Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-13
one LONG STORY OF FRAUDS
Annual Report of Attorney General
Sent to Congress.
SUITS PENDING AGAINST TRUSTS
Prosecution Of short weight, Land
ana Smuggling Frauds Are Re-
viewed-Indian Legislation
Recommended.

WASHINGTON. Dec. E.-The annual re-
port OF Attorney General Wickersham. pre-
scented to congress TODAY, is one long story
Of frauds against the government
Trusts. so-caIled and real. their alleged
conspiraciee to defeat the law; land frauds,
customs frauds. frauds on the Internal
revenue. rebates bucket shops and fraudu-
lent uses OF the mails have made 1910 the
most atrocious year In the history OF the
Department Of Justice. Mr.. wickershGm
states that only the earnest and enthusi-
astic work of the men Of his force has
made the work successful.
1.-THE salaries paid are small" he says,
"and the funds available for special coun-
sci do not permit the payment OF fees which
bear any comparison with those offered by
private interests But Notwithstanding
these obstacles. the department is fortu-
nate in having been able to secure the ser
vices OF earnest and competent lawyers to
whose ability and industry are due the
very measure OF success that has attended
the management OF the legal business OF
the government during the year.
Many suits Are Pending.
Precaution for violation Of the antitrust
law we're foremost in the work OF the year.
Actions, says the attorney general. are now
ing socalled trusts;
Tobacco trust.
Standard oil company
Sugar trust.
Hartman lines.
Hard Coal trust.
Powder trust
Terminal Railway Association Of St.
rowing trust on the Great Lakes.
James A. Patton and others for an alleged
corner in cotton.
Beef trust.
Wholesale Grocers' trust.
Butter and Egg trust.
Brick trust.
Bath Tub trust
The following convictions were secured
and fines imposed during the year:
Paper trust, fined $4,000
Night riders. fined $500
Window glass trust fined $4,000
After the attorney generals report came
from the press, however the American
Naval stores company. known as the Tur-
pentine trust, and six co-defendants were
convicted OF violations Of the antitrust
law. Two Of the individual defendants
were sentenced to three months each I'm
iail and fines aggregating 81, 800 were Inn
posed
Prosecutions of the Sugar trust frauds
raw sugar recovered for the government
50 1S5. IS. Convictions and sentences of
individuals. stin fresh in the public mind,
were secured.
Most extensive Of all frauds against the
government yet discovered are those In
the differentiation Of imports into the
United States. The extent of the treasury
losses can only be conjectured. Every step
of the investigation shows fresh leads
There are now suits under way to re-
cover 100000 Of which the customs revenue
of cheese and figs from Mediterranean
convictions have been secured. A highly
organized system to defraud the govern
ment has been disclosed.
More than thirty Individual indictments
are pending against persons charged with
upon the government In the Weighing of
smuggling with sleeper trlinks." offers
OF compromise and prayers for immunity
are In the hands of the attorney general
from several firms OF importers. who have
confessed to frauds in under-valuations
THE conditions disclosed seem to lndi-
cate very general practice Of under
valuations" says the attorney general,
and very lax administration of the Gus
toms laws in the past, which has subjected
the government to a very material loss
Of revenue. A general investigation into
the subject OF frauds by differentiation has
only commenced, and this branch of the
subject will now be pressed vigorously"
The attorney general recommends that a
general immunity statute. such as exists
under the interstate commerce laws, should
be enacted to apply to criminal prosecu-
lions generally but says such a statute
should only protect a witness from the
consequences of the testimony he is about
to give.
Twenty-Five criminal indictments charg-
ing rebating and other Illegal discrimina-
lions are pending against railroads, private
corporations and individuals. Two convie-
tons with fines were secured during the
year.