Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-20

control the prices OF livestock and ag-
ricuitura, products, and the destruc-
ton Of competition.
Jefferson City, Mo, June 20.-Ae-
torney General Elliott W. Major, began
custer proceedings against five meat
packing companies today by filing quo
warranto informations In the supreme
court. The companies attacked are
Armour Packing Company. Morris &
CO.. Swift g. Co.. Hammond Packing
Company and st. Louis Dressed Beef
and Provision Company.
The Armour, Swift and Morris COM
panies are charged with violating the
anti trust law and conspiracy and the
Hammond and ST. Louis Dressed Beef
and Provision companies. as subsidiary
companies Of the National Packing
Company with conspiracy to control
the business in Missouri.
The five companies are named IN two
petitions which ask that the corpora
tions >Ie excluded from all corporate
right, that their licenses be forfeited
and that all or such portion Of their
pconerAy as the-court may deem proper
be sconfiscated or in lieu thereof fine
be imposed.
Conspiracy 10 Charged.
Armour, Swift and Morris are charg-
ed with having entered into a. con-
spiracy in 1909 to control the prices to
be paid by dealers in livestock, poultry,
butter, eggs. dairy and agricultural
products, to control the prices to be
paid by retail and wholesale dealers for
dressed meats and to control the prices
to be paid by all retail and wholesale
dairy and agricultural products and
by-products from the business OF
slaughtering livestock
"These companies" the petition says,
entered into a trust to unlawfully reg
ulate, fix and control the prices at
which dealers should sell and offer to
sell to the consumer and others aD
dressed meats and eggs, poultry and
other products and to control the
prices to be paid for such articles,
when so regulated, ana to unlawfully
limit the trade in all products with q
view to lessen, restrict, limit and de-
stroy trade and full competition in the
purchase and sale of meat products,
poultry, butter and eggs.
Fixed Prices.
''That In pursuance Of an unlawful
trust the corporations have met and
agreed upon and fixed from week 40
week and day to day, an agreed price
paid and to be paid by all persons for
livestock and products which should
be purchased, sold or offered for sale
in Missouri, that the prices at which
the products were to be sold were un-
lawfully fixed by means Of which COM
petition in the purchase and sale of
meat products has been lessened, re-
structed and destroyed"
The second count Of the petition
charges that the three packing COM
panies conspired to restrain trade and
destroy competition in the purchase
and sale Of meat products. livestock
poultry, butter and eggs by fixing a
price to be paid by all the members Of
the alleged agreement and conspiring
to control the business of buying. SELL
ing and dealing in packing house pro-
ducts.
Continuing the petition says:
Thru these agreements trade, COM
merce and competition in the purchase
and sale Of packing house products
nave OSCA i SSII aIliSd StuQ Tie
les have obtained control of and mono
polized, to the exclusion OF all others,
the business OF buying, selling and
dealing in OF commodities, products of
packing houses
Absorbed Other Concerns.
The alleged absorption Of the Ham
mond and st. Louis Dressed Beef Pro-
vision Companies by the National
Packing Com pany is said in the petit
ton Of the attorney general to have
taken place in September, 1902. The
Hammond and St Louis companies are
charged with having entered into an
unlawful agreement with others engag-
ed in meat packing for the purpose OF
restricting competition and to prevent
lawful trade.
The National Packing Company, the
information filed in the court today al
leges. was chartered In New Jersey in
1902 with a capital stock of $4,000 900
to engage in meat packing and selling
ard to hold stock Of any other corpora
ticn.
..The National Packing Company"
the petition sss:sss was not organized
IN good faith for the purpose Of en-
gaging in the business authorized by
lt0 charter, but as a corporate scheme
to effect an unlawful trust among the
Hammoud and St Louis Dressed Beef
7 = 2 - 49, y p I.