The Washington times., 1905-05-15
PACKERS FLEE As
GRAND JURY SITS
Vacation Craze Seizes En-
ployers and Employees.
TRUST HEADS GO 70 EUROPE
Armour, Morris, and Swift to Arrive
This Week on Other Side-Bureau
Chiefs in Canada.
TRUST HEADS GO 70 EUROPE

CHICAGO. H.. May 15.-Coincident
with an unofficial announcement that
the Federal grand jury's investigation
Of the business methods of the Beef
trust is drawing to a close. comes the
interesting information that the active
bead Of every big packing concern in
the United States is in some foreign
land or on the way thither.
District Attorney Morrison has in
voked the aid of the United States Sc
cret service TO discover whether this
flight OF packers from American soil
is simply in pursuance of an annual
custom Of travel and recreation or
whether the Government and The pub
lie may properly attach some deeper
significance to it.
Exodus Assured
Those in the district attorney Office
do not declare Of their own knowledge
that all the controlling spirits OF the
packing establishments have left this
country. but information to that eff
feet which they consider authentic, mas
come 90 them III the last few days
J Ogden Armour, Edward Morris and
Edward Il. Swift, heads OF the three
firms bearing their names, are known
TO have sailed for Europe last Week
They will reach the other side peIofe
From an attorney vino is authorized to
speak for these three packers the aSSuf-
ance IS volunteered re Mr.. Morrison that
Armour Morris and Swift are on Iheif
vacation" The attorney says II IS the
annual practice of the gentlemen men
z toned to take a rest and TO go away Ior
recuperaIion about this time Of the year
Inquiry Is being made now py secret
Service men TO ascertain whether TINS
assurance is to be taken at its 3au face
value.
So FAR as the grand jury investigation
itself is concerned. there Is no reason
Why Armour. Morris and SWIFT should
find il desirable to leave Chicago and
put themselves beyond the service OF
court papers. There never has BEEN
and there IS not now. any intention or
subpoenaing them as witnesses IN the
grand jury investigation, for the reason
that Il they should appear and give tes-
ti1aony that was discriminating, they
would be immune under the law from
punishment for violation Of the law.
Advantages of Corporations.
If Mr. Armour, Mr. Morris and Mr..
Swift have premonition that the jury
is likely te return, indictments against
the corporations they represent. or
against themselves, individually. for yio-
latIng the antitrust laws. there might
be substantial reason for their ahsenttng
themselves, but IN that case they would
have to remain abroad long time TO
escape the penalty Of the lawn other
words. until there should be such
scattering of witnesses and such fading
away OF evidence that conviction
would be improbable
If corporations instead OF individuals
are indicted and found guilty, the pun
.shInene at worst would be only fine OF
5000.
Nevertheless. the district attorney
wishes to find out authoritatively what
was the impelIing motive for the tenn
p6rary expatriation OF the big packers
Just prior 20 the winding up OF the grand
jury work.
MIR Armour makes frequent trips
abroad and the other big packers go
ia Europe occasionally. While leaving
the question Of the packers departures
IN abeyanee. the Government officials
have satisfied themselves absolutely that
there has been a studied and persist
II followed plan by some Of the pack
ing concerns TO put desirable witness out
or reach OF the grand jury. and keep
them out of reach. Swift & Co. and
Schwarzschild & Sulzberger. as corpora
tr this regard
So far as known by the district attor-
ney and his assistants. Armour & Co.
have not tried 70 hide any Of their en-
pleyes or TO throw any obstacle IN the
way OF their appearing before the jury.
Packers Promises Not Kept.
Some Of the packers and their at
1orneys have acted like lot Of children
during this investigation. is the way
enc Government official puts 1t.
.sThey have assured us they would
produce any Of their employees we wish
ed as witnesses. wherever they might be-
but when the time came and they Were
askd to fulfil thir promises they did not
deliver the goods. The grand jury was
particularly eager to interview J. a Nc
Naughton. OF Omaha. traffic manager
foe cudahy & Co. Promises were made
that he would be produced. but they
were not kept and Secret Service men
say he Is in Europe.
IT Is when the absence of tho packing
house heads is taken into consideration
IN connection with the scattering OF i'm
portant subordinates that the European,
3 Canadian and South American colonies
Of Beet trust employees take on sus-
pfciouS look.
There are today score of response
bic packers representatives whom the
grand jury would like to cattchise on
various branches of the packing bust
ness. The jury has had TO content itself
are either hiding IN Canada under aliases
or are travelling in Europe or South
America. some on business and others
On vacations" The tact that most of
these abseHtees are department man
agers having important secrets locked
III their breasts Is taken by the Federal
officials as the best evidence that the
packers are not sincere Ia saying that
they court official investigation.
" men the jury wishes TO question
1nent they are not open 10 the charge
OF evading the Government in a tech
neal sense, because subpoenas have not
been served on them. The Significant
feature is that they have not put them
selves or allowed the packers 10 put
them within reach of the jury, although
the packers are advised that the tesfi-
uiony Of these men Is desired In tbs
list of absenteeS there is found no en-
ploye OF Armour & Co. or Morris Il Co
George ID. Roberts manager of the
beef department of Hammond & Co. IL
one who is temporarily sojourning in
Europe. James Brennan. department
manager Of Swift & Co, is another W he
f5Tsds rest travelling on the Continent
J. a. McNaughton as already stated, is
renewing wasted tissues abroad.
When the packers speak of these
trusted employees they do IL IN way
that suggests their being mentioned
In the society columns rather than In 2
al