The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-19
SUGAR PROBE IS
NOW GOING DEEP
President of Big Corporation
on Stand and Makes
Poor Witness
Mr.. CORTELYOU MAY
BE CALLED TO STAND
Will be Asked About Large
Contributions to Cam
paign-May Also
Ask Colonel

-NEW- YORK July -1&-="pid - the
American Sugar Refining Company
contribute to the campaign funds
raised in 1904 by f. II. Hartman ?"
Il don't know"
Gould you find out from tbs com
pany's books2"
II don't know"
Did the American Sugar Refining
Company make "a political contribu-
ton in 1902"
at did not We contributed not
one cent to either party or to any
person for any party. Nor were we
asked to do SO. Had We been asked
We would have sternly refused. I
| think such things ought to be damn
ed
The auestioner was Representative
John E RalSer a Democratic member
Of Congress from California, and a
member of the special committee OF
the House Of Representatives. The
person who answered was Washing
ton B.. Thomas, who succeeded Hen
ry o. Havemeyer as president OF the
sugar trus; soon after the sudden
and somewhat mysterious death of
Mr. Havemeyer In the late Tail OF
1907
President Thomas was the only
witness Mt the first days session Of
the committee's hearings IN New
York. He was or the stand alto
gether four and a half hourS--two
and half in the morning aud two
in the afternoon. He will resume the
| witness chair tomorrow morning,
Not Good Witness.
In the opinion OF the committee
men. privately expressed he did not
make good witness for his own
eause. His attitude was reluctant
and at times defiant BY his side sat
two Of the counsel OF the big sugar
trust. Messr- Crawford and Fuller
HIS gaze wandered wistfuliy toward
them whenever a particularly peril
F.. nent question was asked him. Ere
quently they admonished him with
waves Of the hands or inauGible
whispers not to reply until they had
held secret conferences with Chair
man Hardwick and other members
Of the committee. This was espe-
ciaily true when Mr.. Raker, who for
nearly two hours had tho successor
to Tavemeyer in hand and subjected
him to a grueiling Observation-Disclosures,
touching upon the methods employed
by the trust in sitting competition
by purchasing small rival concerns,
shutting them down and holding them
! III reserve az means Ut iTlEhtEnlQE
would be competitors from esta hlish- :.
ing refneries at strategicai points in
the sugar trade.
The counsel OF the trust Informed
the investigators In whispers that
they had pledged themselves not to
produce In this inquiry any testimony
that might tnerimtnate the officers
and directors OF the company who
are now ander criminal indictment
for violating the Sherman antitrust
law
The Californian had overlooked this
pledge when he asked President
Thomas Frankly to describe the CON j,
ditions ar Philadelphia that had been
brought about by the trust buying out
independent concerns there and clos
ing them down. The committee sus-
tained casnseis objection to the aues-
tion. Then the Californian switched
4 to Hypothetical case, substituting
San Francisco for Philadelphia In
that form the question was allowed
over the protest OF the lawyers
Suppose" inquired Raker. that the
American Sugar Refining Company
should purchase two refneries In San
Francisco and close one OF them up.
would that ac'. etfectually es threat
to Brighten an independent company
from establishing refinery there to
compete with you1"
1T would not. In my opinion" re-
sponded President Thomas. somewhat
surly.
No Political Contribution.
This closed his examination for the
day He had just previously been
asked about his company's political
contributions. and had denied outright
all knowledge of that matter. When
reminded that the committee had in
its possession official records OF the
corporation which showed that it had
made contribution to one OF the big
political organizations In the presiden-
tai campaign in 1892 he declared he
knew nothing Of that because he was
not elected to the directorate until
the following year,
He had not seen any record Of q
political contribution, had never dis
cussed the question with any OF his
associates he swore. and would GER
tainly have advised against II had the
matter over been brought mp in his
presence. Az to contribution to the
fund raised. In New York In Iae4,, byaI
the late r. Fl. Hartman at the re-
quest Of President Roosevelt, then the
Republican candidate. Mr.. Thomas
said he did not know" He was not
then president of the company.
To Summon Cortelyou.
In view of this line OF testimony de-
veloped to-day. ii Ia believed the COM
mittee will subpoena George B. Cor
telyou. now president of the Console
dated Gas Company and manager of
the Roosevelt campaign in 1904, and
question him upon the point. 1t is
also intimated that before the COM
mittee closed its hearings in New
York 1t may invite ex-President
Roosevelt to appear before it and make
any statement he may desire concern
ing his knowledge OF the failure Of
his attorney general. Charles ]. Bona
parte, to institute proceedings against
the sugar trust under the Sherman
law on the testimony presented both |
to the president and to the attorney
general by Geo. H. Earle. Jr.. of Phil
adelphia.
Mr.. Earle olready has told his |
story fully to the committee. Since !
the Philadelphia gave his Testimony |
Judge Milton d. Purdy. Of the Fed
CONTINUED ON Sixth RaxAl