The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-01-03
EVIDENCE AGAINST PACKERS

EVIDENCE AGAINST PACKERS
Witness Relates Story Of Formation
Of Big Combine.
CHICAGO, Dec. 26.-When the trial
Of the ten Chicago meat packers under
indictment for criminal violation of
the Sherman antitrust law, was re.
sumed before United States District
Judge Carpenter today counsel for the
defense sprung surprise on the gov.
ernment by reviving the famous i'm.
munity plea by which seven of the
packers escaped possible conviction
several years ago.
Judge Carpenter intim ated that he
had passed on practically the same
question when he denied the plea of
abatement before the beginning of the
trial and be said he was not disposed
to change his decision unless some
new points were raised.
Counsel contended that the immunity
plea applied to all of the ten defend.
acts who testified before the Garfield
investig ating committee.
Counsel for the government contest.
ed the motion on the ground that the
court had already passed on the ques-
tion In ruling against the plea In
abatement. Judge Carpenter reserved
his decision on the motion and direct
ed the government to proceed with it's
case.
Albert Veeder, attorney for Swift
and company, was the first witness.
He said he planned the organiza alton
of Swift and company in 1885 and had
been counsel for the corpor alton ever
since and said that on numerous oc.
casions he served as director of the
Swift company and it's subsidiary
companies.
He enumerated q number of subsi.
diary companies which he said we're
used as selling concerns. The witness
said he assisted in the organization OF
the National Packing company March
Is, 1908, and served as q director for
sixty days. Later he acted as general
counsel for the corporation for year
CHICAGO, Dec. 27.-Albert a.
Veeder, attorney for Swift and com.
pany, continued his recital on the
witness stand OF the inside history o1
the packers combin alton when court
convened today in the beet trust case
The only name by which the ole
packers pool which had secret meet
ings prior to 1903 was was known a.
"postoffice box number 257'' accord
ing to counsel.
This mysterious gathering which the
government asserts sought to fix the
price of meats and suppress competi-
tion at weekly meetings in the Veede,
Offices, had no name in which Mr.
Veeder in his early examination could
remember.
Pierce Butler, special counsel TO,
the government, questioned Mr.
Veeder regarding the agreement enter
ed into In 1902 between the Armour
Swift and Morris interests to form ,
five hundred million dollar merger o
packing companies.
The witness said that an elaborat,
examin alton of the packers books wa
made by expert accountants and th'
properties appraised by a committee
of experts. consisting of Thomas Con
ners, Thomas E. Wilson and Horac
G. Gardner.
The witness produced the contr acts
made by Armour, Swift and Morris il
June, 1902, for the purchase of al
competing companies prior to the or
ganization of the National Packing
company. In July, 1902, Michse
Cudahy became q party to the agree
ment for the merger, and the Cudah
Packing company was taken into tn
'combination" said Mr.. Veeder.
| When Michael Cudahy was takel
into the deal for the reorg anizatio O
the proposed big company, q ne,
agreement was drawn and signed b.
Armour, Swift, Morris and Cudshy
and each deposited one million dol
lars in Chicago bank as "evidenc
of good fsith," said Veeder. Thes
deposits, he said, were withdraw
when the org anization of the compsn
was abandoned.
The government brought out tbs
all the contr acts for the purchase q
competing concerns contained claus
which prohibited the persons maxim
the sale from engaging In the packin
business for fifteen years after th
, date of the sale.