The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-04
Supreme Court Will Today
Likely Hear Argument
for New Trial
INTERESTING STORY
OF INDICTMENTS
Trust Controls Thousands of
Millions Of Dollars and
Employs Able
Attorneys

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-When the
supesme Court convenes tomorrow it
= expected that counsel for the in
dicted officials OF the beef trust will
make last frantic effort to post
pone the trial OF their muitimiliion-
aira clients on December by ques-
uontng the validity OF tina, sSN~.on
OF the Sherman antitrust law apply
Ing to criminal prosecution, and
suing for q writ staying the trial till
the matter IL settled In the highest
tribunal. II the Supreme Court grants
tho writ, the District Court trial will
be delayed indefinitely: II 1t refuses
to grant the writ. the packers will
have 70 stand trial on Wednesday.
unless their counsel can invent some
further scheme for delaying the gov
ernment's prosecution.
Tho Supreme Court argument will
be an echo OF that employed before
the United States Circuit Judge c. C.
Kohlsaat in Chicago, when the beef
barons secured 4 temporary writ OF
habeas corpus on the ground that
the criminal section OF the sherman
antitrust law was unconstitutional.
and that tho petitioners were ''ac-
tualy imprisoned and restrained OF
I0eV uOSILy.
New Say Granted
Judge KohnsaAt QuAshed his writ
ON November Is on the ground that
circuit judge had no right to Is
sue such an instrument unless the
proce edingy were extraordinary"
and tho case was scheduled to 20 on
trial the following Monday, before
Judge George A. Carpenter. Of the
United States District Court OF Chi
eago.
On November 81. however, Judge
Carpenter granted Q stay of trial on
application Of the packers counsel,
setting forth . desire to seek = stay
II proceedings trial from tina 6u-
was not In session ut the time, and
Chief Justice White refused to grant
such IN lntrument on his own initiA-
tive, holding that the matter must be
taken under advisement by the court
a. q whole. On November IS Judge
Carpenter Get tho trial for December
6, and the beef barons laid plans
to take the matter before the SUI
preme Court soon after that body con-
venes tomorrow.
Extensivc Prosecution.
The prosecution OF the beef trust
ofYicials II tho most extensive ever
attempted under the criminal provi-
sion OF the Sherman antitrust law.
They are charged with forming
combination In restraint Of trade,
which, Il II alleged. controls Ahso-
lutely the price OF fresh meat In the
United States II convicted. the pack
ers are liable to a nne $4,000. or
imprisonment for one year. or both.
There are ave counts in the lndfct-
ments charging the packers with
having entered into Z conspiracy to
control the fresh meat prices OF the
country and two in each OF the otner
indictments. Wis. one charging the
formation Of the National Packing
COMPANY a. q means Of controlling
thu fresh meat prices and the other
seeking to monopolise the fresh meat
business contrary to the Sherman
anti-trust law.
Have Untold Wealth.
The wealth Of the indicted beef
barons approaches the thousand mil
lion mark. and they have engaged
some Of the most brilliant lawyers
Ii the United States. Those who face
criminal proceedings tomorrow are:
Iotis +. Swift. president OF Swift
Co: Edward r. Swift. vice-president
q swift 4 Co.: Edward Tilden. pres
ident Of the National Packing Co.;
;. Oeden Armour. president OF Ar
wo,ar Co: Arthur Meekers. his
rrneral manager; Edward Morris.
nreeident OF Morris & Co.: Francis
4. Fowler, director OF Swift Co.;
THOMAS J. Connors. Armours super
intendent. and Louis LYMAN. man
ager for Morris q. Co.
Tho trial with be OF the greatest
importance. II will not only deter.
mine whether or not the National
Packinr Company II an Illegal cor
.poratiop. controlling absolutely the
price Of meat IN the United States.
but Il win also determine whether
or NOT the eight year investigation
ana prosecution of the beef trust Of
fIcials ana the expenditure OF vast
sums from the public treasury has
been In vain
Gmpley Trust eustsrs.
At tho ONCE Of United States Dis
trfct Attorney, James n. Wilksfson.
who u IN charge Of the prosecution. Il
r,ent had retained the services Of
Oiivsr n. Pagin. and Barton Corneau.
hoth az the United States department
"A 1nsficA. ana widely known - ''truss
nnsters.s In addition to this counsel
Dlstrlc4 Attorney Wilkerson win bo
essisted by Eiwood Goldman.
The packers' attorneys include John
= Miller. famous for his connection
with the Standard Oh and otner Gases;
GeorrD =. Buckipgham and Levy May
- no nreeenting Of testimony will
tnka n Z great deal Of time and II II
exnocted that the case viii not 70 to
ths tusy for wesks and perhaps
Tstsn chronoiosicaliy tho night has
9ono olong IA thlo wioe:
FNhfunxy -. 1eo9, Judge Peter ?.