The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-23
GIVEN IT'S TASK.
Twenty-Five Jurors Are Hear
ing Beef Trust Evidence.
Judge Orders Absolute Secrecy
Throughout Deliberations.
OFFICIALS SUMMONED.
Confidential Officers of the Com
bine to Testify.
Private Secretary and General
Superintendent Must Tell.

Chicago, March 23.-R. C. Howe, gen
; eral manager of the Armour Packing
f plant at Omaha, was questioned today
l by the federal grand jury investigating
the alleged beef trust. He was before
) the inquisitors two hours. Passing
through groups of secret service agents
at the jury room door, he was given his
witness fees and said he would return
at once to Omaha. He declined to dis
cuss what took place in the jury room,
remarl1ing smilingly that he was for
: bidden absolutely to talk. Asked
whether he was questioned on alleged
preference given by railroads to mem
> bers of the alleged trust, he shook his
} head and preserved silence.
Chicago. March 2s.-Among the
, important witnesses who will appear
before the beef trust grand jury are
Miss NJ. A. Dinock, private secretary
to J. Ogden Armour; c. O. Young,
general superintendent of Switt q
Co, and George F. Morgan, assistant
to Young
Two witnesses were examined dur
ing the first session The hrst testl-
l fed for almost two hours, when ne
was excused and returned to his home
in Philadelphia on night train. The
second witness finished his testimony
at 5 O'Clock, when the session was
: adjourned until this morning The
s other fourteen witnesses who had
: gathered in the witness room adJoin-
Ing the grand jury room, We're ordered
L to report for examination this morn
: ing Nine more are also to report,
and it is hoped that the entire twenty
r three will be called before tonight
= District Attorney Morrison absolutely
S refused to discuss what had occurred
r at the session. He even refused to
/. divulge along what line the first hear
Y ing of witnesses had developed eNl-
: The complete list of grand jurors is
r as follows:
: A. ]. Hoffman, Mendoza
c. A Nadelhoffer, Napervlile-
Edgar French, Chicago.
l Joseph Sokup, Chicago
: T.. A Cummings, Chicago.
: William Peacock, Jefferson Park
e George D. Felix, Meriden.
& o. W. Wallis, Chicago
, Albert 2. Buckley, Dundee.
: Joseph Dawson, Morris.
Jerry George Jr., Mount Carroll.
John F. Hahn, Evanston
Arthur w. Hayes, Joliet.
} Charles G. Ingraham, Waukegan.
John McGough, Richardson.
John Murray, Essex.
Henry StoclSer, Morris.
R. B. Willard, Marengo.
William Haden. Macon.
William Cuthberson, La Sale.
Fred Weed, Hampshire.
+ Christian Bernhardt. Wilmington.
The jury was completed by the addi-
ton of the names of William Haden
then caused the twenty-five men to
stand before him, and Chief Deputy
Clerk Charles A Buell. administered the
following oath to A j. Hoffman of Men
dota designated by the court to act as
foreman, and later to the jury in
body:
You as foreman of this grand inquest
of the United States. do solemnly swear
that you will diligently inquire and
true presentnent make of all such mat
ters as shall be given you in charge
1.-The counsel of the government, of
your fellows and you own you shall
keep secret You shall present no one
from envy, hatred or malice. nor leave
any SO unpresented for fear. favor. af-
fection, reward or hope of reward; but
you shall present all things truly as
they come to your knowledge. according !
to your best understanding, so help you
God"
Judge Humphrey then swore in Dep
uty United States Marshals Buckner
and Thomas Middleton and gave the
jury into-their charge. The court then
left for Springfield, ILL.,, and the Jury
was taken to an ante-room of the Unit
! ed States circuit court in room 36O |
where it selected two of its members as
| clerks and mapped out it's work
| Edward st. Clair, special agent of the |
attorney general. is in charge of the |
| collection of evidence and he awaited |
the action of the jury in calling in wit
nesses The witnesses were kept care
| fully secluded.
| Assistant District Attorny c. B. Nor
rison accompanied the jury.
| After the organization of the jury had |
been completed District Attorney Nor |
rison summoned the first witness into
the room. This man entered the grand |
! jury room a few moments before noon |
| and remained for some time.
Other witnesses were constantly ap-
| pearing at the district attorneys Office
| and taken into conference with Assist |
ant Attorney General Pagin and Dis
| trict Attorney Bethea- Every effort is
| being made to learn the name of more
| alleged combine.
While the inquisition is continued at
| least 15 secret service operators from
the east will be in Chicago It is ex-
pected that not more than Is witnesses
can be heard in one days session of /
| ernment secret service men in Chicago I
to prevent any possible interference /
| with witnesses.
Charge of the Court.
The charge of Judge Humphrey to the |
jury was as follows:
YOU are now entered upon a most |
| important public duty, the service of i
grand jurors in the United States court.
| The grand jury is an institution which
has come down to US. created by the
| wisdom of our English ancestors
! Wherever the AngIo-Saxon race has
planted a government, thiss institution
has been carried. It is the body
| through which the honest accuser is en-
| abled to present to the courts for trial
| persons charged with offenses, and in
4 this way it performs a valued public
service. 1t is also the body which
stands between the upright citizen and
the malicious accuser, ard in this re-
gard it is saver Of regulations
1.-The full grand jury consists OF % /