The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-12
Plot to Recover Mysterious
Trunks Is Frustrated.
HEART OF BEEF TRUST
Is Now Said to Be the Aetna
Trading Company.
Trunks Thought to Contain In
nermOst Secrets of the Trust.

chicago, April 12.-Declaring another
beef trust official a fugitive and frus-
trating a plot of the packers to recover
the six trunks seized by the government
containing evidence against the beef
trust, the federal authorities conducting
the prosecution before the grand jury
are pressing their efforts to expose the
men behind the cases OF the Aetna
Trading company, the mysterious con-
Germ which marketed all castings for the
slaughter houses, and which disappear
ed from its headquarters in the Fish
buildingsjust before the inquiry began.
The Aetna Trading company is now
believed to be the very heart of the
beef trust and the six trunks of its rec
ords located by the officers after the
company's fight are thought to contain
the innermost secrets of the packers
relations. not only in the marketing of
castings, but in the great affairs of the
combination.
In fact, the modest little Aetna Trad
ing company, with two rooms on the
fifth floor of the Fisher building, is be-
heVed to have been the retreat Of the
National Packing company after the
| latter was publicly exposed as the clear
ing house of the beef trust.
Henry G. Godfrey is being sought by
secret service detectives as the secre-
tary and treasurer of the Aetna COM
pany and as the one known person who
may inform the government of the
higher men behind the mysterious con-
cern. Godfrey is missing and is believ-
ed to be in hiding or fleeing from the
secret service officers who seek the Sc
erets OF his employers. His wife said
he had left Chicago suddenly two weeks
ago and that she could not tell where
! he might be reached.
The packers, who are reported to be
in something like panic at the swift
! action against them, and their repre-
sentatives, with one accord disclaimed
any knowledge of Mr.. Godfrey.
| Nicholas Fisher, head janitor of the
Fisher building, was called before the
| grand jury. but disclaimed knowledge
of the occupants of the~rooms sos, sos
and 507 He gave the name of c. B.
/ Osborn. agent of the building, and
Osborn was brought before the jury.
He produced the lease, signed by
Henry Godfrey, for the Aetna Trading
| company.
The plot to recover and again hide
the six trunks of records seized in the
vaults of the National Safe Deposit
| company was frustrated by the district
attorney, Mr.. Morrison, secured a
writ from Judge Sanborn "impound-
ing the trunks until further order of
this court .
| The government reveals the impor-
tance of the trunks contents, and the
plot to take them away, in the petit
ton for the writ safeguarding posses
sion which stated:
''On April 10 six certain trunks,
each bearing the initials R. H. C.
numbered, respectively, 1, 2, 8, 4, 5
and z, containing books, documents
and Office records, were produced be-
fore the grand jury by means of a
subpoena.
'These books, documents and Office
records do contain. and are important
evidence, tending to show violation
| of the law of the United States con-
cerning unlawful restraint of interstate
/ commerce and unlawful monopoly,
committed within this district within
the last three years.
"And this attorney has good grounds
to believe, and does believe, that un-
less an order is entered impoundlng
these books, dOcum entS and office
records, that the same will be taken
from the custody of said grand jury
by persons interested in suppressing
them, and in that way prevent the
use of them by the government before
the grand jury, and if on trial an in
dictment shall be returned by the
grand jury and thus obstruct the or
der of justice.
Extreme Significance is attached to
the statements in this petition, sug-
gesting indictments, coupled with the
extraordinary precautions taken TO
protect the records.
The papers were examined at
length by the government attorneys
and then locked up.
r. H Cowan, said to be a high con-
fdential adviser of the Armour in
terests, is said to be the owner of at
least the trunks themselves, from the
initials "R. H. c.
Godfrey and Cowan. it is asserted
left Chicago the day the investigation
by the jury began. They have been
traced to Toronto. Canada. where it is
said all track of them was lost.
DAlpVan FraZee manager OF the
National Packing company, was one
of the most important witnesses be-
fore the jury He was on the stand
for nearly two hours, but refused to
say what information he had given
to the jurors. Another witness who
testified was ]. A. Howard, connected
with a New York packing firm.