The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-30
Secretary of Organiza-
ton Testifies in Trial
at Chicago.
WEEKLY MEETING
TO FIX PRICES
Many of Material Allegations
Made by Counsel for Govern
ment in Opening Address
Admitted by Witness-Story
of Inside Workings Will
Be Resumed To-Day.

Chicago. Decembe err 29.-Direct evidence
that packers pool was in existence
from 1929 to 1926. and then. after sus-
pending operations two years, resumed
control of the country's fresh meat
business, to-day was given in the pack
ers' trial by Henry Veeder. who ad-
mitted that he acted as secretary OF
the organization.
IT was the FIRST positive testimony
offered regarding the existence of the
old pool. which, 1t Is said, under the
name of "Post-Office No. 24I.'' met
every Tuesday afternoon on the sixth
floor OF the Counselman Building, Chi
cago. to AK the price of fresh beef.
agree on the price TO be paid for cattle,
and allot among It's members the
amount of meat to be shipped into the
different centres Of distribution.
Henry Veeder. who is a son OF AL
bert H. Eeeder. tho attorney for the
packers. followed his father on tho
stand as the second witness called by
the government. His story OF the In
side workings OF the old packers pool
was not half finished when court ad-
journed. He admitted many OF the
ma terial allegations made by counsel
for the government in their opening
address to the jury.
Between 1898 and 1896 the pool mem
bers were Armour e. Company. Armour
Packing Company. Cudahy & Company.
G. II. Hammond &. Company ST. Louis
Dressed Beef and Provision Company.
Morris &: Company. and Swift & Com
pany. according to Henry Needer. In
1895 schwarzsch!id & Sulzberger en-
tered the combination. the witness
said
Met Every Tuesday.
He described the meeting held every
Tuesday, at which, ne said, reports OF
the past weeks business of the mem
bers were received and the allotmsn t
OF the next weeks business was d.
vided on a percentage basis.
The Witness said the country was
geographically divided into FIVE sec
alphabet. and that each of the mem
bers OF the alleged pool was similarly
designated to prevent publicity.
He testified that record was kept
of the amount OF meat shipped To- the
different branch houses and weekly
statements were sent to members
showing the cost. average price re-
ceived and the margin of profit on
fresh beef in the different cities.
The witness gave a minute descrip-
ton OF the Intricate system used by
the alleged pool in keeping Its ac-
counts and transacting its business
Attorneys for the packers made an
unsuccessful effort to prevent the Wit
ness from answering questions regard
ing tho inside workings of the pack
ers pool. but Judge Carpenter over
ruled every objection. and directed the
government to proceed with the pre-
sentation of its case.
Veeder described the alphabetical
djyiSioDS Of country uaad a
packers as follows:
Territory ALL cast of the Missis-
sippi River and north OF the Ohio
River, except Illinois and West vIr-
Ginia.
Territory B-All south of the Ohio
and Potomac Rivers and east of the
Mississippi River. except West vir-
GINA
Territory C-Chtcago
Territory D-St. Louis and all OF
Illinois except Cook county and all
Of Ioy4 except Council Bluffs.
He's said this division had been in
existence ever since he knew anything
about the packing business.
Mr.. Needer said Colorado was known
as territory E. Other sections of the
country were not Included In the al
phabetical list.
The attention of the witness was
drawn by Special Counsel Butler to
meetings of the old packers pool held
Tuesday afternoon. at which 1t Is al
legged prices of beef and the price to
be paid for cattle were agreed upon.
Vigorous Objection.
Counsel for the defendants vigor-
ously objected to the Witness answer
ing, but were ovcrruled by Judge Car
pointer, who allowed tho government
to proceed along this line with the
understanding that a connection would
| be shown between the old pool and
the later combination. In reply TO
questions the witness said:
Representatives of Armour e. Com
pany, Swift 6 Company. Morris & Com
pany. Ct. Fl. Hammond & Company,
Cudahy & Company and others met In
the Counselman building about every
week between 1893 and 1895.
"The companies at these meetings
were identified by lettcrs-Armour 81
Company was "a Armour Packing
Company was 3D., Cudahy & Company,
c.; 6. II. Hammond & Company, d.;
ST. Louis Dressed Beef and Provision
Company. e.: Morris & Company. H.
and Swift s. Company. C..
in 1895 Schwarzschlld & Sulzber-
ger joined the meeting, and We're des-
ignated by the letter &c" and Swift &
Company became known under the
letter IL
"The meetings were held on tho
sixth floor of the building. There wero
| nine or ten rooms. there were no
signs on the doors. These meetings
were not held between May. 1896, and
May. 1898. but were then resumed 81
Il leased the meeting rooms under
tho directions OF either Gustayus
S. Swift, D. c. Hartweil, of Swift &
Company. or &c. J. Martin. of Armour
s. Company" continued MIR. veeder.
All the firms who attended, paid their
proportionate amount OF tho rent ana