The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-03-18

Long Legal Battle against
legged Trust is Nearing
lis End
PENALTY IS SEVERE
Prosecutions Witnesses Are
Former Employees or Pres
eat Oneso Companies

I CHICAGO, Mar. 1s.-The trial %
the ten Chicago packers on charges
Of conspiracy in maintaining com
-lbinatlon IN restraint Of trade q sio-
Iation Of the criminal provisions d
the Sherman anti-fnst law which
began December 6, now almost nded,
rs the closing chapter Of lons legal
battle Raged BY the government
against the big packers
The heads Of the packing compan
/ les in the proceedings are named Is
individual defendants and verdict
OF guilty under the law would mako
them liable to either q fne OF 5000
each, OF imprisonment for one year
or both penalties
The ten defendants are
J, Ogden. Armour president Armour
and Company
Arthur Meeker. director and gen
1oral manager Armour and Company
Thomas ], Corners, director and
general superintendent Armour and
Company.
Louis F. swift president sa ana
Company
Edward f. Swift yice-presldent
Swift and Company
Charles H. Swift director swift
and Company
Francis A. Fowler, manager beef
department Swift and Company
Edward Morris, president Norris
and Company.
Louis Il. Heyman, manager beef
department Morris and comphu
Edward Tilden, president National
Packing Company
The government contends
That prior to1s02 prices were liked
shipments regulated and territory
divided by the old beef pool which
met every Tuesday afternoon
That after the old beet pool dis
solved in 1902 The. packers held secret
meeting at each others homes.
That the National Packing COM
pany since It's Organization IN 1908
has been used as the clearing house
for the alleged combination.
That the packers adopted test
cost and margin system which vas
used in the purchase Of cattle and the
sale-of fresh meat
That the allowances made for by
products in figuring the test cost were
inadequate and the cost used BY
the packers was fictitious and higher
than the actual cost
That the Representatives. Of the
different companies in New York.
Boston and other eastern cities ex-
changed information n regard to
prices and shipments and teisgtaphea
the figures to their superioFs IN
Chicago.
That the violation Of tie Sherman
law by the packers has been contin-
uous and practically upinterrupted
since 1898.
A chronological history Of the gcy-
ernment's investigation and proseou-
ton of the men alleged TO control the
fresh meat industry Of the country IS
as follows;
July !, Is05-Iniunetion Issued BY
Judge Grosscup restraining the pack
ers from entering into a combination.
Feb. 20, is05-Iuyestigation Of al
legged combination begun
July /, 1sO5-sixteen packers and
four corporations indicted.
Dec 81, 1865 Cases called Tor trial
March, 81, 1906 judge Humphreys
renders tho Immunity bath dpci-
sion, freeing the indicted paekers
Dec. 20, 1s0s-Inyestiestion taxa
up by federal grand jury but soon
discontinued without indictments BE-
ing returned,
Dec. IS, 19os-1nyestisation re-
sumed by the federal grand jury
March 81. 1910 indictments re-
turned against the National Packing
Company and ten subsidiary concerns
and bill in equity filed asking that
the National Packing Company be dis
solved.
June q, Indictments agtinst
the National Packing Company
quashed by Judge Landis ana q spec
ial grand jury called to renew the In
vestigatlon:-
July "a, 19t0-s1eclal grand jury
impanelled and inquiry begun.
Aug. II, I91O-Thomas c. LEI, man
ager Of the dressed beet sales depart
ment Of Armour and Company ihdict-