The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-23
Secretary MacVeagh An
nounces That 100000
Paid by the Sugar Trust
Does Not Settle the Bill.
OTHER PROSECUTIONS
WILL LIKELY FOLLOW
"SIeeper Trunk Customs
Frauds Participated in by
People All Over Country, One
of Matters Under Discussion
CLAIMANT MAKES A CALL

Washington, Nov. 22.-Collector
Loeb of New York conferred with the
administration officials here today
regarding the investigation of the
customs house frauds. Replying to
inquiries, MIR. Loeb said that so far as
the house cleaning in the New York
customs house was concerned it was
practically over, but intimated that
the surveillance and closer watch
over conditions there would be kept
up.
Institution Of criminal prosecutions
against perpetrators Of sleeper trunk
customs frauds, with ramifications in
all parts of the country, the pressing of
existing indictments to avoid lapse
under the statute of limitations, and the
customs investigation generally were
discussed at a lengthy conference at the
treasury department today. Secretary of
the Treasury MacVeagh, Attorney
General Wickersham, Collector Loeb of
the port of New York and United States
District Attorney Henry A. Wise par
ticipated.
more FineS anticipated.
Incidentally, Secretary MacVeagh
announced that the 81, COG, 600 which the
American Sugar Refining company had
paid over to the government, on account
Of evasion Of duties, was regarded by the
government as a complete settlement for
all its underweighing frauds. but that
amount affected no other evasions of
duty and in no wise figured as to the
other matters and that the government
purpOsed to recover much more money
as the result of frauds the so-calIed
trust had committed.
After the conference Secretary Mac
Veagh smilingly referred to the sugar
frauds overshadowing in interest one
Of the most important phases of the
whole investigation, the commission Of
frauds by importers bringing in trunks
with false bottoms, involving losses to
the government of millions of dollars.
Sensations Expected.
The sleeper trunk frauds, whereby
goods are brought into this country in
trunks with false bottoms, stretch to
many parts of the United States
though passing only through the port
of New York in cases about to be prose-
cuted
Beyond the generalization of millions
Of dollars nobody officially can estimate
the amount of taxes thus evaded Most
viOlatOTs of the law in this respect are
dressmakers. The government has
much evidence, and the prosecutions
promise TO be sensational
Secretary MacVeagh declared today
that he had no knowledge of reported
offers of $685. and $500, 600, respec-
lively, by independent sugar refining
companies to the government to drop
cases against them.
Claimant Appears.
Edwin I. Anderson, a former en-
plOye of the American Sugar Refining
company, who has made claim on
the treasury department for compensa-
ton for data he gave the government,
called with his counsel. They talked
with Secretary MacVeagh a few min
utes and asked to see the papers of
Surveyor Richard Parr, who also has
filed a claim. PARIS claim was refused
by Assistant Secretary Reynolds two
years ago on a ruling prohibiting GUS
toms employees from receiving any
bonus.
Mr.. MacVeagh declined to allow An
derson to see the papers.