The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-17
725 MESSAGES READ
 IN PACKERS TRIAL
Lee Wanted Higher. Prices
 for Beef
RUSSELL ON STAND
Government Declares Prices Con- trolled by This System and Ship ments Regulated From the
 Chicago Office

Chicago. February 16.-Seven hundred and twenty-five telegrams sent by T. G. Lee, manager of Armour & Co.'S beef de partment, in July and August, 1910, to eastern representatives urging them to obtain higher prices for dressed meats, were introduced in evidence by the gov ernment in the packers trial today. The messages, which were sent over Ar mour X Co.'S private wires, were identi- fled by II. A. Russell. beef sales man ager for the company, who was on the witness stand all day. r The government contends the telegrsf> 5 show the memorandum cost was usef S)y Armour S Co. as a basis for the s : ng price. and that the eastern repreS ' lta- tives were continually urged to obtsS this figure for their product. I0 Failure to obtain the memoransS cost reculted in the branch house 4nagers being severely criticised. In any in- stances the Chicago offices thu tened to reduce shipments unless better ices were obtained. The government .lares that by this system the prices were controlled and all shipments regulated from the Chicago office.
 Messages.
 One of the messages read to the jury was as follows.
 Chicago, August 8, 1910. Charles Custer, Philadelphia:
 Have you forgotten how to sell beef? Your showing this week is something fierce. LEE. Another message read
 Chicago, July 3, 1910. Meyer, Philadelphia
 Well have to give it to you for the worst work I eyer have seen since l have been in the department. What our Wash ington houses did last week has never been equalled by any Armour house 1 ever heard of any place, any time, under any circumstances. T, c. LEE. On cross examination by Attorney John s. Miller Russell declared that he had never received any instructions or sug- gestions from J. Ogden Armour, Arthur Meeker or Thomas J. Connors, in figur- ing either the memorandum cost or the request price sent to branch houses. Had No Figures He also said he had never received any figures from Swift & Co, Morris x Co. or tho National Packing company show ing the shipments or selling prices of these companies.
 Russell was on the stand when court adjourned.
 More private telegrams from T. C.. Lee of Armour X Co.'S beef department to eastern representatives were read by the government at the trial of the 10 indicted packers today to show that the price and volume of shipments were con- trolled from the Chicago office
 A few of the messages read as follows:
 Chicago, July 1. 1910. 'Lozell. Boston; Meyer, Philadelphia. will help ourselves 15 cents tomor- row T. c. LEE. "
 Chicago, July l. 1910 "Steltz. RaLlerson. New York Van Pelt Boston, Fawcett. Portland; Jerome Wilkesbarre, and Noche. Albany.
 We have had all the punishment we are going to take. You have light ship ments of beef of such extremely good value to sell next week. we are going to ask you 10 show cost or better begin ming Tuesday at every house, and the way everybody around here feels on the situation you are going to find that we just won't feel like taking no for an- swer."
 Chicago, July 6, 1910. "Raulerson. New York.
 That's right be just as strong as pos sible on good cattle. Please instruct all houses to curtail orders so they will have no more beef to sell next week than ab- solutely sure can trade out.
 'T. G. LEE"