Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
Finds Them Not Guilty Of Violat-
ing Criminal Section Of
Sherman Law.
GOVERNMENT OVERWHELMED
Failed to Prove It's Case beyond
Reasonable Doubt, Say Jul
rors-History Of 10-Year
Legal Battle.

Chicago, March 2e.-Chicago packers
ended 10 years legal battle with the |
government to-day when jury in
United States District Judge Carpen
ter's court found them not guIlty OF
violating the criminal section of the !
Sherman antitrust law.
Whether further Investigations into
the beef packing industry will be
made, District Attorney Wilkerson re-
fused to say. He was overwhelmed by
the verdict. He had been confident OF
convictions.
The verdict came after the jury had
been out 10 hours. At no time during
the deliberations were the packers in
danger. only three ballots were TAX
en-. The first was eight to four for
acquittal, the second eleven to one,
and third was unanimous.
Failure Of the government to prove
Its case beyond reasonable doubt was
responsible for tho verdict several
Jurors said. They did not review the
exhibits in the case. The mass of fig
ures and reports mystined them. To
have attempted to untangle them
would have been useless. 1t was agreed.
The verdict was received quietly
one or two defendants, Thomas j
Connors. director and general SUI
pcrintendent OF Armour & Co. and Ed
ward Tilden. president of the National
Packing company were in court when
the jury returned rts verdict. AZ soon
as the verdict was read the two pack
ers leaped to their feet and shook
udt hat
Jurors Attaches Of the district attor-
ney's office. greatly depressed. left TIE
courtroom hurriedly. The two nun
cred spectators made no demonstra-
ton
TRIAL, 45E0AN DECEMBER G.
The trial which began December was
the closing chapter of a long legal battle
waged by the government against the big
packers
The heads Of the packing companies In
the proceedings were named as individual
defendants and a verdict Of guilty under
the law would have made them liable to
either a fine of 5000 each. or imprisonment
for one year or both penalties. The de-
PENDANTS were:
J. Ogden Armour, president, Armour &
Co.
Arthur Meeker. director and general
manager. Armour g. Co.
Thomas J. Connors. director and gen
eral superinten dent, Armour g. CO.
! Louis F. Swift. president Swift & Co.
| Edward F. Swift, vice-president, Swift
g. Co.
Charles H. Swift, director. Swift Il Co.
| Francis A. Fowler, manager beef de-
rar7nent, Swift Co.
Onward Morris. president. Norris & Co.
Louis H. Heyn,an, manager beef de-
partment. Morris & Co.
Edward Tilaen. president, National
! Packing company.
HISTORY OF INVESTIGATION.
\ chronological history of the gov
ernments investigation and prosecu
ton Of the men alleged to control the
fresh meat industry Of the country Is
as follows
July /, 1903, injunction issued by Judge
/ Grosscup restraining the packers from
entering into combination.
February 90 1906. investigation Of alleged
combination begun.
July l. 1905, sixteen packers and four
corporations indicted
March 81. 1876. Judge Humphreys rem
ders the Immunity bath decision, free
ing the indicted packers.
December 90 1908 investigation taken
up by federal grand jury but soon dis
continued without indictments being re-
turned
December Is, 1909 investigation resumed
by the federal grand jury
March p. 1910. indictments returned
against the National Packing company
J and 10 subsidiary concerns and bill In
equity fled asking that the National
Packing company be dissolved
June Fl, lalo. indictments against the
National Packing quashed by Judge
Lands and a special grand jury called
to renew the investigat!on
July Il, 1910. special grand jury i'm
panelled and inquiry begun.
August II. 1910. Thomas G. Lee
manager Of the dressed beef sales de
partnent Of Armour y Co, indicted for
perjury and Alfred r. Urion, CHIEF
! counsel ror the company and three en-
ploycs charged with destroying ste
nographers notebooks containing i'm
portant information desired by tn,
. government
August IL. 1910, Attorney Uric dis
charged with a reprimand and tbs
other respondents held for further
hearing
September II. 1910 indictments re
turned charging 10 packers with con
spiracy in maintaining combination
in RESTRAIN of trade
= December 6. 1911. trial of the II
packers begun before Judge Carpen
q ter.
b. ONE or LONGEST OK RECORD.
The trial was one OF the longes
criminal trials in the history of tn
federal courts II began December !
, 1911. ard the Jury was sworn In De
=, cembcr 10 Tho hrst witness wa
. called by the government Decembe
. &C. The government put 40 witnesse
. on the stand and introduced Lass docu
ments In evidence, The record OF tn
. caae contains 5000, 900 words.
Il II Is estmo ted that the trial cost tn
packers 100000 and the government
4 about 500. 700.
WHEN ETIQUETTE LOST
( Mother-"My son. haven't told you
. Is poor form to dip your bread In you
y AofPso?"