The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-12-12
BY Associated Press.

~ Ap0ONioICd 1899
Washington, d. c., Dec 12.-The an
nual report of Attorney General Wick
ersham presented to congress today,
is one long story of frauds against the
government.
Trusts, so called and real, their al
legged conspiracies to defeat the law;
land frauds, customs frauds, frauds on
the internal revenue, rebates, bucket
shops and fraudulent uses of the mails
have made 1910 the most strenuous
year in the history of the department
of justice, Mr.. Wickersham states that
only the earnest and enthusiastic work
of the men of his force has made the
work successful.
"The salaries paid are SMALL" he
says, "and the funds available for
special counsel do not permit the pay
ment of fees which bear any compari-
son with those offered by private in
terests. But Notwithstanding these
obstacles the department is fortunate
in having been able to secure the serv-
ices Of earnest and competent lawyers
to whose ability and industry are due
the very large measure of success that
has attended the management of the
legal business of the government dur
ing the year.
Prosecution for violation of the anti
trust law were foremost in the work
of the year. Actions, says the attor-
ney general, are now underway or
pending against the following trusts !.
Tobacco Trust; Standard Oil Com
pany; Sugar Trust; Hartman lines
Hard Coal Trust; Powder Trust; Ter
minal Railway Association of st.
Louis; Towing Trust, on the Great
Lakes; James A. Patton and others
for an alleged corner in cotton; Beef
Trust; Wholesale Grocers Trust; But
ter and Egg Trust; Brick Trust; Bath
Tub Trust.
The following convictions were Sc.
cured and fines imposed during the
year: Paper Trust, fined $4,000;
Night Riders, fined $3,5OO; Window
Glass Trust, fined 100000
After the attorney generals report
come from the press, however, the
American Naval Stores company
known as the Turpentine Trust, and
six co-defendants were convicted Of
violation of the antitrust law. Two OF
the individual defendants sentenced tc
three months each in Jail and fined
aggregating $17,5O0 were imposed.
Prosecutions of the Sugar Trust fol
frauds upon the government in the
weighing of raw sugar recovered fol
the government $3,135,363.SS. Con
victions and sentences of individuals
still fresh in the public mind. were
secured.
Most extensive of all frauds against
the government yet discovered, are
those of the under-yaluations of i'm
ports into the United States. The ex
tent of the treasury losses can only be
conjectured. Every step of the in
vestigation shows fresh leads.
There are now suits under way tC
recover 100000 of which the customs
revenue is said to have been defraud
ed on imports of cheese and figs from
MEDITERRANEAN ports, indictments are
pending and some convictions have
been secured A highly organized sys
TEN to defraud the government has
been disclosed.
More than 80 individual indictments
are pending against persons charged
with smuggling with sleeper trunks.
Offers of compromise and prayers fol
Immunity are in the hands of the at
ltorney general from several firms o
importers who have confessed t
frauds in uider-valuations
"The conditions disclosed seem t
indicate very general practice of un
der-valuations," says the attorney gen
eral, "and a very lax administration
of the customs laws in the past, which
has subjected the government to
very material loss of revenue. A gen
eral investigation into the snbject o
frauds by under-yaluation has onl!
commenced, and this branch of tn,
subject will now be pressed vigorous
ly."