The sun., 1910-01-09
INDICTED As LETTER THIEF
TNCLE SAM SAYS r. p. RILEY
ROBBED, HIS FILES.


Market FOR the stSlen Material was
Handy-Riley n tho sugar Tramc
Manager Who Helped ConVioe Several
Railroads OF Rebatiug 70 the Trust.
United States Attorney Henry A. Wise
believes he has caught the man who stole
from his once files tho letter written to
him last summer by Attorney General
Wickersham and subsequently, published
in the COsmopoIitGR MogasiRs. owned by
". r. Hearst. A bench warrant was
issued yesterday afternoon following an
indictment found by the Federal Grand
Jury against Thomas p. Riley. formerly
trafio manager OF the American Suwar
Refining Company and for two years
past a special investigator for the Inter-
state Commerce Commission. with desk
room in District Attorney wise's ofice.
Riley was located In Newark, N. j., and
was trailed TO the ferry at Jersey City.
As soon al he reached this side Of the river
he was put under arrest by Marshal Hon
kel and locked up in the TOmbs until
Monday. when he will be arraigned.
While Riley was still in the employ Of
the American Sugar Refining Company
as trafac manager he turned informer.
/, vas on information furnished by him
that the New York Central, the Rock
Island, the Western Transit Company,
the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul, the
Central Vermont and other railroads and
transit companies were indicted for rebat-
ing on sugar shipments and after pleas
Of guilty were heavily fined. SO valuable
were his services that he was appointed
by former District Attorney Henry L.
Stimson a special investigator for the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
was provided with desk in the oflce of
Assistant District Attorney Grim.
The purloining Of the wiokersham letter
10 not the only theft attributed to Riley.
The indictment charges him with stealing
inaddition to that letter two letters written
to John e. Parsons by Charles n. Heike.
secretary Of the American Sugar Refining
Company. and also certain minutes of
the board Of directors Of the sugar trust.
The Heike letters and the board Of di-
rectors' minutes were in Mr.. wise,s
possession under subpoena presumably
TO be used in the Government sugar
Investigation.
The Wickersham letter appears in the
January number Of the CosmoDolisas
in an article written by Charles p. Nor
cross entitled Tragedies Of the Sugar
Trust. The two Heike letters follow:
April 10, 1000.
JOAN s. Parsons. Eco. s. William Street.
New York CITY.
DEAR SIR,' The enclosed Advertisement
Is from the New York Evening Poet of last
Saturday. and 10 a notice to the holders
OF the Pennsylvania Sugar Refining Com
pany's bonds. MIR. Thomas asked me to
send II to you that you may decide whether
We shall do anything in regard to it. Yours
very truly, @. n. HKIKR. Secretary.
April ~. 1908.
John e. Parsons. Fec. So William Street.
NeV York.
DEAR STR: I received the letter from
Mr.. lindabury enclosing one from Norman
Grey in reference to expense OF printing
Of book and 'pIesdinGs In the Segal case
enclose check for s24s. to the order or
Richard v. IAndabury, and return Mr..
Grey's letter. Yours very truly,
c. r. HEIKE, Secretary.
The board Of direotors' minutes stolen
reported an adjourned meeting -oE tia. :.
directors at the residence OF H. b. Have
meyer on December 4. 1900. at which divi-
dends were declared OF ~ Der cent. on
common and preferred; Ii was also re-
solved that tho treasurer be authorized
to to invest eso. .oco n the preferred stock
Company in addition to previous in
C'R. Heike. secretary, was authorised to
receive and give receipt for all money
due and payable to the company from any
source whatever. and Frank @. Turner,
agent Of the company at Boston. was ah-
thorizcd to do the same; and the reelection
Of directors Charles ii. Semi and W. b.
Thomas was recommended to the stock
holders.
Tl. ---:a- -. .-.s--. nss-
expressed In the indictment IL taking and
publishing letters and private papers
without authority" The offence In a
violation OF the United States statutes
and the New York Penal Law. The theft,
the Indictment states. was committed on
Among the Witnesses examined in the
investigation were Managing Editor Max
well Of the CosmopotkaN Naqasfae and
George Won Utassy. business manager.
Whether other indictments and arrests
will follow IN the same case Mr.. Wise
would not say. Government secrets have
been leaking out OF the Federal Building
from time 70 time and appearing Ia a
Hearst newspaper.
The stolen letter written to Mr.. Wise
by, Attorney General Wicksrsham is a.
follows
WASHINGTON, Sunday, e-27-0e.
Mr DEAR WISE: Senator Root has sent |
me the proof OF q petition signed by Bow |
srs, Milburn a Guthrie in support OF their |
that the statute OF limitations |
has run in favor Of Messrs. Parsons. Kissel |
and Harmed. II the only overt acts done |
TO carry out the objects of the upla |
conspiracy were those referred TO p tho /
brief should think they were insufficient /
TO save the bar Of the statute. A strong
Effort will be made tomorrow to persuade i
he President TO interfere In some way to
prevent the indictments but aside from
that no indictments should be returned
Tainst any one II there 10 no reasonable
ground TO believe they can be sustained
II, for instance. the offences charged are
clearly barred by the statute. ] need hardly
say this to you. What / want to impress
upon YOU is that IL you have any reasonable
doubt in the matter you either have the