Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-23
PARDON OF
SP|TzER IS Barred.
At HE|KE TRIAL
Presidents Action Sensation of
Day at Sugar Mans
Hearing.

NEW YORK, May 23.-The trump
card in the prosecution of Charles r.
Heike, secretary of the American
Sugar Refining Company, was played
at the opening of the sugar trust under
weighing conspiracy trial today when
Prosecutor Stimson called as the gov
ernment's first witness Oliver Splitter,
superintendent of the Williamsburg
docks, who some months ago was con-
victed of underweighing and sentenced
to two years In the Federal peniten-
tiary at Atlanta. When Splitter took
the stand John B. Stanchfield, for the
defense. claimed that under the Fed
eral statute Splitter, as a convicted
man, could not testify.
The sensation of the trial was then
created by the declaration in court that
Splitter had been pardoned by President
Taft.
Heike is on trial in the United States
Circuit Court with five former en-
ployees of the American Sugar Rein
ing Company on the charge of conspir-
ing to defraud the government by
underweighing carsoes of sugar inn
ports.
Spitzer Bares Frauds.
As Splitter testified to the under
weighing frauds IN the docks it was
developed that President Taft granted
him an unconditional pardon on May
10 last.
Splitter went back to the year 1894
and 1895, when, he said, an investiga-
ton he made developed the fact that
the checkers were affecting the weights
on raw sugar by placing small bags of
lead on the beams of the scales, caus-
ing the recorded weights to drop below
the actual often as much as forty
pounds on each draft. In addition,
Splitter said, it was also the practise to
stuff paper underneath the floors of the
scales for the same purpose. He added
that when Deputy Surveyor of Customs
Vail took office these devices were
abandoned and the use of the steel
corset spring instead was begun and
continued.
ns Testifying regarding the use of the
wire spring which superseded the bae
tof lead, Splitter said hat two styles o.
spring We're used, a heavy one first
and then d spring considerably lighter
IN weight.
Spitzsr's testimony regarding the
NelRHl-leSSeill1R device OF Alut news
paper underneath the scale was al
absolutely new development, and the
jdry drank in his every word Heikt
listened to Spitzer's testimony Will
tense interest. Splitter talked freely
about the frauds by which the govern.
ment was robbed of millions of dollars
He said the use of steel springs was
stopped after the sugar trust had paic
the rebate to the government as a re.
suit of the federal suit.
Explain signal Warnings.
did you arrange a system OF sigma.
lights in the scale houses?" suddenly
asked the prosecutor. ~
Yes, sir" Splitter then related tina
the signals were used to warn the
weighers of any sudden danger.
How were the lights worked?'
by a switch in my Office" replied
Splitter, who said that the switch was
turned whenever a government official
was seer to approach.
Splitter said that in the fall of 1906
he received a certain telephone message
which caused a letting up in the
frauds. He said he did not know who
sent the message which warned him to
DtH VI Tile VIII EDtii6S, do tile
government was watching the docks.
Splitter said that following the raid in
November, 1907, by the government, he
was informed by Mr.. Gerbracht that
the weighers and himself would be
taken care of.
When the six weighers were dis
charged what happened?"
II paid them the same wages every
week at my home,' was the reply OF
Mr.. Splitter. who said that the money
was given him each week by Mr.. Ger
bracht.
when did this money cease ?"
when l was sentenced last Februe
ary," answered Mr.. Splitter.
Splitter said he knew Secretary Heike,
but did not connect him in any way
with knowledge of the false weighing.
Characterization of the witness was
deferred. Prosecutor Stimson said
Splitter became conscience-stricken
while in prison Inc desired to tell all
he knew of the alleged frauds.