The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-09
President Asserts That In
vestigation Now Would
EmbarTaSS Government.
FEARS IMMUNITY
WOULD BE RESULT
Replying 10 House Resolution,
Executive Declares Treasury
Inquiry Is Searching g

The President today sent the follow
ing message 10 Congress bearing on the
recent request of the House 10 furnish
II with facts rs 10 why It is ineXpedi-
ent 70 continue investigation OF custom
house frauds ct this time
On April i. the House passed =
resolution. Resolved. That the President
be, and he is hereby requested 10 In
form the House, If not incompatible
with The public interest. what facts, II
any, now exist which make ineNpedient
a thorough examination Al this time by
the House Of ReUresentauves Of frauds
in the, customs service mentioned By the
President in his annual message 70 the
Congress 81 this session
I beg herewith 10 fnclose 2 joint re-
port Of the Secretary OF the Treasury
and the Attorney General showing ex-
acIly what has been done by them and
by their subOrdinates and the present
state Of fact in the matter OF the in
vestigation Of the frauds in the customs
service mentioned by me in my annual
message
This report shows that the executive
investigation and the investigation by
the grand jury for the purpose OF bring
ing The guilty persons 70 justice are not
yet complete.
The danger Of granting immunity
BY Cong ressiOnsI investi cation while
the executive and grand jury investiga-
tiOn and trials are proceeding is stilI a
serious one
Case of Heike Cited.
This is sufficiently illustrated by the
case OF Charles r Heike. referred 10 n
the report Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury and the Attorney General
Heike is the secretary OF the American
Sugar Refining Company and IS the
FFoF---a -FE-7-r Of fI-a -1---~=-rr- n ~
be implicated IN the frauds, except its
late president Il. O. Havemever. who
died two weeks after the discovery Of
the frauds
In the Investigation before the grand
jury as 70 whether the American Rem
ing Company s now a party 70 an IL
legal Comoiuat-ND under the sherman
antitrust act. -Ezike was summoned Of
hClaLy as the secretary OF the refining
company. 10 produce certain documents
and furnish certain information respect
ing the inquiry under the antitrust law
In the trial Of the Indictment found
against him for completely IN the frauds
on the revenue effected by the false
weighing OF sugar. he fled a special
plea claiming immunity from the
prosecution Of the indictment by reason
Of his evidence before the grand jury
IN the antitrust case HIS plea was
cverr1Ied IN the circuit court but the
question was carried 10 the Supreme
Court which refused to pass on Il be
cause not properly before the court now,
leaving i still 20 be raised IN the event
Of a conviction, upon appeal from the
judgment Of the circuit court
Now Nearly Complete.
The investigation into and prosecu-
ton Of the frauds IN the Heigher's Of
fee are now nearly complete, although
there are a number OF indictments yeU
untried. The executive and judicial in
vestigati0us into the frauds in the ap-
praiser-s Office, however, are stil pro-
ceeding- 1t will take considerable
tine 10 complete them II may be added
that the character Of the Investigations
into the veigher-s and appraisers OF
fees IS such that Congressional com
mirtee would have TO wait upon such an
expert search as is now proceeding 70
make clear the frauds
The grand jury investigation into l4e
charge OF cGunl1y-V-i1e monopoly
against The refining company IS beng
pressed with viEOr5 but the evidence IS
50 VolumInCus and Wldesp pre2d Jn2L IL IS
necessarily slow
The primary d6ty with respect to
frauds IN the executive service ialls
uDo0 the executive TO direct proper e&-
ecu-ive INVESTIGATION and upon the dis
cOvery OF fraud and crime TO direct
Of reckoning what is due the Govern
ment. IL is further the duty OF the
executive TO make such executive
changes IN the service, both by removal
81 inefficient civil servants and by
changes IN official methods, as VIII
render q recurrence OF fraud less pos
sible.