The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-04-18
IMMUNITY FOR PACKERS
Judge Humphrey Frees Beef Men
Who Gave Garfield Facts.
CORPORATIONS TO BE TRIED

Cannot 30 Prosecuted as Individuals tho
Court ID ecides - Information Obtained
Wa Not Voluntarily Given, But Was
in Response to Governments Dena nd
Trust Itself Vulnerable.
Chicago, Ill.-By a decision of Judge
]. Otis Humphrey in the United States
Circuit Court here all the meat pack
ers who were indicted by a Federal
Grand Jury on charges Of conspiracy
in restraint of interstate trade are
granted immunity from criminal prose
cution.
Under the decision the. individuals
are to so free. but the indictments
against the corporations of which
some of the indicted men are members
and others are employees are to stand.
The individuals who go free under
the decision are:
J. Ogden Armour. Edward Morris.
Charles w. Armour, Ira n. Morris,
Louis T. Swift. Edward T. Swift,
Charles n. Swift, Edward Cudahy,
Arthur Meeker. T.. J. Connors. P. A.
Valentine, A. Fl. Vceder. Arthur f.
Evans, 7. A., Carton. Robert G. Nc
Manus and D. e. Hartwell.
The corporations that must stand
trial are:
Armour Packing Company, Armour
& Co.. Cudahy Packing Company, Fair
bank Canning Company and Swift &
Co.
Judge Humphrey spoke for nearly an
hour before indica ting what the ulti-
mate decision would be.
Reviewing the salient features Of the
case, the court went into a consider
alton of some of the points involved.
In conclusion he summed up his de-
cision as follows: "Under the law in
this case the immunity pleas filed by
the defendants will be sustained as to
the individuals and denied to the cor
porations, and the jury will find in fa-
vor. of the Government so far as the
corporations are concerned and against
the Government so far as the indiyid-
uals are concerned"
During the rendition Of the decision
the court was crowded by defendants
and spectators. Edward Morris and
Edward Swift were in court, and both
smiled when the decision. was an
nounced. !. Ogden Armour was not
present. but some men prominent in
the employ of Armour & Co., who
were under indictment were there, and
their Joy was manifest, When the
Judge announced that the indictments
would not lie against them. the de-
PENDANTS crowded together and shook
bands.
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 COM
mpnce within two weeks.
This met with a storm of protests
from the attorneys Of the packers. who
insisted that they would be unable to
prepare the case before fall. After
some discussion Judge Humphrey di-
rected that the lawyers agree among
themselves on a date and notify him
Of their decision. -.
1t is expected that the total number
of witnesses in this trial will be at
least 1000. Attorneys for the packers
declared when asking for a postpone
ment Of their trial that their witnesses
would number 1900.
The Government began its activities
directed toward a prosecution Of the
packers and packing corporations in the
summer of 1904. Shortly after the
Commissioner of Corporations had be-
gun work on his investigation at the
instance of Congress.
In November of that year the Fed
eral officers at. Chicago and fifteen
other cities acting simultaneously
served s%ubpoenas upon some 2I5 wit
nesses, some railroad men, some pack
ing house clerks. some cattle men.
some traffic managers and some Off
Gals of defunct packing companies and
prepared for the presentation of a case
before the Grand Jury.