The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-25
Eleven Companies to Stand
Trial In Chicago.
FEDERAL DISSOLUTION SUIT.
Government Begins Action In
Equity to Break UP the Beef
Trust-Violation of Sher-
man Law Charged.

Chicago, March 30. - Indictments
were returned against the National
Packing company and ten subsidiary
concerns by the federal grand jury
which has been investigating viola
tions of the Sherman antitrust law.
The indictments We're returned before
Judge Kenesaw NJ. Lands. Besides
the National Packing company the fol
lowing concerns, all branches of the
National Packing company, were in.
dicted:
c. y. Hammond company, Michi-
gan; Anglo-American Provision COM
pany, Illinois; Omaha Packing com
pany. Illinois; Fowler Packing com
pany. United Dressed Beef company.
New York; St Louis Dressed Beef and
Provision company, Western Packing
company. Denver: Colorado Packing
and Provision company, Denver; New
York Butchers Dressed Meat compa-
ny. New York, and Hammond Pack
ing company, Illinois.
simultaneously with the announce
ment of the indictments came the filing
the dissolution of the National Pack
ing company The action is IA suit in
equity and marks the beginning of
the end of any open combination of
the packers under the guise Of a sin
gle company.
While none of the packers was
named in the indictment, they are
mentioned in the suit in equity. Those
who are made defendants to the suit
in equity besides those corporations
which were indicted are:
Armour d Co.. Swift & Co, Edward
Tilden, Louis f. Swift, Edward f.
Swift, Charles II. Swift, L. A. Carton.
Frank A. Fowler, ]. Ogden Armour,
| Arthur Meeker, Thomas ]. Connors,
Edward Norris, Thomas e. Filson, l..
NJ. Heyman and Continental Packing
company.
! The indictment sets forth that all of
the defendants except the National
Packing company, which, it is claimed,
is merely holding company, are en-
! gagged in the beef packing industry
! that they buy live cattle at divers
points i'll the United States and
slaughter them at the plants of the
various concerns located in Chicago,
Kansas City, St Joseph, East St
Louis. Omaha, Denver and New York
city: that the beef resulting from the
| slaughter of cattle is shipped to va
riouS markets throughout the United
| States.
| iuDt a nf ~
so called beef trust was announced
| from the department of justice at
| Washington on Jan. 81. On Jan. "a
Judge Kenesaw NJ. lands summoned
the grand jury before him and de
clared that it was he that started the
investigation by notifying the district
attorney of his intention of SO doing
on Jan. 20 He declared that certain
governmental functionaries' ut Wash
ington took it upon themselves to
claim credit for the investigation.
The grand jurors did not immediate
ly delye into the inquiry rs docket
cases were given the right of way.
Meanwhile the government officials at
Chicago began to work. The actual
investigation did not begin until about
Jan 2S when the calling of witnesses
started
After an adjournment of about ten
days District Attorney Edwin w
Sims. James I'll. Wilkerson, his chief
and and Oliver f. Pagan. the govern
ments indictment expert, went Ia
Washington. where they conferred
with officials in the department of
justice on the evidence obtained and
the forms of indictments which Were
drawn,
When the government officials re
turned there was another delay of sev.
eral days Then several other wit.
nesseS were called. and finally the in,
vestigation, after numerous delays
was concluded with the calling of At
torney Ralph Crews of the National
Packing company
Witnesses from New York, Denver
Kansas City. Oklahoma City and 9th
er distant points were brought to Chi
cago to testify before the grand jury.
An important matter considered wa.
the $15.00OOQo loan made by Kuhn
Loeb 4 Co of New York to the Ma
tional Packing company at about the
time the latter acquired control of the
New York Butchers Dressed Meat
company, an eastern Independent con
Germ This concern practically con
trolled the eastern markets, and the
Chicago packers desired to compete
After severa! costly efforts the combi
nation found that it was unprofitabl,
to compete with the Independent
which had behind it n powerful ally II
the way of public opinion.
The National Packing company ther
began the purchase of stock OF thi,
eastern company. Cautiously and Sc
cretly the stock was purchased until {
majority was obtained. Then the stock
holders of the eastern company awok,
to find the control Of their COMPANY
wrested away in a night. A suit wat
begun TO oust the trust and regain