Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-07-29
TREATED A[LALIkE
Says Sugar Trust Didn't
Punish Independents.
his MEMORY TRtACHER0US
Henry L Mott, Purchasing Agent.
Declares American Company
Old Not Discriminate
/ in Buying

New York, July 26.--Henry G. Mott.
purchasing agent for and director OF
the American Sugar Refining company.
who was witness before the special
congressional committee investigating
the so-cslled sugar trust. declared that
in making purchases Of sugar the CON-
pany never Disseminated against any
planters. never punished" any Louis
lana planters for selling sugar to the
independent refiners. and never arbi-
trarily fixed the purchasing price OF
sugar
After Mr.. Mott had testified, Claus
A. Spreckels was recalled to the
stand, where he Identified some let
tiers to be placed in evidence. And
these are the letters" he said, that
resulted in a break between my father
and my brothers that lasted fifteen
Years, until five years ago, when my
father sent for me and told me he bad
found these people all wrong, and that
he had made the mistake of his life."
Joseph F. Freeman, secretary of the
American Sugar Refining company.
was then recalled. He said he knew
nothing of the alleged mutilation OF
the minutes of the American Sugar
Refining company.
Mr.. Mott, who was elected direc-
tor following the death Of Fl. o. Have
meyer, said he did much of the cor
respondence for Mr.. Havemeyer, but
his memory was so treacherous that
he could not recall any of the cores
pondence relative to the acquiring OF
the independents.
Asked about the company's pur-
chases of sugar in Louisiana, Mr.. Mott
said
I'VE paid the New York price less
the freight rate to New York, which is
about Is cents a hundred pounds"
yet you used much of that Louis
lana sugar in your New Orleans re-
finery and did not send it to New
York;"
"Ohl We sent a great deal to New
York.
Mr. Mott said that he would guar
antee to purchase in Louisiana for any
Independent all the sugar they wanted
If they paid the Americans price, or
1872 more and had the cash. Other wit
nesses had said the planters were
afraid to sell to the Independents be
cause If they did they would be boy
cotted by the American, which Is the
largest purchaser.
Mr.. Mott insisted that If there had
been any discrimination against any
of the Louisiana planters or boycott
ting of any of them it bad been done
by the American Sugar Refining COM
pany's local purchasing agent there
and not with the knowledge or consent
Of the company.
so far as l know no instructions
were ever given any of our refineries,
with total capacity of 10000 barrels,
to limit their production" he said.
"Of course we give directions from
time to time to reduce or increase their
output, according to the stocks on
hand, the demand and the consump-
ton. These instructions. the witness
added, are given by the president.
why do you pay the Louisiana
plHnters the New York price less the
fro chit rate when you refine most of
tNat sugar in New Orleans?"
I'VE have to buy approximately 200,-
0G0 tons Of the total crop of 100000
tons within three months Our rein
ing capacity at New Orleans Is only
$4,000 tons for that time, and the re-
suit is that we have to store from
$4,000 to 100000 tons of raw sugar. We
must take all the risks of fire, deterio-
ration and the change in marketing
price. We figure that the freight rate
pays us for this trouble, risk and ex-
pense."
AS the American purchases about
100000 tons of Louisiana sugar cane,
it pays the planters 100000 less than
the New York rate.