Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-23
U,o,ecution Plays It by Calling
Splitter, Superintendent OF
Docks, as Witness.
p.spoNEu BY THE PRESIDENT
O,,,ribed Various Methods by
Which Government Was
Oefrauded Of Revenue.
II. Arranged system of signal L's"''
In scale HouNs to Give warn
inc OF Danger.

49, york. May 2S.-The trump card
=, me orosecutlon OF Charles r. heike
Ter Of the American Sugar Re
80 company. was played at the
80 trust uudcrweighing conspiracy
t5,f today when Prosecutor Stimsor
.il.5 As the governments first witness
on,,r splitter. superintendent OF the
uu,emsburg docks, who several
.nfbe AGO was convicted OF under
.l-nirg and sentenced 10 two years
u ~ federal penitentiary at Atlanta.
u-hon gpitzer took the stand Johu
70 stanchfold Tor the defense claimed
~ under the federal statute, splitter,
M convicted man could not testify.
me sensation Of the trial was then
srssted bv the declaration in court
tbat splitter had been pardoned by
President Taft.
Hsike e on trial in the United States
,irruIt court with hvc other employees
of The American Sugar Refining COM
ranv on he charge OF conspiring 70 de-
frsud the government BY underweigh-
INK cargoes Of sugar imports.
witnesses have testified 10 the dis
coyery Of fraudulent devices on the
sugar docks at Williamsburg, whereby,
was alleged. employees Of the so
,sllsd sugar trust manipulated the
scales so as TO bring about under
Weighing
On evidence Of Richard Parr. a gov
eminent Inspector who made a raid on
he sugar docks in November 1907. and
others Splitter who was the dock
superintendent al the time and FOR
-.
with four checkers employed under
him Of connection with the conspiracy
20 perpetrate frauds whereby the gov
eminent vas cheated out OF millions Of
collars IN sugar duties.
The four checkers. BOYLE, Coyie,
kehoe and Htnnessy were sent 10 the
blackwslfs Island penitentiary for a
SPLITTER got two years in Atlanta. He
4 protested ignorance OF frauds on the
MEN HIGHER UP"
Men higher up were sought and
Heise, the secretary OF the trust. and
Ernest =. Gerbracht, the refinery
superintendent were indicted with
mem on trial now, besides four
olher former company checkers.
James r. Bendernagel, the
Iehhefy cashier. who was tried
Win splitter and the others. The
yliy disagreed as 10 whether Bend
unasel had a part in the conspiracy
aha i was decided 10 retry him.
- splitter Testified 10 the under
weighing frauds on the docks IL was
developed that President Taft granted
~, nm an unconditional pardon on May
hptrer vent back to the
iears 1894 and 1895 when.
p salt an investigation he
nale developed the fact that the
sneekefs we're affecting the weights on
Nv sugar by pacing small bags OF
20 on me beams OF the scale causing
hs recorded weights to drop below the
Ina s... oiien as mucy as 40 pounds on
e, n addition, Splitter said. II was also
, praetse 10 STUFF paper underneath
n''. hoors OF the scales for the same
purpose, He said that when Deputv
surveyor Of Customs Vail took office
h'se devices we're abandoned and The
~ Of the steel cord and steel was
pesan and continued
vas said before Splitter got we'll
my his testimony that he would make
Vsah breast OF the frauds alleged
~ nave been committed in the nm
lamsburg docks INC WI"
demonstrated in court the
o, u me bags Of lead. He walked
~ the sample scale. which il one
a. governments exhibits in the
No.. anq indicated on the beam the
~ |hefe the bag was suspended
.y,r'.A jury and the defendants and
NJ .ooay w the court room followed
,,ulslnonstration with the closest a.
N ~. lesuiying regarding the use
N. h wire spring which superseded |
s,y,s !, OF lead. Splitter said two |
Az, spring were used a heavy one
lshtsr 'neh spring considerably
vs sIy.sie i testimony regarding the |
rsbs,s 'lss,sening device Of the news |
i,yslo,,u.ill.le. meath the scale was a new |
hers tss,ir.s Helke listened 20 Spit
popp,,,o'y WIN tense interest
sHobBlNG THE GOVERNMENT
hapSs talked freely about the
ubbe5 W which the government was
De ne. millions Of dollars. Ne said |
s,opt<d ol me steel springs was
he rehs,..eF me sugar trust had maid |
result of y, 70 The government as
INA N-N AHNNNdl suit
nal NJ. you arrange a svste,, q, .t-
\ aslas ,n the scale house p" s,,ddan
ay,a7u me prosecutor
na,sa ~ replied Splitter y,ho a..
warn =. mat the signals v,rs 49, Siieu
sar "eishers Of any sudden dan.
nv sOS We're the lights worksd,-
splitter switch IN my Once I" r.,t,..
turned Hho said that the sr,,,ds pIleu
vas 49,. ''heVer a governnnsn, 49,,
Ne ~ 20 approach "iiicial
ese,. York, May 2a qrt.-
aousss ~. mad been used hi re- ~ e ~
made 70, many years hut ne ne scale
BY insta,,t, se IN the signal s,.s,.,',
lnierrnaa.tllls red lights. M -, ass'em
had sgslupn Of the prosa.. .spiy 20 an
% ,n,,eI reported the r,.,s,l,..loh n he
Iomed a me-, spltzer replied he ha5 S
d Ia the wan Van named Leroy. who ,l,l ~
rust ''' wan street offlce' Of he work Work,
NIX Rb' ie. told Of oonvers,,,o,.
iarsi 'oliner Cashier T,,,,.'.' o ,l ne had
imcht ty, A-supt Frank w @s
my Of i tho when he wanted - me
obliged " o'e checkers WAGE 20 raise
lernaFsl Put the matter bo,one was
lrned 4. and Gerbracht rpslole Ben
nat the cb.,',i.nony OF other witnessns
,ssshsrs wer. "s ~ Of the government
ne companv iavorite over those ~