The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-07
LOUIS F .5wIF-u TRIAL OF CHICAGO PACKERS BEGINS Eight Years Spent In
 EvasiOns ARE SELECTING JURY Indications Are That the Early Stages of the Trial Will Be Rapid.
 All Enter Pleas of
 Not Guilty

Chicago, December 6.--After eight years devious travelling in the ways of grand inries and special pleas the cases of the Chicago meat packers, indicted for alleged violations of the criminal provisions of the sherman antitrust law, the cases reach trial today. In dications were that the early stages or the trial at least would be rapid, as the governments examination of the first panel of jurymen was brief
 By agreement each side is entitled 10 80 peremptory challenges and by tonight the government had exercised 10 of these. None of the veniremen had been questioned by the defense. Questions of Attorney Sheean for the government indicated that the accepta- bilty of a juror hinged chiefly on his willingness to accept as part of the governments function the regulation of affairs of private business. All the defendants were in court im- mediateIy after the case was called. Personal pleas of not guilty were entered
 Richmond Dean, general manager of the Pullman company, fellow club mem- Der with most of the defendants, who was passed in the morning session, was challenged by the government in the afternoon.
 Other veniremen who expressed doubt as to the proprety of the government exercising control over business con duct peremptorily were challenged. Attorneys here are of opinion that the trial will proceed without any further attempts of counsel for the packers to cause delay The only ac- ton now pending which would stop proceedings is an appeal to the United States supreme court for a ruling on the constitutionality of the criminal provisions of tile law.
 This appeal was filed a week ago to- gether with d plea for a stay of pro ceedings pending the decision. The stay was refused in verbal decision.
 Twelve jurymen who had been passed by the government were ordered locked up tonight and the rest of the venire ordered in court tomorrow. None will be questioned by the defense until at least four have been finally accepted by the government
 The packers are:
 j. Ogdon Armour, president Armour & Co.
 Louis F. Swift president Swift & Co.
 Edward F. Swift, vice president Swift & oC.
 Charles F. Swift, director Swift X Co
 Edward Tilden, president National Packing company, which the government contends is the illegal corporation, the trust.
 Arthur Meeker. general manager Ar mour X Co.
 Edward Morris, president Morris x Co.
 Francis A. Fowler, director Swift X Co.
 Thomas J. Conners superintendent Ar mour & Co.
 Louis H. Heyman. manager Morris x Co.
 Rurnors of new moves by the packers were many. One was that the packers would appear and plead guilty.
 This would have made useless all the results of months of investigations and preparations on the part of the govern- ment would have placed the packers in no greater jeopardy than an unsuccess- ful outcome of the case which otherwise will drag on for months, and many con- tend, would have put the packers in a better position than they would be in if they lost their suit.
 Fines it is believed, will be the extreme renalty imposed by Judge Carpenter.
 The extreme penalty which can be given inc defendants in case of conviction is a fine of $500 or one year in jail or both