The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-22
Counsel Says Indicted Com
pany Will Make Vigor-
Gus Defense.
DEFENDANTS DENY
VIOLATION OF LAW
Claim Is Made That Combination
Has Not Restricted
Trade.

CHICAGO, March 22.-The National
Packing Company, which has been in
dicted for alleged violation of the Sher-
man antitrust law, is determined 10
fight the Government TO the limit, &C
COrding 20 its counsel. Ralph Crews.
In the suit against this corporation
sixteen firms and individuals are MADE
defendants, and following the return Of
the indictment the Government has fill
ed a suit seeking the dissolution of the
National Packing Company.
Attorney Crews contends that the
operation Of The company or its subsi-
diary corporations in no way violates
the provisions Of the Sherman law. He
said that stead of operating 10 re
strain the ade' of its subsidiary COM
panies. as is alleged I'm the indictment.
81 is a fact that the companies have all
shown a heal ny increase since the for
nation Of the NatlOnal organization.
The attac OF the Government is To-
cused on IN, National as the nucleus Of
the sO-callsC meat combine.
The Indicted Companies.
The companies indicted are:
National Packing Company. G. II.
Hammond Company, Hammond Pack
ing Company, Omaha Packing Com
pany. Fowler Packing Company,
United Dressed Beef Company. St.
Louis Dressed Beef Company, West
ern Packing Company, Colorado Pack
ing and Provision Company. New Aork
Butchers Pressed Meat Company, An.
glO-AmeriCan POVisIOn Company.
The Indictment charges that all of these
companies were in a combination iT
restraint of trade and commerce, tina
an understanding exists whereby they
eliminate competition and fix uniform
nOn-competitive prices. The subsidiar.
companies are charged with surrender
ing 10 the National Packing COmpan,
domination Of their affairs. All tn
corporations are accused of having Oper
Rted this alleged trust for three years.
Civil Proceedings.
Besides proceeding criminalIy. the Gov
eminent also proceeds civilIy in a pc
tition for the dissOIution Of the Nationa
Packing Company. The defendants
this bill. in addition TO the companie
named in the Indictment are:
Continental Packing Company, Armou
& Co, Swift K Co, Norris Edward z
Tilden, Lewis Swift, Edward F Swift
Charles II. Swift, l. A. Carton, Frank 4
Fowler J Ogden Armour, Arthu
Meeker, Thomas j. Corners, Edwar
Morris, Thomas +. Wilson and l. +
Heyman.
The dissolution bill is sweeping I'm il
character. In il the Government charge
the fundamentally through which IN
big packers evade the antitrust law.
The bill reciteS that on February II
1903. the q Government filed r bin in IN
United States Circuit Court restrainin
the packers from operating q trust
that this injunction was granted Apr
4. 1903, and that March Is of the sam
year. the packers organized the Ma
t'onal Packing Company for the pur
pose Of evading the Sherman law an
the Federal courts injunction
Allegations in Bill
All the stock in subsidiary pRckin
comp mics owned by Morris. Armour an
Swift. the bill alleges, was turned owe
20 the National Company. thus givin
the national control Of a number q
concerns which had previously con
Teted with the big packers, as well e
with each other. The effect Of this th
hin alleges. was 10 destroy all CON
petition between the companies cor
The prayer Of the bin is that I'll
management and control OF the sui
FidiaTy companies by the Nation5
Packing Companies be declared illega
hat The Armour. Swift and Morris con
pauies ard the individual packers /
Fnioinod from exercising any cOntr
bver the subsidiary companies; that a
Fubsidiarv companies be cnjOined fro
having any dividends 10 the Nation;
Packing Company. and that al the d'
PENDANTS be enjOined from carrying G
PUV Interstate commerce until sue
time as the court is satisfied that the
Gre no longer parties to any unlawfl
com binsriOu I'M restraint Of trade.