Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-05
COURT MAY BE ASKED TO ACT
, hree Others Who Were Before
Grand Jury Will Be Called.
MANY PAPERS IN EVIDENCE
Witness Goes Over Them; Refuses to
Make Damaging Admissions.
SAYS COMPETITION WAS REAL
Miles Insists thnt Only Purpose of
Pool Was to Prevent Flooding
Local Markets with Per-
ishRbIe Meats.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4-Witnesses for the
government in the trial Of the Chicago
packers, charged with criminal violation
OF the Sherman law, IL their testimony
on the witness stand is in variance on
material points with that given by them
before the federal grand jury may them
selves face an inquiry.
William ID. Miles, former manager OF
the Armour Packing company at Kan
sas City, who was called by the gov
ernment and whose answers to certain
questions have been unsatisfactory to
the prosecution testified against the
packers before two federal grand iuries.
At least three other former officers and
employees of packing firms who testified
before the grand jury will be called as
witnesses in the trial tomorrow.
1t was reported today that counsel for
the government would make a careful
comparison of Mr.. Miles testimony in
the trial with the statements he made
before the grand juries and that If any
important discrepancies are discovered
the prosecution may ask Judge Carpenter
to act in the matter
Many Documents in Evidence,
\ A mass of documentary evidence con-
esisting OF circulars, letters and statistics
bearing on the alleged agreements of the
packers and the summary statements of
total shipments, average price received
and the margin of profits earned based
on the uniform test cost, alleged to have
been sent out by agents OF the defend
ants, were read to. the jury today in
the trial of the ten Chicago packers.
Most of-the documents were identified
by Witness William d. Miles, former man.
Rger Of the Armour Packing company at
Kansas City, Mo-, and their contents ex-
aTined by him.
rhe witness was even more deliberate
IN answering questions than he was yes
terday. He weighed each question with
great care and spoke slowly in making
his answers. Special Counsel Sheehan
for the government labored hard in an
effort to induce the witness to make
damaging admissions against the pack
ers, but without success.
Mr.. Miles reiterated his declaration
that the sole object of the old packers
pool was to control shipments with a
view Of preventing the Cutting of the
market with fresh meat. He added that
the use of uniform test cost was abso-
lutely necessary because of the peculiar
character Of the fresh meat business and
insisted that there always had been real
competition between members OF the COM
binatiOn in every market in the country.
Percentages Frequently Changed.
Mr.. Miles said the statements had been
mailed to him as manager of the Armour
Packing company Of Kansas City from
the packers combination offices in the
Counsellman building, Chicago. The wit
less said that the percentage basis used
in figuring the margin was frequently
changed as the volume of business done
by the combine fluctuated.
do you know of instances where sew
eral members of the combination were
shipping to the same point, that the mem
bers agreed either to increase or decrease
the volume of-shipments?" asked Attor-
ney Sheehan.
Yes, l remember one case Armour
had a cooling house at Hazleton, Pa,
and agreed to limit shipments to that
point to prevent flooding that market"
Mr.. Miles was shown a copy OF an un-
signed letter addressed to c. w. Armour
of the Armour Packing company at Kan
sas City which he said he had seen be-
fore. He, however, was unable to ex-
plain all the figures in regard to the
shipments, but said he believed it had
Continued nm o. r,ryy, ,