The Washington herald., 1906-10-14
BEEF TRUST ESCAPES
Moody Is After individuals
Rather Than Corporations.
NOW ON TRAIL OF STANDARD
Further Prosecution of Packing
Combine Would Interfere with
Campaign Against on Monopoly.
Judge Humphreys Immunity Bath
the Most DisheartenIng Blow Of All.

Attorney General Moody does not In
tend. at present. at least. to prosecute the
cases pending in Chicago against the beef
trust violations OF the antitrust laws
Although indictments were voted against
al the big corporations doing business
at the stock yards last year. nothing is
being done by the Department Of Jus
lice 10 get O trial. and the indications
are that no further efforts in that direc-
tion will be made in the near future, #
az ai
These indictments were voted at the
same time true bills were returned against
Lhe packers individually The trial Of
the cases against both the packing cor
poratious and the packers personally.
ior which the government was making
,reat preparations, was suddenly blocked
10y the famous immunity plea set up by
Tie astute lawyers Tor the defense.
Given an Immunity Bath.
The outcome OF this move. il viii bc
remcmbered. was the decision by Judge
Humphrey. granting the defendants. rs
individuals. an immunity bath. II was
this decision which caused the President
10 send q special message 10 Congress,
eriticising the judge.
The prosecution has never recovered
from the blow; in fact, il 50 disheartened
attorney General Moody and his assist
ants. including Special Attorney Oliver
= PaEIn. VINO drew up the indictments.
md District Attorney Morrison, who had
personal charge cf the cases. that they
fclt it was not worth their while go seek
.H- g esr.--
Their feelings are best summed up in
The expression What's the use?"
The only thing To be gained by follow
iug up the matter, even IF "a favorable
verdict is returned. is q fine against the
defendant companies.
Defendants Would Appeal.
such q decision would bc followed by an
appeal on the part Of the defendants, the
case would ultimately land in the Su-
r.~emc Court. and 4 would take months.
md possibly years, Of litigation and end
Jess efI9rt 10 carry the matter through 10
81 victorious ending. The packers have an
army Of the ablest lawyers IN the country
back OF them. and every device and Jactir
Tor delaying a final decision would De re-
sorted to.
Al this zine the other big cases the De-
rartmcuJ OF Justice has on its hsnds-no-
laOly the prosecution 0I the Standard OF
Company suffer.
Indictments numbering over 2Ur0 have
.'ready bccn voted i'm Chicago against the
standard OIL Trust These win De coming
-o trial before long. other prosecutions
of even greater magnitude are being pre-
pared against the zane monopoly, and
viii De sprung IN a few weeks
HFFs
cases for the -8Vernmeut- has been sue.
eeeGed by L. ". Sims ~ district att0I
rey. and Is now one of the special attor
ueyS handling JEa standard Oil inquiry
So 10 attempt 90 carry the beef cases @
trial would mean the hampcring of Jhs
eli investigation. which is regarded as 0
Ear more Importance.
Not Enough 10 BE Gained.
This. i'm brief. is the attitude taken by
the Administration. II is not believe,
-Lcre IS enough "a DC gained, and there j.
TOO much TO be lost by dividing the gov
ornment's fire between beef trust and oi
trust.
Il is not without some regret, however
that the prosecution of the packers Is re
liuquished
That was the first big gun fred in th,
government campaign against mOnOpo
lies. No effort was spared in the pre-
paratorv work. Several months were con
~lmed I'm getting the evidence into shape
Tor submission To tha grand jury. The Sc
lection of that body was carried on witt
The utmost care. Each venireman was
subjected 10 a rigid examination, and
secret agents investigated their bushes.