The Topeka state journal., 1902-05-07
TRUST METHODS.
A st. Louis Neat Dealer Gives
His Testimony
Says Each Packer Has His Day
to Buy Cattle.
OTHERS ARE KEPT OUT
If a Feeder Ships His Stock
Further Along
A Telegram Precedes Him to
His Destination
Telling Buyers What Price to
Pay For His Stock.
OTHERS ARE KEPT OUT

St. Louis. May IA special to the
Post-Dispatch from jefferson City, No.
says:
The existence in st. Louis of uniform
and fixed meat prices and the secret re-
bate in addition to the c. o. D. list was
shown by the testimony taken at this
mornings session of the beef trust in
quiry. Attorney General Crow said to-
day that objections raised by the pack
ers' attorneys at Tuesdays session Of
the beef trust inquiry does not pertain
to the validity of the antitrust law,
but only to the law authorizing the in
quiry. The two statutes are separate.
The antitrust law has been tested
twice in the supreme court and is unas-
sailable," said Attorney General Crow.
Maurice PrendivilIe, a st. Louis Union
Market meat dealer, was the first wit
ness examined today. In answer to
questions by the attorney general. Prem
diVllle testified that Armour, Swift,
Nelson, Morris and Cudahy had fixed
agreement on prices
The packers buy cattle on successive
days., said Prendiville, so that each
can buy at his own price. There is very
little independent buying IN the East
st. Louis stocl1yards. The big packers
keep others out by telling the cattle
men that if they sell any cattle to the
Independent buyers they must sell all
to them.
a better grade of cattle is sent east
than that sold in ST. Louis. The ordi-
nary retail butchers cannot get high
class beef The best beef is sold to
butchers at IL cents on the carcass"
Did you ever get a rebate?" was
asked of Prendiville.
-Four or five months ago I got re-
bates on pork from Nelson Morris. At
one time the cooler managers told me
that they had an agreement not to sell
at less than $6 a hundred. They would
evade the agreement by selling some
cents lower"
Is there an arbitrator in st. Louise
asked Attorney General Crow
'-The cooler managers meet every
Wednesday afternoon and form a c. 0.
D. list and on Saturday they hold an
other meeting. I Cd not know who fixes
prices for them, but they are fixed the
last of each week for the week follow
ing.
when a man does not sell his cattle
in East st. Louis" continued the wit
ness, and he ships them elsewhere the
packers send a dispatch ahead of him.
instructing the buyers to offer only SO
much Meat this year Is much inferior
to that sold last year. The number of
cattle sold and killed in East St. Louis
this season has been unusually large.
Most of the meat has been placed in
storage"
William Tamme, of st. Louis. former
ly city salesman for Swift, testified to
a uniform price at which statesmen OF
all companies were instructed to sell.
Attorney Ernst c. Dodge has charge OF
the c. o. D. list which is made up ev-
cry week, the witness declared
Tamme said that the increased price
of meat was out of proportion to the
increase in the price or cattle. He said
100 butchers in st. Louis had gone out
of business and that the Mound City
Packing company and the North St.
7 TDT1 nv had al re-
tired.
A recess was taken until 1870 .. IN.
THE GOVERNMENTS CASE
Chicago, May limited States Dis
trict Attorney S. H. Bethea returned
to Chicago today after his conference
with Attorney General Knox relative to
the investigation of the so-called beef
trust It was announced that the bill
for injunction against the big packers
is being printed at Washington and
that it viii probably be filed here Fri
day when Special Attorney Day is or
dered to arrive with it. The Indications
are that the scope Of the inquiry has
been broadened materially It has been
ascertained that the bill will ask not
only for dissolution of contracts err
tered into by and between packers, but
that goods in transit be seized if it can
be shown that contracts exist whereby
railways are allowing packers illegal
THE NEXT STEP.
St. Louis, No. May IA special to
the Post Dispatch from Jefferson City,
Mo, says:
Quo warranto proceedings, or an ap-
plication for a writ of custer against
the meat packing companies composing
the big Four viii be the next step in
the fight OF the state of Missouri on the
beef trust The result Of the proceed
ings, if successful, will be to debar tbs
companies from carrying on business in
the state.
Attorney General E c. Crow consid-
ers the testimony of the St Joseph
| butchers on rebates and concessions at
Tuesdays session of the supreme court
inquiry, conclusive evidence Of the ex-
/ istence and supremacy of the trust IN
Missouri.