The Washington times., 1905-03-30
BEEF TRUST FIRMS
ALL DEF|EO LAWS
None Are Likely to Escape
Indictment.
ACTION IS EXPECTED SOON
John E. Shields Held a Witness
Against Manager Accused of
Tampering With Him.

CHICAGO, March 3O.-From a reliable
source it is learned that few. if any. beef
packing firms will escape indictment.
It was prophesied by federal official
that before the week had ended at least
three indictments would be returned
which would charge the packers with
viola tons of the antitrust laws that
other indictments would be voted against
representatives of packers for trying to
influence witnesses, and that one pack
ing firm would come to grief for DELHI
erately disregarding the Grosscup in
junction ever since it has been issued.
Admission by witnesses after they left
the jury room also pointed to the con-
clusion that the grand jury is not con-
fning all OF its attention to the business
methods of the packing firms Testimony
it is asserted, is being taken which viii
pave the way to inquiry into the freight
rate question. which is understood to be
planned to follow the beef inquiry.
Not a Especial" Body.
1.-THE grand jurv has been called
special body, called together for the
single purpose of investigating the pack
ers,'' said the official, but this under
standing is incorrect. do not expect
that the jury will be at work on the
Beef trust more than ten days longer,
and then it will be free to take up other
important matters.
1T is nc secret that the Government
has gathered a vast amount of info-ma-
ton bearing on the rebate question and
shipping rates generally, and it is plain
that more of this information should be
coming IN every day through the wit
nesses being heard, for the subjects are
closely related
The arrest of Shields was the sensa-
ton of yesterdays grand jury proceed
ingS. It took place in the forenoon, just
after he had ~iven his final testimony
and was preparing to return to his home
in Brooklyn. He was taken before Judge
Sanborn and allowed to sign his own
bond for $1,000 to appear at the July
term of court as witness for the Gov
ernment.
1t is understood that Shields gave the
grand Jury additional details concerning
his experience while in the CITY. He was
persuaded to do this, it is said, after he
had been convinced that his every move
ment since he arrived in Chicago had
been under the observation of secret
service operators. He repeated his state
ment that he was not an employee of
Armour & Co. and that formerly he was
conSlgnee for the company in Calcutta,
India, and also in Bombay.
Treated All Alike.
John S. Miller, special counsel for all
the packers in the Grosscup injunction
proceedings, made the statement that
Connors had treated Shields Just as ne
would any other employee, and there
fore was innocent of any wrong intent;
but it was shown that Shields had not
been in the employ of the company for
I,any months
More progress was made by the grand
jury in the disposal of witnesses than
On any day since the investigation be-
gan. Ten witnesses were examined and
paid their fees, with the welcome an
nouncement that they were free TO re-
turn to their homes. Today il is expect
Cd that the last out-of-town witnesses
of Importance Will nave been given u
chance to testify.
District Attorney Morrison is trying to
hasten the Investigation, in recognition
of the complaints of The witnesses from
other cities, who have been kept wait
ing for more THAI week, and when he
has succeeded in disposing of them it
will be the tu-n Of the Chicago witnesses
from the stock yards.
additional precautions have been tax
en- to guard the secrecy of the grand
Jury room The first step was an order
from United States Marshal Ames for
bidding newspaper photographers the
f9oor of the Monadnock building, where
the grand jury is doing its work. Repre-
sentatiYes of the packers are not permit
ted to loiter near the grand jury room.
Protecting Grand Jury.
THE grand jury is part of the court. .
said Assistant District Attorney Pagin,
land is to be protected just as If the
court were sitting with it. The court
viii not allow itself TO be clogged. We
mean business III this investigation. and
it will not do for representatives OF
packers to make this place a headquar-
ters
ut ought to be understood that this
investigation is not going to be white
washing affair, although that impress
sion seems To have crept out here II
Chicago.
Commissioner Garfield's report wa!
miscOnstrued in this way When par
Of his report was submitted TO Con
gress the public told it was q
vindication for the packers, and VIII!
not? Only that part of the repor
which had been furnished by the pack
ers themselves was published.
1T was report of the views of al
the big packers which reached the pub
lie The part of the report which nigh
show something concerning the work
ings Of the so-calied Beef Trust was no
made public. Some time the public
probably will know all of the inside o.
that report. That is a way the Govern
for themselves without making any wild
statements
0rTnTkIzI natnrn srrrn