refuse TO employ to dismiss any person
on the demand direction dtctation OF any
other defendant. This restraint shall continue
until the other or further order OF the court
The continuance of the inquiry before ex-
Judge Landon Is unnecessary now. owing TO the
Injunction issued by Judge Chester and there
fore the inquiry was postponed indef 1itely- The
Reef Trust firms will now have to appeal TO the
courts 10 dissolve Judge Chester's injunction in
order to maintain their alleged combination