Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-20
JURY SECURED.
Continued from Page one.)

fat. The result is that the net cost of tn
carcass is $685. and the test cost of III
meat is q triae over 10 cents pound
Apparently the concerns are selling a
different prices. Actually they are sell
ing on the same basis.
Mr.. Wiikerson laid special emphasis
on the following points:
That the combination represented by
the 10 Chicago meat packers undel
Indictment is the most powerful en-
CINE or system for the suppression OF
competition and the fixing of prices
ever known in the history of the in
dustrial world
That the system is so ingeniously de-
yised and SO closely guarded that the
men in the lower grades Of employ
ment are made 10 believe that the cor
porations In the combination are &C
tual competitors
That the indicted packers or their
predecessors, have dominated the meat
Industry of the country and fixed the
prices since 1880.
That the real purpose and design OF
the National Packing Co, which was
organized by members of the eompina-
ton, March IS, 1903, is to continue the
work accomplished by the old pool.
That the key TO the situation Is the
uniform method used by the members
in figuring the test cost of the prod
tIet
That this test cost, arrived at by
adding the killing charge to the price
Of cattle on the hoef and deducting
allowances for hide and fat. is in
excess of the real cost and gives the
packers larger margin of profit than
their own figures indicate.
That the entire country was divided
under the pooling system into differ
ept divisions and each member of the
pool allotted certain percentage of
the business and that similar system
is still in existence.
That system of forfeits was paid to
members who failed TO get their percent
age OF the business Of the different d.
visions, and these forfeits We're in the
nature of fines on those members who
exceeded their allotment
That formerly the representatives of
the combination met every Tuesday in
the office of a Chicago lawyer and fixed
the prices Of meat.
That since the organization of the Ma
tionai Packing Co. the directors of thai
organization hold meetings at which tifs
price of the product is fixed.
That special devised code of trade
terms was used at these meetings where
prices were made.
The district attorney had not eonclud-
ed his opening statement when court ad-
journed for the day
Counsel for the defence will reseryel
their statement until the conclusion Of
the governments evidence. Conserva-
tive estimates of the length of the trial
place its duration at between four and
five months
The 10 defendants are: j. Ogden Ar
mdur, president of Armour & Co: LOUIS
II. Swift. president of Swift e Co; Ed
ward r. Swift, vice president of Swift &
Co.; Charles II. Swift, director of Swift
& CO.. Edward Tilden. president of the
National Packing Co.; Edward Morris
president of Morris & Co: Arthur Meek
er. director of Armour & CO.; Francis A
Fowler. director of Swift & Co.; Thomas
j.. Corners. superintendent of Armour 81
Co, Louis II. Heyman, manager of Nor
ris e. Co.
The men who will try the packers are:
Asa Bannister, farmer. Naperville H. l.
Buckhn. farmer, Dundee: Burton H.
Meyers. Insurance solicitor, Naperville
w. ], Thomas. clerk, Ottawa; c. H.
Mare. drug clerk. Chicago; II. o. Bates
tailor. Lagrange: j. II. Edwards, tele-
phone inspector. Ottawa Jacob Glenn,
baker. Ottawa; Adam Glow, farmer,
Plainheid. Thomas Scott, millwright CHI
cago: ]. L. Harvey, grocer, Wilton Cen
ter. r. ]. Rion, salesman, Streator.
The selection of the jury was complet-
"a after 10 days work during which 147
venlremen were examined.