Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-29
BIG PACKERS ARE
FOUND NOT GUILTY
IN CHICAGO TRIAL
United States Government
Loses Fight Waged for Sew
eraI Months Past in Federal
Courts


CHICAGO. March 26.-Not guilty
was the verdict which the jury return
ed today in the trial of the ten Chi
cago packers accused by the govern
ment of violation of the criminal Sec
tions of the Sherman antitrust act
The verdict was returned before
United States Judge Carpenter after
the jury had deliberated over II hours.
The ten defendants accused by tile
government and acquitted are:
Swift group:
Louis F. Swift. president of Swift
& Co.
Edward F. Swift, vice resident of
Swift & Co.
Charles H. wifi. director of Swift s
Co.
Francis A. Fowler, manager dressed
beef department Swift & Co.
Armour group:
]. Ogden Armour. president Armour
& Co.
Arthur Meeker, director and genei AZ
manager Armour & Co.
Thomas ]. Gonnors, director and
general superintendent Armour e Co.
Morris group:
Edward Morris. president Morris e
Co.
Louis Fl. Heyman, manager beef de-
partment. Norris & co
Edward Tilden. president OF the Ma
tiona1 Packing company.
All the defendants were in court
when the verdict was read. Each de-
PENDANT smiled and some shook hands
with their attorneys
The court room was crowded
The verdict came as a surprise to
many who had been watching the case
and had feared that the long wait meant
a long drawn battle in the jury room.
BENEFIT OF DOUBT.
]. H Edwards, of Streator, one of the
Jurors. discussing the proceedings in
the jury room, said:
1--WE gave the defendants the benefit
of the doubt. We did not believe the
government had made out a strong case.
We did not attempt to analyze the fig
ures presented by the government and
decided the case on the broad lines of
arguments and the testimony which we
remembered. We were all nervous and
anxious to get home and avoided any
unpleasant debate in the intervals be-
tween the ballots"
FEDERAL ATTORNEY OVERCOME.
Federal Attorney James H. Wilkerson
was deeply affected by the verdict. AS
the words sounded through the court
room tears filed his eyes.
He declined to talk.
Three ballots were taken today on
the question of guilty or not guilty. The
first ballot resulted eight for acquittal
and four for conviction. The second
ballot showed IL for acquittaI and for
conviction. The third ballot was unani-
nous for acquittal:
The only ballot taken last night was
on the question whether if one were
guilty, all were guilty. This ballot stood
ten to two in favor of the proposition.
DEFENDANTS JUBILANT.
Counsel for the defendants were iu-
bilant over the verdict. George T
Buckinham, who throughout the trial
represented the Swift interests. said:
THE verdict was what I expected. The
government failed to make out case,
fer any evidence"
John S. Miller, of counsel for the
packers, said:
We 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.
I could see no other verdict possible
under the evidence presented, although,
of course, the deliberations of any Jurv
are uncertain"
PRICES GO UP.
After the announcement of the verdict
in the packers trial provisions advanced
all around The rise was 10 cents for
pork and bacon and IL to 10 cents for
lard
The addition to the cost OF packing
house products was attributed on change
to active covering by shorts and to
sympathy with bulge in the price of
CORN