The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-03
SUGAR TRUST INDICTMENT.

II is something very much in the ma
ture of surprise to find that in spite
of tho adverse opinion OF the District
Attorney of New York, an Indictment
has been found against the big Sugar
Trust in the matter of its unlawful
Refining Company. The public had
been led TO suppose, on the statement
of the United States District Attorney
in New York. that the statute Of limi-
tations barred prosecution in this case.
1t seems very curious that he should
have said so, adding that he did not
intend to be a party to any fruitlcss
prosecution, and then that the Attor-
ney General should take the matter up
and procure these indictments; for
surely this administration docs not wish
to cover itself with the same sort Of
a record that the Roosevelt administra-
ton did in fruitless prosecutions, such
as that of the Standard Oil Company
most Of which were foredoomcd even
before they were brought. In this case,
any failure would be doubly unfortu.
nate, since the department S own ap-
pointee, thought high enough of in his
own profession 10 be United States Dis
trict Attorney for the greatest district
in the Union, stated beforehand that
the prosecution would be futile. and he
would have nothing TO do with it, be-
cause they had waited too long in
bringing it
The telegraphic dispatches which tell
of these indictments, give full history
of the acts committed by the big sugar
trust on which the prosecution is pro
ceeding, The Tribune gave in these
columns resume of the facts in this
case several DAYS ngo the gist of the
matter being that an agent Of the
American Sugar Company, finding Nj
Segal, the builder of the great refinery
of the Pennsylvania Company, hard up,
offered to lend him what money he
needed. Segal at that time did not
know that Kissel who offered to lend
him the money, was An agent of the
trust sugar company, and when Kisscl
suggested that he should, during the
pendency of the loan, have the right
to name the directors of the Pennsyl-
vania Sugar Refinery, it did not oc-
cur to Segal that this right would be
used by the big Sugar Trust to close up
his refinery, as was actually done. And
it is for doing this that the big Sugar
Trust is being prosecuted. and its Off
GERS indicted Whether the prosecu-
tion will amount to anything or not is
put in doubt by the action Of the
United States District Attorney for
| New York. 1t seems clearly that he
ought to know what he is talking
about; but surely Attorney Wickersham
ought also TO know all Of the facts and
the law, including the statute of limi-
tations.
In view of the immense interests in
volved, and of the double question
raised, first as TO the violation of the
law which really is practically, con-
fessed, and second on the question as
| W WHeLncr the statute or limitations Is
effectual to bar prosecution, the public
Will await with great interest tho de-
velopments. The preliminary skirmish
Is set for next Tuesday, so that
Wednesdays newspapers should be
of good deal Of interest. Certainly
il is to be hoped that Attorney General
Wlckersham is right, and his New York
district attorney wrong, in constituting
the effect of the statute of limitations
on this case, for it would be a pub.
lie misfortune 10 have a case so plain
as that, 80 directly and so scandalous.
ly in violation OF the law which forbids
the restraint OF trade that was the lead.
ing feature Of this case, prove inef
fcctive By reason Of the lapse Of time
in the beginning of the prosecution. If
tho case had been taken UP when Mr.
Earle first submitted it to Attorney
General Bonaparfo, there would have