The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-20
Members Of Beef Trust Gave
Dealers Rebates on Meat Bought
ASKED THE SAME FIGURES
Pledge 10 Sell No Meat In Certain Terri.
tory Also Violated b. hsary All
the Big Firms.

st. Louis. Sept. 2o.-As evidence that
Armor & Co.. Swift & CO.. Cudahy and
Nelson Morris Il Co. are combined by
the conditions OF a general trade agree
ment. Attorney General Crow brought out
yesterday statements of dealers and form
er employees of Nelson Morris & Co. that
there was an understanding between
Swift & Co.. and Nelson Morris & Co,
that neither house in st. Louis should
sell any meat to a dealer for retail In
East st. Louis.
Henry Bockstruck who testified that
he had been in business here for 80 years.
for ]. j. McRoberts, butcher, in East
St Louis.
Meat for McRoberts was billed to me.
but sent to McRoberts." said the witness.
"McRoberts said he wanted to buy on
this side because he could set better
meat and occasionally better prices. But
the packing houses would not sell to him
on this side Of the river for retail on the
other side.
ITO get around the agreement among
themselves that neither house would sell
to any dealer on the Illinois side the man
aser OF Nelson Morris q Company asked
me II would permit him to bill to mo
goods for McRoberts. l agreed TO this
agreement. and IL was carried on for
years"
CUSTOMERS ON BOTH SIDES.
"Did not both houses have customers on
the other side Of the river?' the witness
was asked
They did" was the answer. but they
kept about the same kind OF stock, and
often a buyer had TO come to this side
to get what he wanted. and in order that
one packer might not have any advantage
over the other I suppose they had an
agreement not to sell TO any one on the
other side"
Joseph Steinkamp, now n city meat In
spector. but formerly manager OF one OF
the Morris coolers, stated that while he
was In charge Of one OF the stations the
superintendent had complained TO him
of a falling Off In the trade.
He explained that for some time prior
to October, 1900, he had not been al
lowed TO sell to the trade In East 81.
Louis. and a large part Of the decrease
was due TO that.
IT went next door and talked to the
east side trade" said the witness. "and
he told me there was an agreement not to
sell from ST. Louis coolers to the retail
trade on the other side OF the river. The
matter was dropped there"
PRICES MADE BY AGREEMENT.
John F. Charsrand. special tax clerk in
the city controllers Office, recently en-
ployed by Nelson Morris & Co. as man.
ager Of a cooler. said the prices made by
his company were the same as those OF
Armour & Co.. Swift & Co. and Cudahy.
He understood from the superintendent
that the companies set all prices by joint
agreement.
Q. Did you ever cut the pricesT A.
No. sir.
Q. What instruction did you have
In the matter Of disposing OF the
stock sent you as manager OF a cool
er? A. / was simply told that I had
to get rid OF everything sent TO me at
the prices fixed by the company
Q. II you could not what were the
consequences? A. had to take the
money out OF my own pocket and
make good any difference.
Maurice Prendiville, a butcher. who
has been in business here for several
years, said he had bought meat from
all the big companies.
O. Were their prices unform7. A.
The price they asked was always the
same.
O. Do you always pay the price
asked? A do not
Q. Do you get a lower rate than
the published price? A. l get n re-
bate: that is. the meat is sold to me at
the schedule price, and part OF the
purchase money is given back
Q. Why don't the packers sell at
lower rate Of dispense with the
ceremony OF giving a rebate? A.
The managers say they are under
agreement TO sell at uniform prices.
O. What managers told you that?
A. I presume that at one time or
another nearly all OF them have told
me the same story of not being al
lowed to cut prices.
O. What rebate do you generally
get? A. About dollar hundred.
C. w. Klutz testified to the effect that
ps cl<ers were combined TO maintain