The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-05-27
SPHzER DRIVEN
BY CONSCIENCE
Convicted Sugar Weigher Testi-
iies With Pardon in Pocket.
SENSATION SPRUNG in N. J. TRIAL.
Dramatic Moment In The Court
Room In New York When The
j First Witness For The Govern
ment Shows A Pardon From The
President Story OF The Secret
Springs in the Sugar Scales And
The Warning Signal Lights "A
Mysterious Phone.

New York Especial .-O Oliver Spit
Ter, a man whose conscience hurt
him. came back to New York like a
spectre from the grave, and. with
q pardon from the President In his
pocket, gave testimony at the trial
of Charles R. Heike, secretary-treas-
urer of the American Sugar Rein
ing Company. who, with five subor-
dinates, is charged with conspiring
to defraud the government In under
weights of sugar imports.
Splitter, as superintendent of the
company's Williamsburg (Brooklyn)
docks, got two years in the Atlanta
Penitentiary for his participation in
the frauds, but he was quietly par
d0ned by the President last Thurs
day, after serving only three months,
and, having made full confession,
from now on will aid the govern
ment In Its attempt to convict his
former associates.
Spitzer's story on the stand did
not directly connect Heike with the
frauds, but his confession resulted
ID one new arrest. James o. Brzen-
ingki, formerly an employe of the
Treasury Department and now pri-
vate detective, was locked in the
Tombs. charged with perjury.
Splitter confessed that he attempt
ed to bribe Brzsninski to conceal the
frauds and the latter is alleged to
have denied this before federal
grand jury This apparent conflict
brought about Brzeninski's arrest.
Splitter told an amazing story on
the stand under direct examination
y and hurried from the court to the
federal grand jury room. This led
10 the rumor that his full confess
sion would result in another batch OF
4 indictments.
His was not cross-examined by the
defense because of the neculiar situa-
ton created by his sudden appear
ance as a government witness. Two
\ viOusly appeared for Splitter when he
was defendant and for ethical rea-
sons could not now examine him
No promise of parodn brought
about Spitzer's confession. say the
federal authorities. His conscience
merely hurt him, it was explained
but realizing the Importance of his
testimony and the legal obstacles
likely to bar 1t were he convict
action was taken to restore him to
citizenship,
Bag OF Lead Used First.
Splitter went back to the year 1894
and 1895, when he said an investi-
cation he made developed the fact
that the checkers were altering the
weights on raw sugar by nlacina
small bags Of lead on the beams oil
the scales, causing the record
weights to drop below the actual
often as much as 40 pounds on each
draft. IN addition, Splitter said, II
was also the practice to stuff paper
underneath the floors of the scales
for the same purpose. He added
that when Deputy Surveyor of Gus
toms Vail took Office these devices
were abandoned and the use of the
3 steel corset spring instead was be
gum and continued.
Splitter demonstrated in court the
use Of the bags Of lead He walked
over to the sample scale in one oil
the government exhibits in the case
and indicted on the beam the place
where the bag was suspended. The
Jury and the defendants and every
body IN the court room followed his
demonstration with the closest at,
tention.
Testifying regarding the use Of
Y the wire spring which superceded
the bag of lead, Splitter said that two
styles Of springs were used, a heavy
one first and then spring consider.
ably lighter in weight.
Spitzer's testimony regarding tbs
weight lessening debice of the news.
paper underneath the scale was an
absolutely new DEVELOPMENT and the
jury drank IN his every work. Heiks
listened to Spitzer's testimony with
tense interest.