The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-03-30

! chicago, MaTCh 22,-All OF the pack
ers who were indicted by the federal
grand jury last summer upon charges
of being in conspiracy in restraint Of
trade and commerce have been
granted immunity from criminal pros
ecutiOns under the indictment While
the individuals are to go free, the In
dictments found against the corpora
lions, Of which some of the indicted
individuals are members and others
are employees, are to stand.
Decision Handed Down.
A decision to the above effect was
handed down, Wednesday afternoon,
by Judge j. Otis Humphrey in the
United States district court.
The arguments in the case
were concluded shortly after three
O'Clock. Judge Humphrey at once
commenced the delivery of his opinion
1t was oral, and the judge spoke for
nearly an hour before giving the slight
est indication Of what the ultimate de.
cisiCn would he. He reviewed the case
at length in all its bearings, cited all
the essential facts which had been
brought out.
Defendants Jubiinnt.
During the rendition of the decision
, The court was Gre wded by the defend
ants and numerous spectators.
District Attorney Morrison, who has
| handled the case alone, with the excep-
lion of the arguments by Attorney
General Moody, sat with bowed head
for a short time after Judge Hum
Dhrey had concluded and then walked
over to the jury box and also shook
| hands with the jurors.
Immediately following the dismissal
Of The jury, District Attorney Morrison
raised the question Of the date for the
trial Of the corporations.
He asked that the case be set for
trial and that it commence within two
weeks. This met with a storm of pro-
test from the attorneys of the packers
who insisted that they would be un.
able TO prepare for the case before tht
fall OF the year, pleading the number
Of witnesses which it would be neces
sary to bring TO Chicago, the strain o
the present trial and various othel
reasons After some discussion, Judgt
Humphrey directed that the lawyer;
agree among themselves upon dat
and notify him of their decision mex
week.
Government 0HiciaIs Disappointed
Washington, March 2&.-~The gov
eminent officials express great disap
pointment at the outcome of the bee
packers case at Chicago. The gov
. eminent was conducting criminal pros
{ ecutons against the packers as in
dividuals. 1t may be held that no ap
peal can be granted, as thus the in
dividuals would be again placed II
jeopardy. The case which Judge
Humphrey decided in Chicago wa:
preliminary to the real merits of tht
governments prosecution of the Bee
trust. None Of the evidence which thu
government collected, and on which
the prosecutions under the antitrust
law were to be based, was offered. The
case dealt purely with the questions
of whether the packers, as individuals
were entitled to immunity under the
law. The government will claim that
the proceeding at Chicago was merely
a preliminary one. Without mature
consideration of the matter and the
necessary investigation that will have
to be made, 1t seems to be the opinion
that the government will continue Its
prosecutions and will try to get after
the packers as individuals along a new
line
The action Of the courts in Chicago
may fierce the administration in asking
congress to completely change the ex-
listing law under which the bureau OF
corporations was organized and has
beln operated.