The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-04
What the Indictments Charge.

The indictments voted for alleged
violation of the antitrust law were
identical in each instance. They con-
tanned eight counts The first and the
second counts of the indictments per-
tanned only to be effects sold in do
nestle trade. The ninth and the tenth
counts relate to beef sold in foreign
trade
The first count charges conspiracy
in restraint of trade and commerce
among the States and with foreign ma
tons. This count charges that the
trade which the defendants were car
rying on was to be restrained in sew
eral ways.
First. Competition in the buying of
cattle at the stock yards in different
cities was to be prevented and de-
stroyed by the defendants, who re-
quired their purchasing agents to re-
frain from bidding against each other.
Second. Competition as to the sale
of the foregoing commodities in for
eign and domestic markets was to be
prevented and destroyed by the defen-
dant fixing competitive and I'M
reasonable prices for such commodi-
ties, and requiring their representa-
tives in the different markets to fix
prices by agreements from day to day
according to what the market would
stand.
Third. The supply of the foregoing
commodities was to be curtailed 1n1
restricted whenever necessary to main
tain the prices so fixed.
Fourth. The United States was d.
vided up into territories among the
defendants, and each company was TO
keep it's own territory without inter-
ference by the others.
Fifth. There was a division as the
volume of trade allowed to each de-
PENDANT in a given market; if one
packer sold more than his percentage
during a given week, he was Obliged
to pay an "ante" of so much hun
dredwe ght, according to the territory
in which the matter occurred. into a
pool to cover the excess of sales, and
this fund was divided among the pack
erS who fell short in their sales.
Sixth. Certain corporations, namely.
the Aetna Trading Company and the
Oppenheimer Manufacturing Company
were to be appointed exclusive agents
of the defendants to handle sausage
castings and containers, and these
companies were to make arrangements
with several concerns which had been
handling such merchandise in the
markets of the world for working in
harmony and controlling the OUTPUT
and price of the merchandise. This
thanking" of large quantities of cas-
ings whenever the supply was too
great.
The fifth court specifically covers
the handling of the by-products,
dssings and containers, also, stocks
searine and oils. describes a conspira-
in the same way as set forth in tnc
third with reference to all the pro-
ducts mentioned.
The seventh and eighth counts al
lege that the National Packing Com
pany is a conspiracy in restraint of
trade and an attempt to monopolize
trade organizing the National Pack
ing Company and this is described as
conspiracy in restraint of trade and
commerce.
As soon as the indictments had
handed into court District Attorney
Morrison suggested that each of the
defendants be placed under bonds q
$1,000 and when the court asked If
bench warrants were to be served. he
was informed by the district attorney
that the legal advisors for all of tbs
men included in the indictments had
agreed to produce the men on Mon