Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-07
Packers Misconstrue the
Presidents Letter.
Atty. Gen. Moody States That
the Clause in Question
Doesn't Mean That Justice and Commerce
Depts. Were Working Together.

Chicago, Feb. 6.-Unitcd States At
torney General Moody took an active
part today in the trial of the packers
case. AT the opening of court he was
called upon by Attorney John S. Mil
Ter, who represents Armour 6 Co., to
produce the original copy of letter
written to him by President Roosevelt
or to admit the authenticity of copy
which Mr.. Miller produced in court.
The attorney general admitted the
accuracy of the document as Il copy,
but declared that the clause in the let
ter which the attorneys Of the pack
ers construed as meaning that the de-
partment of justice and the depart
mcnt of commerce and labor were
working on the case in unison was not
correct His assertion caused much ex-
citemcnt among the attorneys for the
packers, who objected to the statement
OF the attorney general as being i'm
proper before the jury.
The letter was not offered in evidence
but was marked for identification.
But three witnesses We're on the stand
during the day and their evidence was
not OF general interest. The afternoon
session of the court was taken up by
the reading to the court of the Garfield
report on the packing industry. 1t is
a document of $50 pages.
The attorney general declared that he
would admit the authenticity of the
letter subject to its verifciatiou by j.
A. KratZ, his private secretary.
Then addressing the court, he said:
IF it pleascs the court, l feel it my
duty, upon reading this letter to say
in regard to this sentence which con-
tains-'with my permission, the depart
ment of justice. and the department Of
commerce and labor'-it it is not cor
rect"
All the lawyers for the packers rose,
several of them addressing the court
excitedly. Il would like to finish"
said the attorney general.
Il understand that the attorney gen.
eral assents to the authenticity of the
document" said judge Humphrey.
The cross-examinatiOn of C. NJ Nc
Farlane was then resumed by District
Attorney Morrison. The questioning
was directed toward the subsidiary
companies which it Use claimed by the
government, were the media through
which the control of the prices on all
products were effected.
The witness declared that the gov
ernmcnts agents examined the books
of the Aetna Trading Company and the
kenwood Company but said that he
knew little about the operations of the
subsidiary companies.
During recess Attorney General
Moody said regarding the letter writ
ten to him by the President:
II had no objections at all to the let
ter as presented by the defenses What
| meant by an inaccuracy in the letter
was that the attorneys for the defense
have placed a wrong construction on
the words Of the President. They seem
to mink that it means that tho depart
mcnt of justice was aided by the de-
partlient of commerce and labor in the
Investigation. That construction is not
right because the department Of com
mcrce and labor did not aid my de-
partment. j had no objection to the
introduction of the document 1t is
copy Of the original
Commissioner Garfield left for Wash
ingtOn today.