The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-13
list
DFPR0sECUT|0Ns
torncy- Generals Annual Report
Shows He Has Been Busy Pur-
! suing Illegal Trusts.

U<oer klnuss speculative
NJ p(1cket shops. swindilng stOeA
4 ochemes, smuggling OF Chinese white
<&oBve traffic and enforcement OF tue
Ukorstate.
RI .Commerce laws are some of the
D1oblems covered in the annuai re
{oort OF Attorney General Wickershanl'
Submitted TO congress today.
In telling the story OF the year the
attorney-general begins with ms eA'
p6rience i'm the fight against lawless
trusts. He had hoped TO get decisions
In the cases against the Standard
on Company and the Tobacco Trusts.
These were argued and submitted 10
HE Supreme Court OF the United
n States. but ~because(of the illness CT
Justice Moody and the death of JUS
tice Brewer, they will be reargued
q next month. For the same reason
The arguments in the suit involving
the question of the constitutionality
Of the corporation tax law will be
repeated
Indictments were procured, he
says, In Savannah Ga, against the
big Chicago meat packing concerns.
Z In Chicago against ten OF the beef
barons, and in Boston against five
packing companies alleged 10 have
entered into a conspiracy to control
the meat trade of New England.
The Paper Board association was
nned $57 900. The Imperial Window
Glass company was fined $4,000 and
the combination broken up and aban-
* doned. In Chicago, indictments have
5 been returned against companies and
individuals in the paving brick trust
: The taking of evidence in the case
or the "Bath-tub Trust" has been
nearly completed and that concern
B will soon face the tribunal OF JUS
dee.
Suits are pending against the Chi
rago Butter and Egg Board, Great
Lakes towing monopoly. powder
trust, the st. Louis Terminal Rail-
road association, and various other
combinations.
Five'of the leading men in cotton
SPECULATION were indicted on the
charge of establishing a cotton cor
& ner" and raising prices 10 such an
extent that many mills were forced
TO close. The encouragement says
\ hat the outcome of this case will DE
important in determining to what ex
tent the Sherman antitrust act may
\ be used in breaking pools and cor
aers.
Eight night riders, charged with
interfering with. interstate commerce,
paid fines amounting TO $3,500
The encouragement reviewed the
Bxtent and Importance of the work
arising from resisting attacks upon
and procuring the enforcement of the
interstate commerce laws. An injunc-
h ion obtained by the department OF
Justice last May. prevented a general
Increase of freight rates in the west
rom going into effect The depart
, nent is fighting to sustain in court.
several laws passed for the benefit
Of railroad employees, which are be-
ing contested by the railroad com
\ panies.
Much space is given 10 customs
frauds. Five sugar companies paid
\ 10 the government, $780, 900. which
made over 100000 recovered from
crooked sugar importers A number
Df government and sugar trust EN-
ployes were convicted for participat.
ing In the frauds. Suits are pending
70 recover $492,10S, which the gov.
Brnment was swindled out of on lg
and cheese importations from Greece
and Italy. Smuggling dressmakers
paid fines to the amount OF $34,750
Five confiscated trunks filed with
Bmuggled gowns were sold by the
government for $1,000
The smuggling of art objects, vel
vets, woolens and dressmaking ma
terials, since Dec. IL, 1909, has re-
suited in "a actions for forfeiture, the
amount sued for being more than 81
100000.
With regard to smuggling tourists
the reports says:
During the summer of 1910 an
other important class of customs
frauds has become conspicuous-that
-, the smuggling by tourists. This
form OF smuggling has been found
TO have existed TO very substantial
extent, especially in respect to i'm
portation OF personal jewelry by peo-
pie of wealth. In order to break up
this practice, criminal prosecutions
have been undertaken, in addition
10 the forfeiture of goods. The cases
have generally been SO clear that the
defendants have pleaded guilty, re-
ceiving heavy fines. In the earlier
cases the court refused to impose
prison sentences, but after the pro-
secution had attained such publicity
- 70 give wide warning TO returning
uAvelers. the judges made II known
that further offenders would be nm.
mhed by imprisonment"
. Attorney General Wickersham Save
That prosecutions under the antj-trus,
law Included proceedings which
brought the sugar trusts to account
( Tor wrecking the Pennsylvania Sugar
Refining company and have since re.
81 ted in a suit by the government Ia
xef>the sugar trusts Buckle,
nave, been suppressed In grea,
The bureau of investigation is high
~ commended, especially in its worl
\ in the trust cases.
The report sets forth large
volume OF work in protecting water
rights for reclamation projects. il
prosecuting offenders against public
land laws, which resulted in fines
amounting to sl30,595. and the recov
cry of 379,073 acres OF land, anC
many suits brought TO recover lndiar
lands attained by grafters with forg
ed deeds.
Legislation recommended by tn,
nttorney-general, included laws per
uniting district attorneys to have tn,
service of special assistants in grand
jury rooms, increased salaries fol
federal judges, the prohibition of tho
accoptance of gratuities by interna
revenue officers, the punishment II
federal courts OF persons who Cypress
n.