The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-31
SWIFT, AT INQUIRY,
ASKS NO IMMUNITY
Valves Rights in Questions
Over Closing of Rail-
way Yards.
PACKERS NOTES Barred
Price Fixing Denied and Fed
eral Control Plan Is
Protested.

wAsHrSGroN. Jan. 3o.-Questions OF
whether appearance OF packers repre-
sentatives before Congress would grant
them immunity from prosecution under
Federal laws and Of compelling the Fed
eral Trade Commission to disclose the
identity OF witnesses upon whose testi-
many charges Of collision were brought
against the packers came up to-day at
hearings before the Senate and House
committees.
Louis +. Swift. president Of Swift &
Co, after comforting with his counsel.
told the Senate Agriculture Committee
he would waive any rights he might nave
in respect to his testimony regarding the
abandonment of the NJ, X. and T. Rail-
| road stockyards at Fort Worth. Tex,
located near plants in which Swift Co.
and Armour & Co. were interested.
Question Of immunity.
The question Of possible immunity for
the witness was raised when Francis
j. Heney began questioning Mr.. Swift
with regard to the abandonment OF the
railroad yards Members of the COM
rmittee said evidence In this matter had
been referred to the Department Of Jus
tice, which was considering Its app'tca-
| ton to the Sherman antitrust law.
There was lengthy argument among
members as to the effect of Mr.. Swift's
testimony on his status in the event OF
prosecution in the courts and II finally
| was ended with Mr.. Swifts announce
ment that he would waive any rights
he might have.
Collision IL Denied.
T +. Wilson, president Of Wilson 4
| Co. was testifying before the House
| Interstate Commerce Committee when
members brought UP the matter Of re-
| curing the Federal Trade Commission
to furnish the names of the witnesses.
| Mr.. Wilson. in reply to questions. de-
MED there was any collision among the
| packers TO AK prices. Representative
| Winsiow of Massachusetts,, then said II
would be useless TO proceed further
| with the questioning OF the witness I'M
less the committee had something more
to base questions on than Anonymous
allegations"
| Mr.. Wnslow said each packer who
had testified had given satisfactory an
swers 10 all charges of the commission
except those made by the unnamed W.T.
nesses and added they could not be ex-
pected 20 answer those. He suggested
tina: the committee ask the Trade Conn
|
the witnesses be called to testify.
| In taking up the examination OF Mr.
| Swift regarding the NJ. X. & T. yard.
Mr. Heney read letters to show tina,
Swift & Co and Armour & Co. had re
fused to ship live stock over the rail-
road as long as the road maintained IT.
yards, and that later. when the yards
were abandoned, an agreement was
reached 10 ship a certain volume OF
stock over the line on certain days.
Mr.. Swift said the railroad stockyards
were merely feeding yards" and had
not been successful. and probably would
have been abandoned by the railroad
| anyhow.
You and Armour refused 10 ship or
the Katy In order to bring all the live
stock to your yards through. didn't your
asked Mr. Heney.
| There were negotiations with the rail.
road. but as to how far they went in
the way OF n threat don't know" was
the reply.
ut wasn't case of a threat" con,
tinued Mr., Heney you simply withdrew
your business from the Katy"
I'VE may have withdrawn some
Mr.. Swift started to say. but was IN.
terrupted by Mr., Heney, who said:
You withdrew so heavily that yor
forced the Katy to close its stock
yards in return for your shipping a GER
tain amount OF stock"
| When Mr. Wilson's examination be
fore the House committee was concluded
late to-day Arthur G.. Leonard. president
OF the Union Stock Yard and Transit
Company, Chicago, took the stand &c
protest against proposed Government
control or regulation OF stock yards.