New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-07
SUGAR WIGW AGGING
PICKETS NE4R DOCKS,
JURY HEARS.
Signals TO announce to the
Ueighers the. 4pproach of
Customs Men.

Pickets according to witnesses AT The
continuation OF the trial Of the six former
employees 81 the American Sugar Refining
Company yesterday, were stationed within
a few blocks of the Havemeyer & Elder
docks in Williamsburg before the No
vember. 1897. raid. The approach Of Gus
toms officials would be announced by a
suzzer. and electric lights would fash and
the lighted bulbs would be wigwagged in
tho scale houses Frederick r. Sanders a
negro lsborer employed on the docks by
the government for eleven years. said on the
stand
Whenever I saw the lights fash or the
bulbs being waved back and forth knew
that in a short time one Of the customs
officers would be there As soon as the sig
nails were flashed the scales would be bal
anced"
John Rochefort. another laborer. gave
similar testimony. Thomas y. Stenson
who was an assistant government weigher
until after the raid told Of being removed
10 another weighing district after he had
complained 10 a company checker that
there was something wrong with the scale
This could only have been done by Gus
toms official. and there was slertness among
the lawyers and spectators when Stenson
was asked who had ordered him 10 go else
where. RE did not know who. he said. He
just got the orders and obeyed them.
PARR. ILL. TEsTIFIES.
Richard Parr. who discovered the steel
spring which manipulated the scales. was
on the stand again. He was cross-eXam-
fred by Clarence LeNoW. Of counsel for
Oliver splitter. one Of the accused men. Mr..
Parr came 20 the court in. When excused
ne went hack 20 his home and 10 bed.
Ephraim Jspha. who was weighing sugar
al the scale where the steel spring was
used. corroborated Mr.. PARIS testimony.
The government counsel were slowly
completing their case. one witness after
another curroborated or strengthened what
had been testified 10 last week Winfred
T. Denison. who is aiding Henry l. slim
son. tho special prosecutor for the govern
ment. was DELAYED by wreck on the Bos-
ton express. and as result the programme
Of the government was somewhat changed.
Mr. BeNow was late. and that further up
set tho regular order.
q was typical Monday morning IN court.
The Jurors were late counsel We're late; but
in Vermont. where Judge James l.. Martin.
who is conducting the case, comes from.
they keep early hours. lie was on time.
Iapha was the first witness. After repeat
ing PARIS story OF the discovery Of the
steel spring and the incidents i'm which the
witness inquired. counsel for the defence
took him in hand.
There were three checkers employed by
the sugar company who have since died.
Each witness for the government who has
had ANYTHING 10 do with the work on the
docks has been asked whether he knew
these men. The question was put 10 Jspha,
hut he laid stress on the presence Of three
of the defendants when ne weighed sugar
John r. Coylc. Edward 4. Boyle and
Thomas Kehoe. The scale poise and coun-
terpoise figured i'm Japha's testimony. The
government counsel brought out the fact
that the poise had been tamPered with. and
she defence could not shake the Wttness's
testimony.
SIGNALS FROM WHALI.EY.
Nj LeNow MAS ready FOR Parr when he
was called FOR the discrimination, but
Parr survived ali attempts - gruellinG
About Richard Whallcy. who had aided on
the docks in the hunt for fraud. Parr
tsid the signal given by Mhslley did not
influence him Psrr said Mhalley had in
\ formed him that CoNle had refused To tell
" the kline ~ a device that Was being used 70
" tamper Nith the weight The witness said
that although Whalley signalled that some
thing Was wrong In scslehouse No. 3. he
had reason TO believe that he would get
what he Was after In No. ].
The conversation with Splitter, told Of last
week by Mr.. Parr. MAS recalled With Inn
prossiveness Mr.. LeNow asked.
DO YOU know that what you say YOU
recoIect Mr.. splitter said constituted
crime
Yes. SIT and ] knew It al the time.
was the prompt answer.
PAR got on record the statement that
Whsney had said that Hennessey, one Of
the defendants. was using something 10 in
nuencs the weights Of drafts Of sugar.
and that MhaIley said thar al were using
something. The count ~ this point told the
Jury that whatever Parr said about the
conversation with Whaney should not he
taken a. evidence. but simply a. bearing
out PARIS story.
BLAMED WIND Under SCALES.
Charles : Pettingill. a customs inspector.
vino was an assistant Weigher for four
Years. including tho year OF tho raid iden-
tined BOYLE. Coyls and kehO, as men who
acted IS company checkers when he was
weighing sugar on the HaVen.eyer q Elder
docks ON the model scales before the Jury
he demonstrated the Use Of the steel spring
The three checkers named. he said, were
ON duty when these irregularities came to
fis attention When he spoke 90 BOYLE
about a.. the witness said. Boyle attributed
Il 20 wind under the dock While Peitin-
gin WAS testifying United States Attorney
Goungs. 81 Brooklyn. took seat AT the
cOunssl table.
Stenson. who was dropped from the gov
ermment service. then told Of his transfer
ITe idegtihed coyle, kehoe. Boyle and
Splitter In June, 1895. Stenson said, ne no
tioed that the weighing was not making
progress freely IL should. Kehoe was
checking for the company. The witness
stepped outside. but found everything all
right there There had been shortage of
about zen pounds 10 the bag Kehoe asked
him. the witness said. whether he believed
the scales could be tamIered with. Stem
son said ne thought they could lie was
asked what be would 90 IL he found nllt