New-York tribune., 1910-08-23
STIR FOR CUSTOMS MEN
Port of New Orleans Again in
Throes of an Investigation.
RETSERVICE MANS WORK
Passed First as a Magazine
Writer, but No Longer Con-
ceals His Identity.

When Winfred T Denson. Assistant
United States Attorney General. gave the
American Sugar Refining Company a New
Orleans a clean bill of health last winter
il was supposed that the government would
make no further Investigations in the Cres-
cent City But an inquiry has been in
progress for the last two months resulting
so far in the summary suspension of a
government sampler and stirring UP of
the customs officials. The investigator is
Frank L. Garbarino, of the Secret Service
o. the Department of Justice
Mi Garbarino assisted Henry L. Slim
son, special prosecutor for the federal gov
ernment in the sugar fraud cases here.
after Richard Parr took UP his duties as
an Assistant Surveyor of the Port. Mr..
Garbarino continued the work of Mr.. ParT.
suhstantiating his reports from start to
finish. Mr.. ParT had called attention to the
necessity of an investigation of the sam
pling of sugar, on which depends the rate of
duty 10 be assessed. In the seizure of pa
pers evidence leading TO other ports was
found Mr.. GarbaTino. as soon as the trial
Of the men indicted for conspiracy 10 de-
fraud the government was ended, was sent
to New Orleans to run down q clew.
Until Friday of last week the Secret Ser
vice agent was known in New Orleans as
Frank Gardner. a magazine writer. He
lived at the De Soto Hotel. He had been
at work about a month, when John Holz-
hauser. employed by the Appraiser of the
Port as a sugar sampler was suspended
from Washington. This was the first time
such a thing had happened in the federal
service at New Orleans. Officials in the
departments of the Collector Surveyor and
Appraiser who were on a vacation hurried
back TO their posts.
On Friday morning Mr.. Garbarino had
a conference with the United States Attor-
ney at New Orleans Charlton r. Beattie.
This was followed by a meeting with one
Of the deputy collectors, Holland a negro
This week Mr.. Garbarino took up his head
quarters in the Custom House, and there
will no longer be any attempt at concealing
his identity. Appraiser Luck will hasten
back to his duties. and so viii the Col
lector. Henry Mccall who is at Battle
Creek. Mich. His special deputy, L. E.
Bentley. who also was away, is fastening
home
On top Of the renewed activity Of the
government in the investigation of the port
Of New Orleans, il was said yesterday that
MI. Denison would be ordered TO proceed
10 the place and prepare for q, new federal
grand jury investigation. He has returned
from a visit to Europe. and has been at
Washington for several weeks.
In connection with the activity of Mr-
Garbarino. it was reported yesterday that
Charles A Crane. for nine years the keeper
Of the scales at New Orleans would resign
in short time. He was under charges
owing to a Secret Service investigation be-
fore Mr.. Garbarino was sent TO the port.
and was exonera1ed by a board consisting
OF the customs officials. Collector Mccall.
Deputy Collector Bentley. Surveyor Bryant
and others.
The affairs of the port were under lnves-
tigation for e bout five months ended last
spring and resulted in z presentment so
severe that the court refused 10 make It
public. Judge Foster ordered the grand
jury to reconsider. which it did. and re-
porten another presentment. little modified
It was taken by the court and locked up,
Il is still locked Up. and the chairman. who
gave up his notes to the United States At
torrev. has no record whatever of the find
ings of the BODY over which he presided
The !nvestiga ton at New orleans Is in
line with the programme announced when
Mr. Denison was appointed an assistant
United States attorney general in charge
OF customs prosecutions.