OCR Text |
Show Superintend of Armour's Arrested Government Charges Him With Interfering' In-terfering' With Witnesses During Grand Jury Investigation. CHICAGO, March 23 -The Federal grand Jury tonight returned an Indictment Indict-ment against Thomas J. Connors, general gen-eral superintendent of Armour & Co., on a charge of Interfering with a witness summoned to appear before the jury now Investigating the so-called beef trust. Mr. Connors, who Is J. Ogden Armour's most confidential employee, and tho active head of ono of tho largest packing companies com-panies of tho world, was arrested on a bench warrant' by a deputy United Stntes marshal and brought to tho grand jury room, whero he was released an 55000 bond. After his release Mr. Connors refused re-fused to diffuse the matter. Tho Indictment charges that John Edward Ed-ward Shields of Brooklyn, a former oin-ployeo oin-ployeo of Armour & Co , who testified before tho grand Jury was approached, favored and entertained by Mr. Connors, and specifically states that on March 25 the offense upon which Mr. Connors was Indicted occurred. It is also charged that Shields was given tho use of Armour & Co.'e offices at 2CO LaSallo streot to transact his business bus-iness while in Chicago, and also the UBe of a private telegraph wire In tho office pf tho packing company. Connors as Entertainer. Another allegation is that Shields was entertained by Connors and that Connors suggested to tho proposed witness that he (Should testify favorablv to Armour & Co. and not toll all that ho knew concerning con-cerning tho matter under Investigation. Tho second count of the Indictment charges that Mr. Connors did not limit his nttempt at Influencing witnesses to Mr. Shields, but that other witnesses who have not yet appeared In Chicago havo been nppioachcd by him and attempt made to Influence them as to the nature of tho testimony they should glvo beforo tho grand Jurors. When the special grand Jury convened last week Shloldn was ono of tho first witnesses to nppear. Ho came to Chicago Chi-cago from Now York. He had testified before a grand jury sitting In Now York, and thero Is said to havo divulged facts which led tho Federal officials to believe him to be In possession of many other details de-tails concerning tho question under consideration Watched by Detectives. Ho was requested to como to Chicago, and tho Federal officials wero Instructed to watch tho man closely. Two men were detailed to watch Shields. One of theso secrot service mon obtained Shlelds's confidence, con-fidence, and thus learned facts which doubled the precautions ot tho Government Govern-ment to prevent any of the witnesses from being coached. Shields was, followed bv theso detectives, and It was learned that ho frequonted the offices of Armour & Co., having a prl-vato prl-vato wire at hla disposal, and answering all his prlvnto correspondence there Every move of Shields was closclv watched. Tho matter reached a climax yesterday, when one of tho secret ser-vlco ser-vlco men submitted a report to his superiors. supe-riors. Today Shields was In the grand jury room from 2 o'clock to 5 o'clock. The occ-tlon occ-tlon of the statutes under which tho Indictment In-dictment was drawn provides that any person who Interferes with a witness shall bo subjectcd to a line of J5C0 or Imprisonment for throe months, or both. |