The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-23
LONG AND SHORT OF 1T.
Dispositions Taken in Cattle Weighing
Cases at Kansas City.


Kansas City, Sept. 2S.-The taking of
dispositions in the stock yards cases be-
gan, yesterday afternoon in the office of
Attorney A. L Cooper, on the seventh
noor of the National Bank of Commerce
building. Only two witnesses were ex-
amiped. They were Thomas Northern,
of 1900 East Twelfth street, and c. w
Miller, who has no regular home. Both
are cattle sellers and buyers and were
in partnership at the Kansas CITY stock
yards for a year.
The grand jury returned indictments
against Henry Nichols, John ]. Miller,
"A. J. Judy, Cyrus E. Van Ray Bowen,
;: 3. Floyd, William Harris and Philo
Harris, spectators, charging them with
conspiring with Bruce Richelderfer, Carl
H RfghtuIire and Charles Virgins,
Wetghmasters, to commit fraud in the
buying and selling of cattle by long and
short weights.
1t is said that when a farmer would
take bunch of cattle weighing 10000
pounds to the stock yards to sell to one
OF the defendant spectators, the weigh
masters named in the indictment would
so manipulate the scales as to make
the bunch weigh only $4,000 pounds, thus
allowing the Spectator to gett 1000
pounds of beef without paying for them
When this same man or firm of spec
ulators sold the same cattle the weigh
master would make them weigh $4,000
pounds. In other words, the speeulator,
through the agency of dishonest
WCl6ueis WOulu make clear money
1000 pounds of beef and would divide
with the dishonesty Yejgher.
Dinerent charges ffEere made in the
three indictmentss Which hvere returned
that on May 4, 1884, Thomas Northern
and c. W. Miller. then tIlartners in the
cattle business at the Yards, bought and
sold bunch of cattle and that ]. d.
Judy, another specuIatnr, went in on the
deal with them That the cattle were
bought from W. p osuerEant, a farmer.
and that the weighers BY working a
snort weight system on him, cheated
him of $40, which wasa distributed
among the defendants named in the in
dictments.
The defendants are represented by
Samuel Eppenstein, A. L. Cooper L.
@. Boyle and Horace H. Black. while
]. 3. Kimbrell county prosecutor and
James A. Reed, former mayor, are
looking after the interestszof the state.
The attorneys for the defense, believ-
Ing that If any crooked. transactions
were carried on, Northern and Miller
ought to know about them, had
those two men called and closely
questioned them. Both declared time
after time that if any long or short
weights were made at the stock yards
they knew nothing of them.
What looked like it might prove a
troublesome block in the way of the
prosecution was the statement of Mil
Ter that the deals in buying and sell
ing of the bunch in which Judy was
interested were made through the
commission firm of Eubanks & Dun
lop, on the Kansas side of the state
line. If that were the case. the in
dictment of the Missouri grand Jury
covering that point would be of no
avail.
Ibid you. ever hear of any com
plants about long or short weights in
connection with any deals through
your firm % Mr.. Northern was asked
by Attorney Eppstein.
"No, sir, 1 never did, he answered.
very emphatically.
did you ever pay any money on
long or short weights?''
4 never did,
do you know of any conspiracy at
the stock yards to defraud anyone ~
Il never knew of any. l wouldn't
know If long or short weights were
made. never go near the scales
The witness said he didn't know
who bought the cattle from him. He
made his dealings through the COM
mission firms In answer to a ques-
ton concerning this he said:
Don't make any difference what
countryman gets the. cattle. us specs
firm.''
Mr.. Miller said it was natural for
cattle to- change weight at the stock
yards. Sometimes they would gain
and sometimes they would lose
Did you ever have long or short
weights there?" he was asked.
ut is natural for the weights to
change in either direction" he re-
Piled Cattle after reaching the
yards may lose 10 pounds in a very
short time Or they may fill and gain
as many pounds. You can't always
tell.
Il have known cattle to gain 10 or
II pounds in two hours. If see some
cattle which look as if they will fill
we'll. buy them, and make money off
the deal If it is muddy and wet. thew
won't fill well. The sun may come
out the next day, and they will fill
in hne shape. It depends largely on
the amount of water they drink"
The cases are set for trial i'm the
criminal court October 4. The pros
ecuting attorney has announced he is
ready and win insist on an Immediate
trial.