Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-12-19

commission from the private files O.
the packers was made public, de-
spite determined opposition in ex
parte hearings in Washington anC
other cities which were sensational
in their revelations of financia
manipulation by means OF dummy
directors. bearers, warrants and
other devices to conceal the per.
sons involved.
When the investigation was trans
ferred to Chicago, 4 hot legal fight
resulted from 4 raid on the private
vault of Henry Veeder, from which
Francis ]. Heney of San Francisco
special counsel for the commission,
took letters and papers alleged to
have related to collision between
the packers to control the market
and prices of live stock. Veeder
stopped Heney from further exam
nation of his files by obtaining q
federal injunction, pending which
both sides maintained guards around
the vault night and day.
Outline OF Agreement.
The official outline of the agree.
ment reached between the govern
ment and the FIVE big packers as
made public tonight by the De-
partment of Justice follows: "
Attorney General Palmer today
announced that the FIVE big packers
Armour & Co., Morris & Co.. Swift
& Co., Wilson & Co., the Cudahy
Packing company. their main SUBJ
salaries and principal stockholders
and managers, have submitted to all
the contentious of the government
and consented to the entry of any
injunction decree providing for the
carrying out of these contentious.
Under this decree, the defend
ants, and each of them either as
corporations or as individuals, are
compelled, in brief:
ITO sell under supervision of the
United States district court, prefer
ably to the live stock producers and
the public, all their holdings in pub
lie stock yards.
ITO sell under the same super
vision, and in like manner all their
interests in stock yard railroads and
terminals.
ITO self under the same super
vision and in like manner all their
interests in market newspapers.
Dispose Of all their interest in
public cold storage warehouses ex-
cept as necessary for their own
meat products. ..
"To forever associate themselves
with the retail meat business.
No Grocery. Business.
"To forever associate themselves
with all unrelated lines including
wholesale groceries, fresh, canned,
dried or salt fish, crushed, dried,
evaporated or canned fruits. confec-
tioneries, syrups, soda water foun-
tains, supplies, etc, molasses, honey,
jams, jellies and preserves, ices,
sauces, relishes, etc, coffee, tea,
chocolate, cocoa, nuts, -four, sugar,
rice and cereals with an exception
to be noted), bread, waters, crack
ers. biscuits, spaghetti, vermicelli,
macaroni, cigars, china, furniture,
etc. .s...
ITO forever abandon the use of
the branch houses, route cars and
auto trucks, comprising their dis
tribution system, for any other than
their own meat and dairy products.
ITO perpetually submit to the
jurisdiction of the United States
district courts under an injunction
forbidding all the defendants from
directly or indirectly maintaining
any combination or conspiracy with
each other or any other personal
or persons, or monopolizing or at
tempting to monopolize any food
products, in the United States. or
INDUCING in any unfair and un1aw-
full practice.
Jurisdiction Retained.
'The' decree further provides the
jurisdiction is perpetually retained
by the courts for the purpose of
taking such other action, or add
ing at the foot of the decree such
other relief, if any, that may become
necessary or appropriate for the car
rying out and enforcement of the de-
cree or for the purpose of enter
tanning at any time hereafter in the
which the parties may
make with respect to this decree.
Immediately upon Mr.. Palmer
becoming attorney general in
March. 1919, he personally took up
the charges against the packers,
and special assistants were asked
to study the investigation of the
federal trade commission, at hear
ings before congressional commit
tees and to conduct independent in
vestigations.
Submit Before Probe.
after eight months of exhaustive
work and the placing of one branch
of the matter before 4 Chicago
grand jury, the results were ready
to be placed before 4 United States
grand jury sitting in New York for
the months of November and De-
cember. Before the opening, how
ever, Of the hearings before that
grand jury Mr.. Palmer was notified
that the defendants would submit to
all proper requirements of the gov
eminent under the law"
Mr.. Palmer's statement then re-
cites the alleged evils of packer
ownership of stock yards, market
NEWSPAPERS and allied industries as