The Washington herald., 1911-07-16

spection. Then on December 5, the same
year, Henry o. Havemeyer died. But he
had outlined the policy of the trust. Fol-
lowing his hint. the officers and directors
of the corporation expressed great in
dignation that they should be charged
with swindling the government Parr, II
was said. had bored the holes himself
to impress the authorities at Washington.
At the worst, some Jealous employe OF
the trust was simply trying to serve the
interests of his employers. The ablest
lawyers at the American bar were called
into the case by the sugar house. Public
opinion was aroused against the prose
cution.
Figured Up the Frauds in Money.
No employe of the trust, bear in
mind. had confessed. All the evidence
wo had was circumstantiaL I began
work on August 30, 1908 putting thirty
iiquidators at the task of ascertaining
the totality of the frauds in pounds Of
sugar and money. In February. 1909.
brought a penalty suit against the cor
poration. I was obliged, let me say. to
prove that the agents Of the sugar trust
had cognizance of the frauds. 1 sued the
trust on the theory it is easier to hit
moose than a squirrel, if one is armed
with big gun.
THE jury said that the trust was
guilty. BY the veriict, the frauds had
been proved in court. That was pre-
ciseIy what 1 wanted. The fine of the
court was s13s,OOO The lawyers for the
trust then began to negotiate. 1 had
other cases that were to follow. I'VE
figured up the sum of money that was
probably due The government, going back
in time and including refneries where
the scales had not been doctored set
tlement, we said, could be made by the
payment of S2,OOO,OoO Our terms were
accepted. Two other sugar companies,
fearing suits. paid the government
81, 900 In all. We collected So, ,OOo
Next, We started after the men in the
trust who were personally guilty of
false Weighing, beginning with the check
ers on the dock and going upward Take
a piece of paper" SECRETARY Stimson
said, "and with a pencil note that We
indicted, tried. and convicted six check
ers, employed IN scale houses; an assist
ant dock superintendent, who was imme-
diately over the checkers; a full dock
superintendent, who was the next officer
above the assistant superintendent: the
general refining superintendent, who was
superior to the dock superintendent and
had the management of 1900 men, and
finally the secretary and treasurer Of
the trust. Havemeyer. as I have said.
was dead. All the convicted men were
sent to prison, except the general refin-
ing superintendent and the secretary and
treasurer, who are now at liberty on
bail. We followed the crime up. man
by man, from the docks to the main
office of the corporation. 1t was thor
ough piece OF work. and was inspired,
repeat, by Theodore Roosevelt"
How Fines Stop Lawbreaking.
You believe. then, that the guilt OF
the captains of Industry. when they vio-
late the law. should be made personal?'
Certainly" Secretary Stimson. an
swered. I'M some cases, however. heavy
fines are better The act OF 1887 Great
ing the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, made rebating crime personally.
Yet for sixteen years no one was pun
ished. Why? Because II was well under
stood that juries would not convict
station masters or freight agents for
carrying out the instructions, direct or
implied. Of the men superior to them In