New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-20
TELLS OF Use OF SPRING.
Ex-CheCker, Whose Mortgage
Was ForecIosed, on Stand.
DEVICE USED SINCE 1908
Schwerdtfeger Swears That Two
Springs, One Light, One Heavy,
Were Used to Weigh Sugar.

For the first time in court in the sugar
fraud trials the government had witness
yesterday who told of the use of the steel
spring discovered on November 20 1907, by
Acting Deputy Surveyor Parr, and who had
used it himself. He was Frederick
Schwerdtfeger, q, former checker employed
by the American Sugar Refining Company.
Mr.. Schwerdtfeger said that he used two
springs, one light and one heavy. according
to whether or not the cargo was to be re-
weighed by the city weighers. He said the
other checkers used the device too.
Mr.. Schwerdtfeger was the witness who
was taken from his farm in Sullivan Coun-
ty last winter by Secret Service men, as
tcld exclusively in The Tribune On his arr
rival here he made a confession before
United States Commissioner Shields at the
Office Of Henry l.. Stimson, the government
prosecutor In the case, at No. 80 Nassau
street. Oliver Splitter, the former superin-
tendent of the Havemeyer & Elder docks.
in Williamsburg, where the frauds were
committed, who is serving a two years
sentence at the federal prison in Atlanta,
had mortgage on the former checkers
home. There was also a second mortgage.
Soon after Scnwerdtfeger's visit to this city
the mortgages were forecIosed.
The witness figured in the case before.
Mr.. Parr, soon after his raid, went to see
Schwerdtfeger on his farm. and on Novem-
Der so came to this city with him. There
was a confession then, and in 1908 the wit
ness appeared before grand juries here and
in Brooklyn. He was dismissed from the
companys employment in January of 1907
Plan of Defence Revealed.
as it concerned Charles R..Heike. the score
tary of the sugar company, was revealed
yesterday when Mr.. Parr was On the stand.
1t was in the course of the cross eXamina-
ton by John B. Stanchffed, of counsel for
the secretary. Mr.. Parr had said that he
had investigated other sugar ref1neries. Mr..
Stanchfeld asked him whether he had not
found differences between the weights re-
corded by the city weighers and those of
the government weighers at refneries
other than that Of Havemeyer & Elder.
Mr.. Stimson made strenuous objection,
but Mr. Parr was permitted to answer,
aid said that he had found weight short
ages at the other refineries. Mr.. Stanch-
field wanted TO get this in evidence, as
showing that the practice was common and
not necessarily within the knowledge OF
the officers of the companies.
Then Mr.. Stimson caused a general laugh
by asking the witness whether his part in
the general investigation. while important,
was really small. Mr.. Parr answered: II
had impression that my part in the IN
vestigations was rather important one"
Mr.. Parr, under cross-examination by
Henry F. Cochrane, counsel for the defend
ants who were former checkers said that
after the raid he went to see Ernest Ger
bracht, former superintendent of the Have
meyer & Elder refinery, a defendant, with
letter from II. o. Havemeyer giving the
witness the right to see the books. AS Mr..
Havemeyer had died since the letter was
written, Mr.. Gerbracht had asked for other
authority, had obtained it, and then gave
Mr.. Parr access to the books. The witness
said that no obstacle was put in his way
by the accused man.