New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-21
Mr.. MOODY HITS HARD.
JEERS At PACKERS PLEA
Says 1t Would Make Washington a
Mecca for Criminals.

NN|U IOf AftHtthCtSs
- can imagine them 1.-THE railroads, packing
houses and oil masnates meeting and saying;
Good morning, good morning, Mr.. Rockefeller.
ine7'" Jan '''''
-"but If they felt il their duty to place that
letter IN evidence, when il touched upon another
subject, against the in the White House,
VINO Is unable to come here to protect himself
~ tney telt u their duty to make that attack
General Moody
Chicago, March 2O.-Attorney General Moody
scathingly arraigned the immunity pleas ad-
vanced by the counsel for the Beef Trust to-day.
He said that their arguments were not we'll
| founded. and that their plea if upheld would
establish license to commit crime and obtain
immunity by a confession Ir Washington.
Mr. Miller for the defendants. made brief
reply to the Attorney General before court ad-
journed for the day. He will continue his argu-
ment throughout the first session of court to-
morrow, and perhaps longer
The Attorney General asserted that the state
ments Of Mr.. Miller in the case were utterly AZ
variance with the terms Of the immunity act
saying:
Mr.. Miller said in his argument that if a man
nad committed a crime I'm the postal service and
Went voluntarily TO the proper person and made
L IoLltssioh 'sioh ne would be entitled to immunity If
the law gave immunity.
Let us see where that most extraordinary
{ discovery Of nv
learned friend, for which unCOUnted generations
9t captains Of industry will thank him. Wash
lnston will become the Altruria TO which they
/ can report for the pardon of their offences II
viii be much easier instead Of running away
from a subpoena to run toward the government
| agency ana serve confession upon the govern
ment agent Anybody in this land who is now
SEEKING 10 avoid the service of a subpoena will
thank my learned friend for giving him very
ihuch shorter road TO travel
Washington under such circumstances would
become great resort. not only I'm winter but
IN summer. All the people who violating the
la"S OF the Iand may go there at intervals and
obtain immunity. All they have to do is to go
mere IN obedience 20 the compulsion Of the law.
The law is n license to commit crime. Now, I
can fancy these gentlemen gathering there. 7
can fancy Mr.. Swift and Mr.. Armour. and their
meeting in Washington with some other great
magnate who has been there and has been
washed in. what ! may call "MiIler's bath" l
can imagine them meeting and saying Good
morning, good morning, Mr.. Rockefeller, have
you had your immunity bath this morning.
/ Look al the absurd!ty Of the thing.
The sarcasm OF the Attorney General brought
! out much laughter. and the bailiffs had some
! trouble I'm restoring quiet IN the courtroom.
! REFERS TO THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
! The Attorney General referred to the letter
! written by President Roosevelt 10 the Attorney
| General which was placed in the record of the
} case by the attorneys for the packers. He said:
! It has heen said here that the President wrote
a letter referring to this matter. ! am the last
should not give their best TO their clients but Il
they felt II their duty place that letter in evil
i-dence, when It touched upon another subject,
against the man In the Whlte House, VINO IS
unable 10 come here TO protect himself-f they
/ felt 1t their duty TO make that attack upon him
have little more 10 say.
! I'm justice TO US" said Mr.. Miller. Il would
4 like the Attorney General 10 explain how. since
/ the letter made public document by him,
/ II could be attack upon the PRESIDENT"
! Il viii allow my statement 10 stand unquali-
! fed" replied the Attorney General
Concerning the compusion said by the packers
! TO have been exercised by Commissioner Gar
! field, the Attorney General said:
There is no longer any contention here that
/ there was any actual cOmpulsion in the acts Of
! Mr. Garfield other than the powers invested in
/ him. The claims made that the information
! furnished TO government entitled TO have II
/ was furnished under compulsiou Of the law, and
under the act of 1903 entities the defendants to
! immunity. That, and nothing else. is the issue
| in this case.
! The Attorney General read case CWarner
agt the state Of Tennessee where A witness
| refused TO testify under a subpoena that was
! void He was held in contempt Of court, and
! the Supreme Court of the state declared that he
! was correct. and the state wrong, because If he
/ answered questions voluntarily he could not
/ have pleaded his privileges as a bar to prosecu-
/ ton.
Does the learned Attorney General forget
J r.
! was here 10 investigate a violation OF the in
! junction issued against them restraining them
from acting in violation Of the law against re-
straint Of trade?" asked Attorney Hynes.
! I do not forget" replied the Attorney Cen
/ eral 4 do not care. It goes TO show that these
men were warned that criminal action might be
| taken. II they did then seek the protection Of
the law having been warned. the fault is their
own. the responsibility is theirs. and the result
! falls upon their own heads"
In finishing his address Attorney General
! Moody said:
! II on these propositions these defendants
escape q trial into the truth of these charges II
| viii be q calamity 10 the government and for
/ these defendants. / hold for them that they are
! innocent until they proved TO be guilty You,
/ Judge Humphrey. alone of all the SO,OOO,OO9
/ neople OF this land. have the solution OF this
question ard leave # with confidence to you.
! Mr.. Miller who had waived part of the time
allotted for his argument. TO allow the Attorney
! General TO speak made a brief reply TO some OF
the questions asked by the Attorney General
! Immediately after finishing his argument the
! Attorney General took a train for Washington