The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-05-15
SUGAR TRUST TRIES
To HIDE RECORD
FORMER OFFICIALS OF THE UNI
TED STATES TREASURY DE-
PARTMENT MAY BE INVOLVED
IN SWINDLING GAME.

New York, May 15.-Former Of
ficials Of the treasury at Washington
will be involved in the criminal prose-
cutions instituted against Oliver Spit
ger and six others who were associat-
ed with him as weighers in the en-
ploy of the Havemeyer & Elder sugar
refinery, according to present indica-
lions. The seven men were indicted
Friday on the charge of swindling the
United States out of millions of dol
lars in duties on sugar imported by
the sugar trust.
The government claimed $1,000
600 and the trust compromised by
the payment OF more than $4,000
900 in fines in the hope that such
payment would settle the matter. The
indictments returned last Friday were
in effect a notice to the trust that
criminal prosecutions would be press
ed, regardless of the settlement of
the civil suits. It was intimated that
the frauds occurred during the ad-
ministration as president of the trust
of Henry o. HaveReyer, now dead
and practically by his orders.
1t was learned that the members of
the Havemeyer family are preparing
to defend his memory in the asper-
sions of personal dishonesty which are
implied in these limitations. 1t was
ascertained from reliable sources
closely connected with the family that
Havemeyer money is paying for the
defense of the men indicted Friday.
Reports of Discrepancies.
For some reason that has not been
fully explained, H. o. Havemeyer be-
came interested about 1900 in vague
reports of discrepancies between the
local and government weighers. He
called in one of his chief clerks anG
commanded him to make schedules o.
weights which showed the difference:
between the government and the
trust weights. This was done, &C
cording to the evidence developed il
the civil suit. The cold facts were Sc
forth so they could be plainly seer
and understood.
The conditions apparently were un
disturbed till the fall of 1907. Their
information was conveyed to the gov
eminent by a former checker for the
company named Richard Wallace, a:
to the nature and extent of the fraud:
that were being perpetrated. George
B. Cortelyou, then secretary of the
treasury, Immediately ordered an in
vestigation, which resulted in the dis
covery of the method by which the
scales had been altered to defraut
the government.
The result of the impending prose
cutions will be a wide breach in The
hitherto solid ranks of the sugar
trust
Heavy Stockholders.
Henry o. Havemeyer's family ar
still among the heaviest holders of thu
company's stock. The men under in
dictment are poor Their alleged
thefts netted them little. The sever
men, it is said, each got S. weel
extra for managing the false scales
If so, they got about $3.50 year al
told. The trust got millions.
Henry F. Cochrane, who has beer
retained to defend them, was TO
years connected with the local de
partment of the trust. 1t was init
mated at the New York custom house
today that evidence is now in hand
for the indictment of two Or three
men formerly employed there. They
will be charged with conspiring with
Splitter and his associates. After
these indictments have been made the
government will be asked to consid