Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-22
WILL SAVE MILLIONS
Collector Loeb Stamps Out
Sleeper Trunk" Practices.
VAST SMUGGLING FRAUDS
Conference of Officials at Treasury
Department.
SUGAR TRUST CASES DISCUSSED
Payment of Fines Not Bar Against
Further Prosecution on
Other Charges.
VAST SMUGGLING FRAUDS
SUGAR TRUST CASES DISCUSSED

Secretary MacEeagh of the Urea sury
Attorney General Wickersham. William
Loeb, jr., collector of the port of New
York. and United States Attorney Henry
A. Wise of New York were closeted in
Secretary MacVeagh's Office for three
hours today. talking over the customs
frauds and the sugar trust.
When they finished Secretary Mac
Veagh and Collector Loeb, who were the
spokesman, had very little to say about
the result of the conference except that
while the two million and odd dollars re-
Gently collected from the sugar trust in
fines was taken d complete reimburse.
ment to- the government for the weight
frauds it was not a bar to the collection
of fines for other frauds, should any be
discovered Mr.. Loeb stated. also. that
an effectual stop had been put to the
trunk smuggling, through which the gov
eminent lost about two million dollars.
Mr.. Loeb and Mr. Wise arrived in
Washington last night. and before going
to the Treasury today the latter spent
Department of Justice. Secretary Mac
Veagh and Mr.. Loeb were together for
half an hour before they were joined by
the Attorney General and Mr.. Wise.
I'VE feel satisfied with the work of
cleaning up the customs service as far As
that work has gone said Secretary Mac
Veagh. after the conference was over.
THE Attorney General has informed US
that the payment of the million-dol-
lar fine by the sugar refineries, while it
is accepted as full payment for the
weight frauds, is no bar to further prose-
cution in connection with other frauds. y
Sleeper Trunk Frauds.
"The 'sleeper-trunk' frauds, which.
while they were perpetrated in New York,
affected the whole country, are at an end.
Mr.. Loeb has effectually stamped them
out. These frauds are intensely interest
esting. although they have been some
what overshadowed in public interest by
the sugar trust frauds. Both Mr.. Loeb
and Mr. Wise, who has locked after the
legal end of the work of stopping them,
have been most successful in their eff
forts"
In speaking of the trunk frauds Mr.
Loeb said means had been found to bot
tie them up at both ends. These frauds
were perpetrated by means of sleeper
trunks, or milliners' trunks, which come
New Precautions Taken.
'These frauds said Mr.. Loeb. were
the cause of our rigid methods of exanli-
nation at the New York docks. We have
changed the designs of the revenue
stamps and have put guards at all the
docks 1t is no longer possible now to
obtain revenue stamps with the ease that
they were formerly obtained. Nor are
persons allowed to come and go and take
away trunks at their will.
Every sleeper trunk or other packag &c
of goods received at the docks is now
taken to storeroom and locked up. Be-
fore it'passes the last guard it is thor
Oughly examined.
I'VE also found collision on the part
of stewards and other employees of the
transatlantic steamship companies. When
he reported them to their companies they
were discharged.
These customs frauds were wonderful
but we think we have them stamped out
Mr.. Loeb will remain in Washington
until tomorrow. This afternoon he will
confer with the Treasury bureau chiefs
and attend to a number of minor matters
in connection with the work of cleaning
up the customs service Mr.. Wise will
leave for New York tonight