The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-23
.sP|TZER PARD0AED
C0hFESSEs ALL
Former Sugar Trust Dock
Supt. Tells How Govern
ment Was Robbed
HE HIMSELF BORED
HOLES IN SCALES
Declares He and Other Discharg-
ed Employees Continued to Re-
ceive Wages Regularly from
Supt. Gerbracht.

/ NEW YORK, May 23.--The man who
bored the holes in the scales through
" A4eA--tAe springs were manipulated
by which the government was defraud-
ed of 100000 in duties by shor,
weighing of imports by the Sugar
trust told the whole story under oath
to-day. He was Oliver Splitter for
/ twenty-ti ve years Superintendent OF
| Docks for the trust, conviced last De-
cember or conspiracy to defraud the
government and sentenced to two years
in Atlanta prison
Restored to all of his rights by full
\ pardon, secretly granted by President
Taft, Splitter took the stand to testi-
/ ~ against Charles r. Heilse, Secre-
tary OF the trust and thu former en-
/ ployes now on trial. He related the
story of the fraucs duplicating direct
ly all of the checkers, former cashier
Bendernagel, former Superintendent
Ernest w. Gerbracht. He stated, how
ever. that he knew HeiAe only
slightly.
| Splitter swore that he had received
his own and the wages of all dis
charged checkers up 10 The time he
was taken to Atlanta to serve his
term and that the money was paid to
4 him by Gerbracht. His story threw
/ the. defense which had been taken COM
pletely by surprise. into -cnfusion, and
the attorneys asked that his cross -ex
animation be deferred until they could
/ decide what they wanted To ask him
did you arrange system of signal
/ lights In the scale house?" asked At
torney Stimson.
Yes
Explains Light Signal System.
Splitter explained that there had al
ways been electric lights In the scale
| houses, but that a few years before
Richard Parr made his raid. no install
| ed red lights. These were used for the
purpose Of signalling the checkers tina,
there was danger" when government
officials We're about These lights
were flashed from a switch In the docL
supsrtntendsnts offices. Splitter sata
that he reported the Irregularities in
the Weighing of the sugar of mir
Leroy" but he was not asked what
| position Leroy held with the sugar
trust.
The witness related various CONVEX.
sations he had with former Cashier
james F. Bendernagel and former
| Superintendent Ernest w. Gerbracht
who are among the men on trial
whenever he desired to raise the
wages of checkers, he said he had tc
take the matter up with Bendernage
and Gerbracht. TaiIymen who check.
| ed on the government weighers re-
ceived more than those who worked
with the city welghers, he said. Ir
order to avoid this becoming known
the witness declared, Cashier Bender
nagel marked their envelopes SIS al
though they contained SIS
Spitxer's testimony was frequently
interrupted by objections from John
Il. Stanchfeld. Charles r. Heike's at.
torney. and Henry Fl. Cochrane, who
represented Gerbracht, but in every
instance their objections were over.
ruled.
In the latter part of 1905 Splitter
swore that he received q telephone
! message warning him to be careful
with the wire springs. He was In
formed what the government Official.
were keeping close watch.
From whom was that message p
asked Stimson.
II don't know"
Splitter stated that following the
raid on the docks by Richard Par,
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