The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-12
ACCUSED employees
PLEAD NOT GUILTY
Company Even Declares 1t Will Aid
the Recommendation Get Bail
ThemseIvs.-Expected That Some of

NEW YORK, May 12.-Panic has
taken possession of certain men
high up in the American Sugar
Refining Company-the sugar trust.
In an effort to save themselves from
indictment and criminal prosecution
as a result of the swindling of the gov
eminent out of millions of dollars by
fraudulently weighing importations of
sugar. they have deserted the six work
men who, it is alleged, actually tam
pered with the scales.
These men were indicted by the Fed
eral grand jury. The sugar trust Of
| ficials learned Thursday that the in
dictments were coming and promptA
| discharged five Of the men, though
they had been in the company's en-
ploy many years.
The sixth man, Oliver Spitezr, super
intendent on the Havemeyer & Elder
docks, who is said to have ordered
the five checkers and weighers to op-
crate the hidden spring in the govern
ment's scales So as to make the
weight short, was discharged weeks
ago.
These men, it is alleged, by falsely
weighing cargoes of sugar, made be-
tween 100000 and 100000 of
practically stolen money for the sugar
trust. The regular pay of the check
ers and weighers was only $13 a week,
but it is alleged that for their art in
robbing the government of millions
they got S. a week extra.
The sugar trust is not paying any
lawyer to defend these men, and,
moreover has offered to help the gov
eminent convict them. This offer was
made to Special Assistant Attorneys
General Henry L. Stimson and Wini
fred S. Dennison, who are prosecuting
the cases.
Hope to Avert Prosecution.
This offer is said to be in the hope
that the government, satisfied with
convictions of workmen, will not at
tempt to prosecute those higher UP
who were enriched by the swindling |
practices.
While neither Mr.. Stimson nor Mr. |
Dennison would discuss the offer of |
cooperation made by the sugar trust |
The World is in position to state that
it will have no effect on the govern
ments plan to prosecute high-salaried
executive officials if evidence of the
frauds can be obtained.
The chief caunsel of the sugar trust
is John E. Parsons, and he has held
that position ever since it's organiza-
ton. He was in the directorate of the
when the frauds were discov-
cred, Nov. 20, 1907, and for long time
prior. He was the legal adviser of the
late H. o. Havemeyer, president of
the trust at the time the frauds were
discovered and who died suddenly at
his Long Island country place about
ten days after the government uncov-
cred the astounding swindle.
1t was at Mr.. Parsons law office
hat formal announcement of the sugar
trusts desertion of it's employees was
made. Henry B. Clausen, Mr.. Parsons
aw partner, gave a reporter for the
World the following typewriter state
nent:
1.-The officers of the American Sugar
,efining Company have no comment .
} make in regard to the new indict- :
tents found against oliver Sitter and .
'rtain of the men formerly employed
lder him beyond this-that they are
anxious as the United States attor-
y can be that these men and any
hers shall be punished if they are a
ilty and that they are and have
an cooperating to that end with the L"
tied States attorney lii
None of the men concerned are now
the employment of the company, 10
tier was dismissed Immediately af- +
the recent trial before Judge Holt; +,
other men mentioned on Thursday ID
his week" W;
Must Pay Their Own Lawyer.
answer to the question whether III