Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-26
aovERNMENr LOSES IN SUIT
BROUGHT AGAINST CHICAGO
MEAT BARoNs.
VERDICT or NOT GUILTY
FOLLOWS TRIAE OF MONTHS
Hearing Ia Prosrs.' Since Dec. g
Wsrs Charged With Violation OF
Sherman Law and With Fixing Prices
IN Restraint OF Trads-Trial Cost
About 3sooooo.

the verdict which the jury returned
today in. the trial of the ten Chicago
packers accused by the government OF
Violation Of the criminal section of the
Sherman antitrust act.
TIE tverdict was returned before
United States District Judge Car
penter. after. the Jury had deliberated
more than nineteen hours.
The court room was crowded and a
hurried exit Of many from the room
when the verdict was read was checked
by the Judge. >, ~ y :. -
: ie verdict cSE.o 40 d surprise &c
many who had been watching the case
and had feared that the nineteen hour
wait meant a aslong-drawn battle in the
jury room.
The Men Acquitted.
The ten defendants accused by the
government and acquitted are:
Swift group-Louis F. Swift, presi-
dent Of Swift & Company; Edward F.
Swift, vice president of Swift & Com :
pany; Charles H. Swift. director of
Swift & Company: Francis A. Fowler
manager dressed beef department.
+ AKlAOuI SAoAp-Os oeNSA ~AAAAoN~
president Armour & Company; Arthur
Armour & Company; Thomas j. Con-
nors, director and general superinten-
dent Armour & Company.
Morris group-Edward Morris. presi
dent Morris q Company: Louis H.
Haeyman, manager beef department
Morris 4 Company, and Edward TIL
den, president National Packing Com
pany. -
Trial Began Dec. 8.
y The trial Of the ten Chicago packers
on charges Of conspiracy in maintain
ing aecombination in restraint Of trade
In yiolatoin Of the criminal provisions
OF the Sherman anti trust law, which
began Dec. 8. IL the closing chapter of
: long legal battle waged by the gov
eminent against the big packers.
The heads OF the packing companies
in the proceedings were named as indi-
vidual defendants and a verdict CT
guilty under the law would have made
them liable to either fine Of $4,000
each. or Imprisonment for one year or
both penalties.
Governments Contention.
The government contends:
That prior to 1902 prices were fixed.
shipments regulated and territory d.
vided- by the old beef pool which met
every Tuesday afternoon.
That after. the old beef pool dissolved
in 1902 the packers held secret meet
ings at each others homes.
That the National Packing Company
since its organization In 1903 has been
used the the Clearing house" for the
a,,nved combination.
That the packers adopted a test cost
and margin system which was used
In the purchase Of cattle and the sale
Of fresh meat.
THAT the allowances made for by
nrod,,cts IN figuring the test cost were
inadequate and the cost" used by the
nackers was fictitious and higher than
the actual cost.
That the representatives OF the dif-
ferent companies in New York. Bos-
ton ana other eastern cities exchanged
information in regard to prices and
.hinments and telegraphed the figures
Z, - their slperiors in Chicago.
rhat the violation Of the Sherman
law by the packers has been contin-
Mons and practically uninterrupted
since 1885.
The trial was one Of the longest
criminal trials in the history OF the
federal courts. 1t began Dec. 8. 1911,
and the Jury was sworn in Dec. II. Tne
flrst witness was called by the govern.
ment Dec. 90 The government put
forty-nir,e witnesses on the stand ana
introduced. 1,4Ss documents IN evidence
The record Of the case contains 5,ooo.-
900 words. 49, -. ~.
III ~ estimated that the trial cost the
hackers S500, 900, and the governments
ahr,,,t 41((f). 400.