The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-05-27
LETTERS OF HEIKE
INTRODUCED BY
PROSECUTION
To Prove He Was Aware Of
Cheating BY Weights
OPPOSED BY 5EFENCE
Ref-.re 20 Liberal Weights We Re-
ceive From the Customs
House"

New York, May 27.-Charles r.
Heike in the United States Circuit
Court yesterday heard Henry L. Slim
son, for the government, slowly read
letters in which Heike spoke with au-
thority and intimate knowledge Of the
liberal weights We receive from the
customs house AS secretary-treas-
urer of the American sugar Refining
company, Heike is charged with con
splracy to delraud the government of
customs dues on imports of raw
sugar Five subordinates are being
tried with him, and the prosecution
has been endeavoring to prove that
he, although an executive, was cogni-
Amt of and instrumental in cheating
at the trick scales Counsel for Heike
fought bitterly though unavailingly
TO bar the letters.
The first was dated Dec. "a, 1904,
and addressed TO Frank G. Turner,
superintendent of the South Boston
refinery. 1t read in part:
Il spoke to Mr. Thomasl Washing
ton b. Thomas, president OF the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company, the
other day in reference to a change We
wish to make in your melting ac-
count in order to have II conform
with the melting account Of the other
rehneries.
Il made a change in New York sew
eral years ago when we found that
cargoes of sugar melted at our re-
neries showed larger losses in
weight than ii was reasonable to ex-
pect That the difference was not
duelto actual losses was shown by the
technical statements, which frequent
ly gave large gains in the percentage
Of crystalizable sugar
These differences are due to two
I causes. First, the desire OF the SUI
! perlntendents TO make as good
showing OF their working as possible:
[ second. by the liberal weights and
tares which we receive from the Gus
toms house and which OF course we
1 do not undertake TO correct. These
customs house weights are generally
/ taken as a basis for the MEETINGS. To
charge the MEETINGS on the proper
basis, we have adopted the following
/ system.
Here the system OF charges is out
ined, and then the letter goes on
Il make these changes In the Office
In New York and / do not alter the
accounts at the refinery, as il does
not seem to me desirable that there
should be two sets OF weights on the
books of the refinery: one set, for in
stance. representing the customs
house weights on which duty Is paid.
and another set representing melting
weights, giving a larger number Of
pounds. 1t will be most convenient
for you after your statement OF raw
sugar melted has been completed, to
add these differences to each lot. The
correction Of the technical statement
| shall make here in New York.
Yours very truly,
C. r. Heike, Secretary
The foregoing was read from
Heikes private letter book Another
letter written by Helke In 1897 was TO
Ernest W Gerbracht, former superln.
teudent of the Williamsburg Brook
lynl refinery. Gerbracht is one Of the
defendants The communication up.
braided Gerbracht mildly for not hav'
ing shown certain weight books as re
quested by clerk OF the insurance
inspectors.
AS there were no duties on these
sugars" wrote Heiko. there could
under no circumstances be any harm
In showing the weights. as there could
be no comparison with the customs
house weights"
Other letters considered less sig
niacant by the prosecution were read
among them letters to the heads 81
the refnerles at New Orleans. Phlla
delphia, Boston, Chicago and JERSEY
. City.
William a. Bryan. clerk II
lIeike's Office. testified that In March
1909. he destroyed a package marke,
technical statements. 1906" a
Heike's direction. This was four day
after the termination OF the govern
mcnt suit for the recovery OF SOM
I 100000 In duties from the CON
pany.
Arthur p. Wallln. a clerk I'm the al
, dltlng department. also testified tina
/, he destroyed some technical stat,
. mcnts at Heike's request at the clos
', OF the first Splitter trial.
=, The government did not rest u
= case, and adjournment was taken M
On today
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