The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-26
The Jury Returns a Verdict OF
Not Guilty
In Trial of Members OF the
Beef Trust.
DELIBERATES FOR 10 HOURS
Prosecution of the Case Began
December 6, 1911.
Has Cost the Defendants Hall
a Million Dollars.

Chicago. March 26.-Not guilty was
the verdict which the jury returned to-
dav in the trial of the ten Chlcage
hackers accused by the government OF
violation of the criminal sections Oh the
Sherman antitrust act
The verdict was returned before
limited states District Judge Carpen-
ter after the jury had dehberated more
than 10 hours. +,,s
The ten defendants accused by tht
government and acquitted are:
swift group-Louis F. Swift, presl-
dent of Swift & Co.; Edward r SWil !,
vice president of Swift q Co; Cnalle9 l'S
IA. Swift, director of Swift & Co.; fran
cis A Fowler. manager dressed beef de-
partment Swift & Co.
Armour GROUP. Ogden Arnoui
president Armour & Co..; arthur ME-
ker. director and general manager "a. a.
mour & Co.; Thomas j. Cohnors'
rector and general superintendent Al
lnour & Co
Morris eroup-Edward Morris, presl-
ssnt Morris & Co.; Louis H. heylllah'
manager beef department motifs q ~. ~
Edward Tilden, president Oh the va
tional Packing company nj,
Thomas ]. Connors and EdWaru - -
den were the only defendants IN couLt
when the vel dict of the jury was reaI l1i-
There was no excitement altnousn
each defendant smiled and some shoOA
hands with their attorneys
The court room was croWoeu anu 'L.'
hurried exit of many from the room
when the verdict was read was checH
"a Nv tha iudge. The verdict came as
a surprise to many who hao pSe tsa.
watching the case and had reared tlo.I Lie.
the 10 hour wait meant long u "''--
battle in the jury room
History of the Case
The trial of the ten Chicago pack
e,s on charges of conspiracy IN mann
1850 combination in restraint OF
trade in violation of the crinIIlal Pr 1l--
visions of the Sherman anu-tI use iaM @
which began December 8, IS tne cloSa S
ing chapter of a long iegai pAetio -
Il-sss,ed nv the government against the
11he heads of the packing companies
tn the proceedings are named as lAolr
~-i1,IaI defendants and a VerdlcI oA
..l'iitZ- ,,nder the law would make them
5S;sh1e to either a fine of $4,000 eacn,
or inoprisonment for one yaer or poth
penalties. .+o,dad
-rbat 1rior to 1902 prices We're nXeo
sb{prnents regulated and terrltoIy u.
yided nv the old beef pool Whlch met
every Tuesday afternoon ,..,,,
THAT after the old beef poor dlIl dlsssoLN
- i1 1902 the packers held secret
soo+i1ors, at each others homes.
T1hat the National Packing coInPdiS :s
since its organization IN 19Oo hSo So, tba
used as the clearing house
Tbat the packers adopted test cost
and margin system which was useo e le
the purchase of cattle and the sale u
fresh meat. - bv
That the allowances made Ior ny
products in figuring the test cost WeIe
Inadequate and the cost used py tls
nackers was fictitious and higher than
the actual cost. s
That the representatives of the dl1-
ferent companies in New York, Boston
and other eastern cities exchangeo m
formation in regard to prices and snip
nents and teIegraphed the figures 10
their superiors in Chicago.
That the violation of the Sherman
law by the packers has been continuous
and practically uninterrupted since
1898
Chronology of the Prosecution.
A chronological history of the gov
pa Txryn