Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-16
AGAINST THE BEEF TRUST.
Testimony Taken at Albany Before
Referee Landon.


A dispatch from Albany N. Y last night
says:
Former Supreme Court Justice Judson S.
Landon, as referee. today began an inves-
tigation, under the provisions Of the Dom
nelly antitrust law, to determine whether
or not an Illegal combination to manipulate
the price of meat exists among the large
packing houses of the west.
Attorney General John C. Davies with
Attorney J. Newton Fiero, as counsel,
appeared on behalf of the state. The firms
affected were represented by attorneys
Subpoenas have been issued for Arthur
Colby, who. it is said, acted as agent for
the packers in fixing prices to be charged
for beef. and for the business managers and
representatives in this state of Armour &
Co, the Cudahy Packing Company, Nelson
Morris & Co, Swift & Co.. Schwarzchlld &
Sulzberger and the G. H. Hammond Com
pany. These corporations do business in
this state as foreign corporations and it is
stated that If the attorney general can Sc
cure evidence to subStantiate his claim that
combine exists he will apply to the SUI
preme court for an order revoking the GER
tihcates permitting them to do business in
this state.
Andrew W. GerIock. a meat dealer of
New York was the first witness He knew
and had had dealings with Armour & Co.,
Cudahy Packing Company, Nelson Morris
q Co., Swift & Co, Schwarzchild & Sulz-
berger and G. H. Hammond & Co. He
stated the price of straight beef" at pres
ent varied from 81 to s12 per hundred
pounds, as against IS per hundred six
held good with other kinds of meat This
advance, he swore. was made simulta-
neously by all of the firms mentioned. AS
a result of dispute with the managers Of
Swift & Co. regarding payment for beef he
could not procure beef from any firm in
New York without payment in advance. He
declared that Michael Mulcahey, an agent
for Swift & Co., had told him that he was on
the "Dlack list - and no
until he settled his dispute with the firm
Alfred Epstein, New York attorney was
called Mr.. F'iero asked him If it was true
that he had in his possession letters and
communications with reference to the on
erations of the beef combine He said he
had not. although he had seen what pur-
ported to be book containing communi-
cations which passed between Mr.. Cudahy
and his confidential man, E. l.. Hughes
The book had never been in his possession,
out belonged to client. He declined to
name his client. claiming that his knowl-
edge was in the nature of a confidential
communication between an attorney and a
client.
Justice Iandon overruled the object ion
ana ordered him to answer. He refused
and the attorney general asked that he be
adjudged in contempt The witness then
stated that the federal government now had
possession Of the alleged evidence, and
asked again that the question be not
pressed.
Attorney General Davies renewed his mo-
ton that the witness be declared in con-
tempt, but consented to an adjournment in
order that Mr.. Epstein could prepare a
brief showing why the question was not a
proper one.
When the hearing was resumed ATTORNEY
General Davies handed the referee a tel
egram asking that the examination of D.
w Meredith, who was formerly manager
for Swift & Co. in New York city, and for
Armour & Co in some other place, the
name of which was not developed be post
poned for at least a week. because of the
fact that his testimony might seriously en-
barrass the action which has been begun
on behalf of the federal government AS a
result of this request the hearing was ad-
Journed for month
1t developed at the close Of the hearing
today before Justice Landon that the attor-
ney general had commenced another action
against the alleged beef combine 1t is
taken directly before Justice Chester of the
state supreme court, and is similar in every
respect to that before Referee Landon, ex-
cept that only the general eastern man
ayers of the various packing companies and
Arthur Colby have been called as witnesses.
Many arrests of women were made on the
East Side in New York yesterday because
1t Is alleged, they had assaulted women
who bought meat from the Hebrew butch
ers against whom boycott was declared
Wednesday night because of high prices