The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-30
Son of Attorney Declares Pool Was in Existence
 From 1893 to 1906
DIVIDED THE COUNTRY
 INTO FIVE SECTIONS
States Pool Met on Tuesdays to Fix Prices, Agree on Purchase Price of Cattle and Allot Meat Ship
 ments to Agencies

Chicago, December 29.-Direct evidence that packers pool was in existence from 1893 to 1906 and that it, after suspending operation two years. resumed control Of the countrys fresh meat business, today 1 was given in the packers trial by Henry I Veeder, who admitted that lie acted as secretary of the organization.
 It was the first positive testimony of | fered regarding the existence of the old pool. which. 1t is said. met under the name of "Postofiee Box No. 247' every Tues day in Chicago to fix the price of fresh beef, agree on the price to be paid for cattle and allot among it's members tho amount of meat to be shipped into the dif- ferent centers of distribution.
 Tells of Inside Workings
 Henry Veeder. who is son of Albert II. veeder, attorney for the packers followed his father on the stand as the second witness called by the government His story of the inside workings of the old packers pool was not half finished when court adjourned He admitted many of the material allegations made by counsel for the government in their opening ad- dresses to the jury.
 Between 1893 and 1906 the pool members were Armour X Co. Armour Packing company, Cudahy X Co, c. IT. Hammond | & Co.,, St. Louis Dressed Beef and Pro vision company. Morris X Co. and Swift & l Co.,, according to Henry Veeder. In 1898 Schwarzschild X Sulzberger entered the combination, the witness said.
 He described the meeting held every Tuesday at which, he said, reports of the past weeks business were received and shipping alotments made.
 The witness said the country was geo. graphically divided into five sections. each known by letter of the alphabet, and that each of the members of the alleged pool was similarly designated to prevent publicity.
 He testified that a record was kept of the amount of meat shipped to the de- l fendant branch houses and weekly state ments were sent to members showing the cost, average price received and the mar 1 gin of profit on fresh beef in the dif- | ferent cities.
 The witness gave minute description of the intricate method 'lseds hx L.esal1 legged tpooi in Keeping it's accounts aad transactng it's business
 Attorneys for the defendants made an unsuccessful effort to prevent the witness from answering questions regarding the inside workings of the pool, but Judge 1 Carpenter overruIed every objection.
 Albert Veeder Concludes
 After four days on the stand. the examination of Albert H. Veeder, at torney for Swift X Co., the first witness called by the government, WAS con | cluded.
 Although practically all the facts he testified to referred to business trans acted by the packers prior to BOT. period not covered by the indictments. the government considers him d val uable witness
 The younger Veeder described the geographical division of the country used by the packers as follows:
 Territory A-All east of the Missis- sippi river and north of the Ohio river. except Illinois and West Virginia
 Territory B-All south of the Ohio and Potomac rivers and east of the Mississippi river, except West yir- ginia.
 Territory C-Chicago.
 Territory D-St. Louis and all of l Illinois except Cook county, and all of Iowa except Council Bluffs
 MT Veeder said Colorado was known as territory F, Other sections of the country were not included in the alpha ! BellCdl liSI.
 In reply to questions the witness 1 said
 Representatives of Armour & Co. Swift & Co, Morris & Co.,, G. II. Ham mond X O., Cudahy & Co.,, and oth- CTS met in the Counselman building about every week between 1893 and 1896.
 The companies at these meetings were identified by letters Armour S Co. was known as A; Armour Pack ing company as B Cudahy & Co as l c; G. II. Hammond & Co. as D: St. l Louis Dressed Beef and Provision com pany as E; Morris & Co. as F, and 1 Swift x Co. as G.
 'In 1898 Schwarzschild & Sulzberger joined the meeting and were designated | by the letter c, and Swift & Co. be- l came known under the letter H. The meetings were held on the sixth floor of the building. There were nine or ten rooms. There were no signs on the door, These meetings were not held between May 1896, and May, 1898. but were then resumed T leased the meeting rooms under the direction of either Gustavus s Swift D. c. Hartwell of Swift & Co. or E. ]. Martin of Armour & Co., con | tfnued Mir. Veeder, All the firms who attended paid their proportionate amount of the rent and other expenses. which was determined by the volume of business done in fresh beef in ter ritory A."
 In response to another question Ar. | Veeder replied:
 | "The offices in which these meetings were held adJoin the law offices of my father. A. H. Veeder.'' What were your duties as secretary of these meetings?"
 | "rhe preparation of statistics" was the reply
 What was done at those metings of | the packers?"
 T received two statements every Mon- 1 day from each of the firms' Mr. Veeder | replied. "One showed the total shin ments in territory A made by each firm | for the week. The other statement gave the prices received for the fresh beef | sold by each firm. I tabulated these fie. ures into one statement for use by the packers at the Tuesday meetings
 Prepared Weekly Statement | The witness said he prepared a weekly l statement showing the cost, average sell | ing price and margin of profit on all beef sold at each point in territory A. These percentage statements, he said. were mail ed to representatives of each firm Mon- day night. in envelopes marked Per- | sonal.'
 Was there anything else on those en- velopes except the name and address ?r | ''Yes; there was a return card in one corner with the name Henry veeder, aap | --~-~~~~~~~~~~~-~~