The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-10-28
FALSE WEIGHING
COSTS MILLIONS
GIGANTIC FRAUD IN NEW YORK
ROBS GOVERNMENT OF AN
ENORMOUS SUM.
LOEB GIVES INFORMATION.
Work Has Been Going on systematically
for Fifty Years, Responsible
Persons Declare.
MANY PROSECUTIONS PLANNED.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. 23.-
That the government has been defraud-
ed out Of untold millions of dollars
through false weighing and other de-
vices at the port Of New York, and that
the extent of losses from this source
cannot even be estimated, is the infor-
nation Collector Loeb has brought to
the treasury officials.
Much has been made Of the sugar
weighing frauds, s result OF Wllch
the government brought suits totallhg
g10,0O0,000 and later accepted com
promise on @ basis of $2,O0O,OOO, but
there Is no longer any question IN the
minds of Mr.. Loeb ana the treasury
eGcials that the losses on other mer-
ehandise of various kinds amount to
many times S2,ooO,OOO.
Frauds for Fifty Years.
1t was declared in a responsible quar-
ter that it would probably never be pos
ssble to say how enormous the losses to
the government have been and that 1t
was probably true THAT for nifty years
there has been systematic defraudIng OF
the government at New York on large
scale.
The revelations made in the Musica
case-referred to frequently as the
cheese importing case-which is now on
trial. in which it has been disclosed that
the government was beaten out Of half
the weight of some of the impOrtations,
have astOunded treasury officials
Collector Loeb is in conference with
Acting Secretary Hilles and Chief Of
Customs Montgomery at the treasury
department. lie is retiCeut concerning
the subject Of discussion but it has been
learned that much Of it relates 10 the
f.# NH ola
are under way or are 10 be started. The
government attaches much Importance
to the MuslCa case for the reason that
II Is looked on as III the nature Of a
precedent.
Many Prosecutions Planned.
Mr.. Loeb has told the treasury de
partment he has a copper riycted' case
against these importers If convictions
are obtained il will mean that the gov
eminent will 20 ahead with many other
cases. From thirty 10 forty prosecutions
are planned and some of these, il is
paid. will be sensational and will reach
high up.
No conccalment is made here Of the
fact that some of the weghers have
promises Of immunity. That was how
the government obtained its evidence.
The treasury is arranging to have au-
fpmatic weighing apparatus installed ut
1l weighing with automatic scales in
ehe near Culture. How far this will cut
eown the weighing force is not stated.
Admits Altering Weights.
That the weighing frauds were more
1ar-reaching than anyone had believed
was learned in the afternoon when viii
liam \. Hutchinson, an assistant Gus
toms weighcr, testified he had gone to
the office Of Antonio and Philip Alusica,
Oh trial before judge Holt in the Unit
ed States circuit court IN n charge Of
defrauding the government. aud OH
tanned 5000 in one payment for altering
The weights.
On crosse examination he admitted be
had gone to other importers, perhaps Il
dozen Others be said, for the same
his pad aud then went % the merchants
10 SEE if there WAS anything in 1t for
me"