The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-28
Thwarted by Court, Heney APP
peaIs to Congress.
Would Include Search and Seiz-
ure in Espionage Act.
HENEY CHARGES "FELONIES"
Packers Papers He's Prevented
Seeing Contain the Evidence!
Declares Plot Nationwide To
Control Meat Prices.

Washington, Feb. 2S.-Special and
speedy legislation TO lay bare the con-
fldentiaI files of the great meat pack
ers and disclose what government in
vestigators believe. will show plans to
take complete control of the meat in
dustry was asked of congress today
by the federal trade commission.
on recommendation of Francis j.
Hency. special counsel conducting the
commissions investigation. who has
been restrained by court orders from
taking further papers and also from
using those already seized by his
agents, the commission laid the facts
before congress and asked for action
One Court Ovcrrulcs Other.
Charging that Henry Veeder coun-
sci for the packers, lis still the custo-
dian Of many papers which have been
used as instrumentalities in the com
mission of felonies," Mr.. Heney asked
for a supplement to the espionage law
to facilitate the government 5 inquiry
into the industry. After Federal Judge
Lands of Chicago had issued search
warrant authorizing the seizure of inn
pOrtant documents in the possession
% Mr. Needer. the federal circuit
court of appeals restrained a marshal
from removing or examining any or
the papers in Veeder's vault and fur
ther from examining or in any way
using papers already seized by the
government
Specifically, Mr.. Heney asked that
congress amend or supplement the
espionage act so that the decision of
a judge who issues search warrant
shall be conclusive upon the question
Of the existence of probable cause and
that a summary proceeding already
provided by the statute for the deter
mination of the question of whether
the PIC pcrtyr seized under the Wit
was used for commission oe felony
shall likewise be conclusive for the
purpose of only enabling the court to
retain such property in the custody of
the law until the purpose for its seiz-
ure snail have been served.
The action of the appellate court in
issuing the stay. said Mr.. Heney. pre-
vented the government from even eX-
amining papers already in its posses
sion and which a federal district court
had found had been used ''as the
means of committing felonies by
Swift & Co, and other corporations -
In its letter to Vice President Mar
shall as president of the senate, the
Federal Trade commission described
this question to be Of such vital i'm
portance to its work and possibly the
work of other departme of the gov
ernment as to require its calling the
Is Packers Clearing House.
Counsel Heney in his letter declared
that Mr.. Veeder al the beef trust trial
in 1912 after the statute of limitations
had expired, had testified that for
many years his Office was the clearing
house for the five big packers in a
criminal conspiracy which they main
tained for the fixing of prices and the
control of the meat industry.
The evidence which we have gath
cred in the present investigation >
continued Mr.. Heney, strongly tends
to prove that this conspiracy with
some slight notifications to its scope
and purpose has continued in exist
ence ever since and is still active and
that Needer is still the custodian of
many papers which have been used
in the pursuance thereof as instru-
mentalities in the commission OF
felonies."
The Swift, Armour, Morris, Wilson
and Cudahy packing companies are
specifically mentioned in the alleged
commission of felonies."