New-York tribune., 1902-05-17
BEEF TRUST MEN MISSING.
STRENUOUS EFFORTS TO SUBPOENA
THEM FAIL.
DELAY IN ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVIES'S
INQUIRY INTO CAUSE OF RISE
IN MEAT PRICES.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Albany, May 16.-A remarkable absence of the
representatives of the Chicago dealers in meats
who have offices in New-York City was dis
closed to-day, Attorney General Davies inform
ing Justice Alden Chester. Of the Supreme Court
that an unsuccessful effort had been made TO
serve subpenas on these men to bring them TO
court to-day to give testimony to the causes
of the surprising increase in the cost of meats
The Attorney General added that he had been
showered with literature intended to prove that
the rise in the price of meat is due to the rise in
the price of corn He therefore had expected
that every one of the meat dealing firms would
welcome an opportunity to prove before a judi
cial tribunal the truth of this statement. but he
had been disappointed Since there were no
witnesses he asked that the inquiry should be
postponed until May 26 Judge Chester granted
this request The State authorities will continue
their search for the missing witnesses
J. Newton Fiero. who has been assisting At
torney General Davies in the prosecution of the
Beef Trust. afterward said that the men for
whom search was made were Arthur Col
by the so-called arbitrator OF the Beef Trust
firms. and William H. NOyes and George J. Ed
wards, representatives of Swift & Co; Charles
c. Galbraith, of Armour & Co.; James a. How
ard. of Schwartzschild & Sulzberger; L. NJ
Christian of the Cudahy Packing Company;
Thomas II. Wheeler. OF G. II. Hammond & Co,
and John Pavitt. of Nelson. Morris & Co.
Attorney General Davies afterward made the
following statement about his efforts to secure
the attendance before Judge Chester of the rep
resentatives of the meat dealing firms:
A representative Of the Attorney Generals
office left for New-York Tuesday with the
papers to serve on the witnesses named in the
two orders granted by Mr.. Justice Chester, re-
turnabie, respectively, the one on Thursday. be
fore former Judge LandOn and the other re-
turnable on Friday, before Judge Chester.
Early Wednesday morning the representative
started out to subpoena the witnesses named.
No difficulty was experienced in obtaining the
witnesses who were not connected with the
trust Attempts We're made 10 serve eight
witnesses connected with the trust, they being
the Eastern managers and direct representa-
tives of the firms composing the trust.
All day Wednesday and Thursday these ef-
forts were kept up, repeated VisitIUions being
made to their places of business and their
respective residences. far as The latter could
be discovered BY most diligent and repeated
Inquiry at both places, information what
ever could be obtained as 10 the whereabouts
OF any Of them.
Special effort was made to serve one Colby.
the so-called arbitrator of the trust Colby being
the man who has control Of joint bank ac-
count of the firms composing the combination,
and who has the power 70 fine and remit the
fines of the various members when they violate
the agreements entered into between them On
Wednesday II was repeatedly stated at his office
that he was not in, and all information was
positively refused to his place OF residence
His door found locked on all occasions.
on Thursday the etort 10 serve CODY was re-
newed. with the same result. On one occasion
response made TO repeated kuockings
upon the door OF his office for long time, al
though IL was known that there was person,
or persons upon the inside On finally obtain
ing admission, a person who denied that he
was Colby, refused all information as 10 Colbys
whereabouts or his place OF residence.
The intent to evade service OF the papers is
very apparent from the absence OF eight men
from their places of business during two con-
secutive days, and of a majority OF them from
their homes during the evenings OF those days.