Evening journal., 1902-05-21
BEER TRUSTS
ARE ENJOINED
Government Granted TEN
pOrary Injunction
NOT OPPOSED BY PACKERS
Ii Combine Continues Alleged uni-
form Arrangements II Will be
in Contempt Of Court
NOT OPPOSED BY PACKERS

Chicago, May 21.-The temporary in
junction asked for by the government
against the members of the so-called
packers combine is now in force. Ii
was issued Last evening" by Judge Peter
S. Grosscup, after the close of argG-
ments in the United States circuit
court room. The order gives the relief
prayed for in the bill filed by District
Attorney Bethea on May 10. 1t is so
wide in its scope that if the packers
or their agents continue with their
present alleged uniform arrangements
they viii be taken into court on con-
tempt proceedings, and the burden of
proof will be on them to show that
they have not violated the order in any
particular.
Attorney John s. Miller, who was the
sole representative of the packers pres
ent, pointed out some Objectionable
clauses in the draft Of an order pre-
sented by Mr.. Bethea. These concern
ed the alleged agreements for credit
blacklisting and carriage. Judge Gross
cup thought some of these minor
clauses had been made too prominent,
and he himself drew a form of order
that pleased both sides. At the same
time the order was entered numerous
aflidavits and other exhibits were filed
for the government.
District Attorney Bethea had read
part Of the bill before Judge Grosscup
fr,f frll Itf rrrffh hn CT al
that this would be unnecessary, as the
court was already advised of tile
charges made by the government. Mr..
Bethea then filed a number of afiida-
Wits. Attorney Miller next made q
statement on behalf of the packers, and
said that while he was not prepared
to oppose the governments petition at
present, he was authorized to submit
TO the entry of the order on behalf of
his clients. Solicitor General Richards
made a brief statement in answer TO
some of the objections raised by At
tornel Miller.
Unless the defendants decide to make
a fight at an early date in an effort to
have the order set aside, they VIII have
untA August 4 to make reply TO the
complaint. Attorney Miller said last
night that he cannot tell whether a
demurrer, a plea or an answer will be
filed, though the first named is the
most likely to be the form of the
packers defense. The subpoenas
served recently on the defendants
commanded them to file their appear
ances separately before July Z.
The governments affidavits were 20
in number, and the attorneys INDUCED
in a short tilt over the question Of
whether these SHOULD be read, but the
court decided that no reading would be
permitted until the issue had been
stated.
The most important affidavit sub
mitted is that OF Daniel W. Meredith
of Jersey City, n. ]. For six years he
was manager for Armour & Co. at Mil
waukee and manager in Philadelphia
at one time. He had been with Swift
& Co. at one time. Since 1898, he de-
clared, six general managers for the
big companies have been accustomed
to meet at least once a week in the
city Of New York to reconcile the diff
ferences between themselves concern
ing the operating Of their business, and
also to consider the prices which they
should place for the ensuing week on
the meat products which should be
sold in that territory, and for the pur-
pose of considering the quantity of
meats which each concern had on
hand, and when the necessities OF
the trade would require they would
agree to, curtail their shipments OF
meats from Chicago, their design and
purpose being to limit the quantity ot
meats in sight at New York and ad-
jacent points and raise the prices. -
The affidavit covered at considerable
length the manner in which the al
legged meetings were conducted.