Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-09-13
IND|CT TMENTS
FOR CHICAGO
PACKERS
CONSPIRACY AGAINST
COMMERCE IS CHARGED
Prominent Men of Big Meat
Companies Face Trial on
True Bills Found By Federal
Grand Jury

Tey Morning Josrnal Special LsassI wIssI
I Chicago sept. 12.--The federal
grand jury which has been inyesti-
eating Chicago packers. late today
| returned indictments against ten high
officials of the Swift, Armour and
Morris concerns. There are three
indictments against each, charging
combination, conspiracy and Illegal
monopoly
The men indicated are L. r. swift
president of swift & Co, Edward
Swift, ice-presidentof Swift & Co.
Charles II. Swift, director Of swift &
Co. Francis A. Fowler, director OF
Swift & Co; Edward Tilden, pres-
dent Of, the National Packing conn
pany; j. Ogden Armour, president of
Armour x Co: Arthur Meeker. gem
eral manager OF Armour x Co:
Thomas J. Connors, superintendent
Of Armour & Co; Edward Morris,
president Of Morris 8 Co, and Louis
Fl. Heyman manager of Morris &
Co
The first indictment in detail
charges all defendants with engaging
in combination in restraint OF inter-
state trade in fresh meats. The sec
ond charges conspiracy.
The third charges the defendants
NTH monopolizing the trade in fresh
meats by unlawful means.
The Indictment charging the ten
packing officials With engaging in
a combination in restraint of trade.
declares that the object of the agree
ment is the elimination of competition
between the swift, Armour and Morris
group OF defendants in the purchase
Of live cattle, sheep and hogs and also
in the sale of fresh meats throughout
the United States.
The Indictment declares that the
method adopted was first TO refrain
from bidding up prices OF livestock,
second to agree upon uniform sys-
tenn of figuring the cost of meats sent
to branch houses which resulted in
an excessive cost being placed on the !
merchandise.
The next step, says the Indictment, |
was to force managers of branch !
houses to obtain this price. If any |
margin less than the price was per-
mitted. ii was agreed upon by all the |
defendants.
Next. it Is charged, the National |
Packing company was used to obtain |
in all markets as TO what |
branch house managers were doing,
this information being sent to the CHI |
cago offices OF the National company |
each week.
The Indictment also charges that /
the swift. Armour and Morris inter-
ests held stock in the National Pack
ins company in proportions equal to
the proportions of business done by I
the three houses,
The second Indictment is practically |
the same as the first. except that con-
suiracy instead of a combination in
restraint Of trade is charged,
The third Indictment charges that
teh packers have monopolized the
trade IN fresh meats.
j. ogden Armour, head of Armour
g. Co, one Of the packers indicted
issued the following statement seN-
eral hours after the indictments were
returned.
II deeply regret the bringing Of
these indictments for the charges are
unfoundcd as viii be shown when the
cases come to trial The true facts
viii then be made known. Misun-
and prejudices have been
the basis of these attacks.
THE charges involve four packing
,ompanies ont OF Mae hundred that
are engaged in interstate packing bus-
mess in the United states. rhe de-
PENDANTS do only about one-thiid OF
the packing business OF the entire
,opntrv The entire profits are not
aver - per cent Of their total busi-
ness Tnls margin of profit is less
nan that made BY any other kind OF
manufa facturine business in the worid.
D.yet We are attacked and assailed
A. an times and from all quarters
r,en this small margin of prott can
,a made onlv by the strictest ecou-
,m,. i'm the utilization of every possi-
,1e l,v-nroduct feel that our bust
,.ss ought to be fostered and enconr-
,ged b, the entire country rathei
nan he constantly assailed-
..,rhe fact that the business has been
.o,d,,cted with the very smallest mar
=, or profit IL itself demonstration !
=. ,o continuation 10 depress the |
~, ~ livestock or TO increase the
,ri.e of fresh meats could nave pee"
Prejudice has arisen III W
minds of many on account ei iie
,igber cost to the consumer "i Po'N
md beef products. These hish pIlee
10 wholly due 20 the higher cost %
This. the growers OF the
.o,tntr,- know During the P"tl"" -
hese higher prices IN" pteheis f''..'
ave been even less than the
ent margin 10 which nave "'''~u'
,,,r,,
That the purpose or the eI"i" 80,
nouiry was the indictment oi ''li'N'
,sis rather than the packing eo'po,s
ions was shown when Juuse i-1' a',u"ls
an,ous Tor the Szs.Oov'oee
Coofiuued on Pagr =. Column ID