Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-28
Verdict of Not Guilty Of
Criminal Violation Of
4 Sherman Law Returned.
by Federal Jury. = /.
THREE BALLOTS
# TAKEN BY JURY
First Was s to A for Acquit-
tai, Second II to ! and the
Last Unanimous; Weak
Case Says One Juror.

| Chicago, March 2e.-Not guilty was
the verdict which the judy returned to.
day in the trial of the ten Chicago
packers accused by the government of
violation of the criminal section of the
Sherman antitrust act.
The verdict was returned before U.
s. District Judge Carpenter after the
jury had deliberated more than 10
hours. ... ;. 49,
The ten defendants accused by the
government and acquitted are:
| ,, Swirl Group, aa -
Louis F. Swift, president of Swift
& Co. -. =,
Edward F. Swift, vice president OF
Swift & Co. ~ ...a--
1narles H. Swift, director of Swift
& Co. .-0'
Francis A. Fowler, manager dressed
beef department Swift & Co
Armour Group. H..
| ]. Ogden Armour, president Armour
& Co. a. i #
Arthur Meeker. director and general
manager Armour & Co. be-
| Thomas J.. Connors, director and
general superintendent Armour & Co.
Norris Group.
Edward Morris, president Morris
& Co.
Louis H. Heyman, manager beef de,
partment Morris & Co.
Edward Tilden, president National
Packing Co. .
Thomas ]. Connors and Edward
Tilden were the only defendants In
court when the verdict was read. They
were soon after Joined by Edward F.
Swift, Charles H. Swift, Francis A.
Fowler and j. Ogden Armour, who
hurried to the court room on receiving
notice that the jury had reached
verdict. Edward Morris, Louis H.
Heyman, Arthur Meeker and Louis F.
Swift did NOT reach the federal build
Ing until after the proceedings in the
court were completed. ~ ...
LAX Three Ballots Taken.
Three ballots were taken today on
the question Of guilty or not guilty.
The first ballot resulted 8 for acquit.
tai and four for conviction The Sec
lond ballot showed eleven for acquittal
and one for conviction. The third
ballot was unanimous for acquittal,
! The only ballot taken last night was
or the question whether IL one was
guilty, all were guilty. This ballot
l.stood ten to two In favor Of the prop
losition. !. T. ~ .., ..,t z. IS ..
The verdict WAS handed to the clerk
OF the court by Juror j. q. Harvey,
who was selected foreman. It read:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendants
not guilty --'' Ta's. .-.+
United States District Attorney Jas
H. Wilkerson was deeply affected by
the verdict. He jumped to his feet az
the words sounded through the court
room and tears filled his eyes.
~ have nothin to say" was his
only comment as he walked from the
court room. !" =
The court session occupied less than
ten minutes.
~ Juror Said Y, s. Was Weak.
J. H.. Edwards Of Streator, Ill.,, one
Of the jurors, discussing the proceed
ings in the jury room, said: ,,..
"The reason on which the acquittal
was based was that We gave the de-
PENDANTS the benefit Of the doubt. We
did not believe that the government
had a strong case. The people had
not suffered and We could not see our
way clear to convict the defendants.
under the evidence presented. We did |
not attempt to analyze the figures pre-
scented by the government and decid.
ed the case on the broad lines of the /
arguments and the testimony which |
we remembered. We were all nervous !
and anxious to get home and avoided ,
any unpleasant debate in the intervals |
between the ballots" r
I Counsel for the defendants were
jrbilant over the verdict. George l..
Buckingham who throughout the trial
represented the Swift interests said:
1.-THE verdict was what ! expected. |
The government failed to make CIT .
case and for that reason We decnn~a
70 offer any evidence" .r:stS Il
John S. Miller of counsel for the
packers, said: --.
I'VE are extremely grateful. The
government ought to be satisfied also
and this should put an end to the long
drawn out attack on the beef industry.
could see no other verdict possible
under the evidence presented, al
though. Of course, the deliberations of
any jury are uncertain"
Instructions of Judge Carpenter laid
special stress on the question of rea,
sonable doubt and the jurors were in
structed that if they had such doubt
of the guilt of the defendants as would |
justify them to pause in any important
affair, they could not return verdict
of guilty.
Jurors Tired After Long Trial.
AS the jurors filed into the box they
showed the effect of the strain of the
trial Foreman Harvey and Chas. H.
Hare. the first jurors to take their