The sun., 1909-11-17

trust
Now comes the oificial information that
twenty-five assistant weighers are known
< to be implicated sor are under suspicion
uf positive character. Secretary of
the Treasury Macveagh said to-day that
his intention was not only to reorganiEe
but TO rehabilitate the New York custom
house. He explained that by rehabilita-
tion he meant not merely a reorganiza-
tion to be made along business lines. but
y n change that would touch the atmos-
phere and the tone Of the personnel. Mr.
MscveaRh went on to say that he had be-
gun his inquiries last March on the basis
of Information which the Treasury De-
partment had at the time he assumed
once and that he had given considerable
attention to the matter.
IN. WON'T MuzzLE PARR.
While insisting that Richard Parr. for
rner special agent of the Treasury and now
deputy surveyor at the New York Custom
House in charge Of weighing. was de-
tached from the duty of investigating
sugar frauds at the instance Of former
United States District Attorney Stimson
and not on the initiative of the Treasury
Department. high officials Of the Treasury
so-day spoke in praise OF the work which
Mr.. Parr had done to ferret out the crook
ednees that was going on in connection
with the collection Of the customs revenues
st New York
. It was said that Mr.. Parr had done
splendid work and that there was no dis
position on the part of the Treasury De-
partment to take away any of the credit
from him. One OF the questions asked by
newspaper men at the Treasury Depart
rnent to-day was whether the Department
would have anything to say to MIR. Parr
On account of the disclosures which he
hAsmade tothe press and which appeared
"a reflect on other officials OF the Govern
ment
4 see that Mr.. Parr says that he will
not be nuzzled.- said one high official
of whom this question was asked. Ser
I tsinly I have no intention OF muzsling
him. ...,
James Burton Reynolds, ex-Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury and now a MEM
bsr of the tariff board said to-day that
hs had nothing to add to the statement
which he gave out last night in answer
to the allegations made in an interview
with Mr.. Parr. which were construed to
mean that Mr.. PARIS work in ferreting
iput the sugar frauds had been interfered
with by Mr.. Reynolds.
II have nothing more to say on the
subject said Mr.. Reynolds And then
he sdded significantly. at this time
A report that Mr.. Parr had been de-
tAched from duty at the New York Gus
Kom House and assigned to service at
San Francisco was denied autboritatively
at the Treasury Department. where the
statement was made that there was no
mention OF displacing Mr.. Parr. It was
8sid in thie connection that Mr.. Parr was
not now under the general jurisdiction
80 The Treasury Department. but was
directly under Collector Loeb, whose
wishes with regard to anything affecting
Mr.. Parr would he followed by the De-
partment.
" Mr.. Parr and Mr.. Loeb were school
mates In Albany, It was said. and Mr..
Parrs original appointment to the custom
service was obtained through Mr. Loeb's
Influence.
= Another report which found its way
here was that James F. Vail, Deputy Sur
weyor at the port Of New York. had been
hotified that he would be dismissed
E0ncerning this. Treasury officials said
that the fate OF Mr.. Vail was also in Mr.
ksceb's hands. but they declined TO make
amy further explanation and evidently
were averse to discussing Mr.. Wallis case.
CABINET TALK ON THE FRAUDS
The first meeting Of the Cabinet since
President Taft returned to Washington
from his $4,000 mile tour was held in the
Executive Offices to-day. Tuesday is
ono OF the regular meeting days Of the
cabinet. Through the attitude Of Cabinet
officers after the meeting and the re-
eponses made by some of them to ques-
tions OF newspaper men the understanding
was obtained that the President and his
official advisers had discussed the sugar
frauds and the condition Of affairs at the
New York Custom House during their
council which lasted nearly three hours.
Opportunity for more careful inquiry
showed. however, that the matter did not
bome up for any general discussion,
although Attorney General Wickersham.
IL was said. had brought with him to the
White House certain documentary evil
dence in regard to the prosecution of
fhe eugsr trust, which Ire had intended
laying before the President and his fellow
Cabinet officers SO that they might
be informed as to what was being done
by the Department of Justice in the way
OF prosecuting the thieves and grafters
II became known, hoyever. that Sec
retary Macveagh had discussed the sugar
frauds at length with President Taft since
MFR. Tafts return TO Washington and that
ths President had expressed himself as
In accord with the efforts of Mr.. .Maoveagh
and Attorney General Wickersham to
bring the sugar trust to an accounting
In the statement which IT made this
evening in regard to the allegations that
fhe sugar trust had had hand in the Sc
lection Of employees Of the New York
Custom House appointed under civil ser
yioc rules. the Civil Service Commission
said that it had called on the Treasury De-
partment in Washington and the customs
authorities in New York for information
rs to who were implicated in the sugar
frauds.
The answer has been received from the
Collector's Office in New York. says the
commission in its statement. -thTt up
TO this time all Of the persons who are