Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29
RUM0RS ON SWIFT
FINANCES DENIED
Money Worries Are Minimized
by Intimates as Cause of
Packers Death.

BY the Associated Press.
| CHICAGO, May 2s-Edward F.
Swift. head Of one Of the first families
! OF Chicago and chairman of the great
packing house his father built, dropped
six stories to instant death today from
a window Of his gold coast apartment
home
He was SO years old. second son of the
late Gustavus Franklin Swift, the Mas
sachusetts packer, who cam2 West TO
make Chicago the capital Of the meat
packing industry.
He had been in good health. Daily
he had busted himself with the affairs
OF Swift & Co., whose Craftsmanship he
assumed only last January upon the
| retirement of his elder brother Louis.
Only the family chauffeur. seated at
the rear OF the North State street apart
ment building, witnessed the headlong
plunge. Only Q wide open window in
the living room, the curtain thrown up
and ruthed, told whence he had fallen,
Executives Hold Farley.
Executives of the packing company.
shocked, went into conference immedi-
ately and Charles H. Swift a brother
and vice chairman OF the board, issued
the terse statement: Edward F. Swift
hao been In his usual good health and
spirits He had been attending to bust
ness as usual. His affairs are in ex-
cellent condition"
Attendent rumors Of financial yor
Iles were dismissed by one banker on
la sale street, intimate with the
SWl1ts: In our opinion, his rersonal
finances could have had no connection
with the tragedy"
Theodore Phil Swift, one Of the pack
ers two sons, hurried to his fathers
apartment. He thought his father
thruStlng up the window sash. had
leaned over the 8-inch brass guard rail
and fallen. There was no screen on the
window.
Stocks React Nervously.
Swift securities reacted nervously on
the Chicago Stock Exchange. Swift a.
Co. stock dropping 2 points to 81 and
recovering to $7.38. while Swift Inter-
national. a South American affiliate of
which Edward Swift was president.
dropped S points to 1925 and closed at
s1l.75. Some reaction, however had
been anticipated because Of the halving
OF Swift & Co.'S dividend Yesterday.
placing the stock on a 81 annual basis.
The name Of Swift. like the Armours
and McCormicks and Palmers. has be-
come a part of the pattern of Chicago.
Young Edward Swift at IL took les
sons from old Gustavus, his father. at
buying cattle and sheep in the Chicago
yards back in 1878. Gustavus. the
founder. had brought his family out
West from Barnstable. Mass, where
Edward was born in 1868
Edward became the first manager Of
his fathers Kansas City. Mo. plant in
1887. Successfully he became director,
vice president and then chairman.
Other Chicago pioneer families. like
the Armours. have slowly relinQushed
the industries they builded but the hve
sons Of Gustavus-Louis. IL Edward.
68: Charles. go: Gustavus F.. jr., 81,
and Harold. 4T-all had carried on the
Swift packing house dynasty.
Married in 1888.
Edward F. Swift was married to
Hortense Newcomer in 1888. She was
dressing in her boudoir today when the
chauffeur hurried in with word Of the
tragedy.
The Swifts had two sons and daugh-
ter Edward F.. jr. who is in California:
Philip and Mrs. Annie May Swift
Henry.
A close associate in business recalled
that during the World War Mr. Swift.
having read of 200 soldiers freezing at
Camp Grant. Rockford. Ill. had or
dered the employe to spend as much
, money as you want and keep your
mouth shut about it." The emissary
spent $1,000 in relieving the condition
At Camp Grant.