Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-17
CARGOES OF MEAT
ARE CONTRABAND,
SAYS PRIZE COURT
British Prize Court Condemns Fif-
teen Million Dollars Worth Of
American Packers Goods.
NEARLY ALL OWNED IN CHICAGO
Products Are Declared by Tribunal
as Forfeited to the British
Crown.
CHICAGO MEN WILL APPEAL

iaOANbONs otNl ~ ne bTlllHh
prize court today condemned the
greater part of the American prod
ucts forming the cargoes. OF four
steamships. The products, valued
at several million dollars, are de-
clared forfeited TO the crown.
The judgment was delivered by
Sir Samuel r. Evans. president Of
the court. II involves the cargoes
OF tho Norwegian steamships Kim.
Alfred Nobel, Bjornsterne- Bjorson
and Fridland. All the goods on
these vessels, consisting principally
of American meat products. are con-
fiscated, with the exception of a
small proportion which the court re-
leased to claimants.
The case has been pending for several
months, The steamships were seized last
November, and although efforts wero
made by the American owners to obtain
an early trial the British authorities set
the hearing for June. The hearing closed
last month and Judgment was reserved
until today.
Judgment OF Court.
In lengthy Judgment. Sir Samuel said
Il was plain these ships were carrying
toward Copenhagen when captured moro
than thirteen times the amount Of goods
which under normal circumHtances would
have been taken to that port. That fact
gave practical and overwhelming assur-
Rnce that the goods were intended TO find
their way TO Germany. although, OF
course, II did not prove conclusively that
they were destined for an enemy OF
Great Britain.
One circumstance throwing light on the
real destination of the goods. Sir Sam
uel said, was that the expectation OF lard
by one American company alone to Co
penhagen In three weeks after the out
break OF the war was twenty times more
than In periods of peace. As TO tins OF
canned meats. he said. Il had not not
been shown that they had been sent to
Denmark In any great quantity before
the war. yet hundreds of thousands were
on the way when the vessels were cam
tured These tins. II seemed, could not
other than German soldiers.
Referring to the consignments OF rubber
described az gum tho president said:
Il have come to the conclusion that
gum is not a good commercial descrip-
ton for rubber, and that II was used in
the ships manifests in order to avoid
the difficulty which would result in its
capture By belligesent. Any conceal
ment Of this sort will. while sit in the
prize court, weigh heavily against those
who adopt such courses"
sir Samuel allowed one claim OF a
Danish manufactures for a quantity Of
rubber. which he said had been shipped
In good faith for use In hts factory.
Fifteen millions I'm Meat.
The meat cargoes, shipped for the most
part by the great American packing com
panies and valued by them at Sib.OOO. oOo
were found by the president 70 be des-
tined, except for some small item. not
for consumption In Denmark, but for de-
livery In Germany. He held that their
eventual destination was the German
government, for the use OF its naval and
military forces. To rule otherwise, Sir
Samuel said. would be to allow ones eyes
TO be blinded.
Tho court disaliowed sixteen claims In
cludins those OF the Morris, Armour,
Hammond. Swift and sulxberger com
panies. It allowed eight claims. incIud-
ing that OF the Cudahy company OF Chi
caso. The others were Danish consignees
Sir Samuel gave leave 20 appeal. fixing
security for the costs at $4,000. divisible
among the appellants. He also gave the
crown attorneys leave to appeal In the
cases OF the Cudahy and other claims
which were allowed.
Loss of Packers Complete.
CHICAGO. H.. Sept. ls-If the eonfisca-
ton OF American meat cargoes ordered
the British prize court. Chicago packers
will lose approximately tl5.OO0.OOO at
which the shipments were valued. The
packers. however. have not yet given up
the fight
Attorneys Henry Veeder. C. ]. Faulk-
ner. jr.. and NJ. w. Borders. representing
Swift 4 Co., Armour a Co. and Morris q
Co., this afternoon gave the following
Joint statement concerning the decision
Of the British prize court, received
today:
bhBiAnoh confibcatiOn OF N,0OO,OOO
worth OF American meat products, as an
nounced In the brief press dispatches to-
day Is not justified by the facts or any
principle of International law. II can only
be construed as OF another step IN Eng
lands policy 10 interfere with the trade
OF American citizens with the citizens of
neutral countries. All these shipments
were destined TO neutral countries, and
the ships papers. at the time Of their
seizure. clearly showed such fact They
were not destined to or for the enemies OF
Great Britain. and. upon trial OF the case.
no evidence showing they were destined 10
such enemy OF Great Britain was ad-
duced and none could have been. This
makes necessary further presentation OF
stronger protests 10 the Department OF
state for an equitable adjustment OF the
claims"
Guy c. Sheppard. vice president OF the
cudahy Packing company. which escaped
with slight loss. said that his company
proved that its shipments had been
bought outright by Danish merchants.
c. J. Faulkner OF the legal staff Of Ar
mour a Co. said;
Il don't see how England justifies that
dicision. The goods shipped on three OF
The four ships involved were sent before
The English order was Issued. We could
not stop the sniDments when the order