Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-07-06
PACKERS INDICTED.
Federal Grand Jury At Chicago
Makes Report.
TRUE BILLS AGAINST AIMS OFFICIALS.


Chicago, July San indictment was
voted against % persons, officials Of
four packing corporations. by the fed
eral grand jury Saturday. This ended
the investigation which has lasted over
three months and brought out testi-
mcny Of over 100 witnesses. One in
dictment Of more than 60 typewriter
pages was voted, covering charges In
GLIDING combination in restraint Of
trade, conspiracy to monopolize trade
and receiving and granting rebates.
The vote on the IS individuals and four
corporations was unanimous for indict-
ment. Trials Of those under indict-
ment will probably begin In the July
term Of the district court. The United
States district attorneys office, al
though some what reticent, admitted
that the heads Of the chief packing
companies are on the indictment list.
Six months ago 8. H. Bethea, then
United States district attorney, re-
ported that the injunction Of Judge
Peter S. Grosscup, restraining the
larger packing firms from combining
in restraint Of trade was being violated
in Chicago. Conferences with Attor-
ney General Moody at Washington
snd President Roosevelt we're held and
a large corps of secret service men
kept at work. United States Deputy
Marshal Edward at Clair was made
special agent Of the treasury depart
nent and placed in charge Of the secret
work. The investigation widened
daily and soon st. Clair was
receiving reports from his agents in
all parts of the warld concerning the
identity of men who could testify to
certain facts concerning the packing
industry, the actions Of heads OF the
packing concerns, underground agree.
ments and the like. The preliminary
stage of the investigation came to a
climax last February when 1856 sub
poenas were sent to Is large cities
throughout the United States with in
structions that at 10 o'clock on the
morning of February 21st deputy mar
thals would begin serving the papers.
At the hour stated the machinery
which resulted in one Of the largest
investigations ever engaged in by the
government, was begun as a concerted
movement in various parts of the coun-
try. Later the number Of witnesses
called for reached total of 250. The
attack of the government on the So
called beef trust created CONSERVATION
in many quarters but although 1t
was sudden many men desired as wit
nesses escaped service. Some have
been found in Canada, some in Europe
and others in various parts Of the world
whera they are safe from the subpoenas
which are still in the hands Of deputy
marshals. Leading packers were
Swallowed and on one occasion a
stenographic report Of a converse
ton between two leading packers in
the lobby Of q downtown hotel was
taken by a detective. At this time 1t
was discovered that private detectives
getting for some of the packers, were
following federal officials and secret
service operators, making daily re-
ports to their employers. In their
turn the government had these de-
tectives followed. The investigation
is calculated to have cost the govern
ment s3OO,OOO.
The following persons were indicted
Saturday by the federal grand jury in
vestigating the so-calIed beef trust; j.
Ogden Armour, Charles W. Armour
Edward Morris, Ira n, Morris, Louis
F. Swift, Edwin c Swift, L. A. Carton,
y. E. Hartwell, Edward A. Cudahy, A.
F. Evans, Attorney; R. c. McNIanus,
Attorney; A. H. .Veeder Patrick A.
Valentine, F. J. Corners, Edwin
TiIden, Arthur Meeker, Charles n.
Swift. Samuel McRoberts, Samuel
Well, Beth s. Cusey, c. p. Todd, V.
D. skipworth
In addition to the Individuals in
dicted the following corporations are
Indicted:
Armour & Company, Swift G. Com
pany, Cudahy Packing Company, and
Morris G Company.