Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-01
WickERsHAM QUESTIONED
Attorney General Before House Com,
mittee on Expenditures.

HcJ ScueFdl BEFORE Rouse Com
mittee on Expenditures.
Washington. Mas 3f-The recent de.
clsions Of the supreme court in the
Standard oil aud American Tobacco
cases win result in a sweeping attempt
to secure criminal conviction Of vio4
lators OF tine antitrust law, according
to Attorney General Wickersham who
appeared today before the House com
mittee on expenditures in the de
parment of justice.
Attorney General Wickersham. ap=
peafing before the House committee on
expenditures in the department Of JUS
tiee today, testified that he had "ad-
Vised the United states Steel Corpor-
atib1 on several occasions frohl 1905 to
1865 during his connection wfth the firm
of Strong q Cadwalader and also thai
ne had received bis share of the Zee
turned into the firm for services to the
American Sugar Refining Co person
ally attended to BIZ Henry W. TAFT.
brother of the President Mr.. Wicker
sham said his share Mas about SIC. 600
Mr. Wickersham Was questioned chiefly
by Rep. Beail Of Texas, chairman of the
government of friar lands in the Philip
pines to the American Sugar Refining Co.
He said that henry w. Taft had at one
time apl,eared as a special attorney for
the government against the 'lieorice
trustI part Of the American Tobacco
Coz
llkersham declared that after he
<11e attorney general John Henry
fx1and represented Strong and Cad
DER as counsel for the so-called su-
trust IN the purchase of the friar
fts He added that at the time he
I'VE his opinion permitting the sale of
Hese lands he did not know that Ham
mund represented the president of the
meflcan Sugar Refining Co. Mr. Have
n meyer When asked about the eennee-
q the firm with steel affairs, MIR.
ckersham said;
$personaily have advised the United
rs Steel Corporation in one or two
Espid Strong and eadwalader ever rep
resent the New York Cotton Excnange?"
asked Chairman Beail.
Yes Henry w. Taft was counsel for
the exchange Mr. Wickersham replied.
and | think he still continues in that
capacity"
The chairman sought particularly to
learn from the attorney general why the
department of justice and treasury de-
partment accepted $2011. 900 settlement
from the American Sugar Refining Co.
as restitution for INTERPRETATIONS at the
port OF New York, rather than enforce
the severe penalties provided for by law.
MIR. Wickersham replied that the depart
ment felt the evidence at hand was not
sufficient to support a claim ror penal
ties, though 1t was his belief that rest-
tuition was made because the corporation
feared penalties would be imposed
Then it was your Judgment" suggest
ed Mr.. Beall, that Notwithstanding the
fact that the government had access TO
a memorandum book showing the real
weight of sugar imported and to books
showing fraudulent weights, if the gov
ernment had attempted 10 collect the pen
alties there was strong probability of
falure?''
yves" Mr. Wickersham answered 1T
was sufficiently dubious to make it in
expedient to go on. l think the 81, co.., O0O
settlement was the best possible arrange
ment."
ne attorney general utilltu lldl tlltTt
was any agreement preventing criminal
prosecution. THAT right he said, was
specifically reserved to the government.
Mr. Wickersham was asked why the
government thus far had failed to lodge
. any trust magnates' III prison
= we have done the best we could" he
said, but there has been an unwilling
ness ON the part of the juries and courts
To sentence men to prison under the anti
trust law. Until the supreme court laid
down It's definite construction in the two
cases Just decided this reluctance was
We'll understood, for the law has always
been open to question and has been con
strued i'm different ways by different
courts. Juries are becoming more willing
now, however. to convict. and judges
who have been reluctant To Impose prison
penalties now have the supreme court de
cision to sustain them" sa=
Mr.. Wiekersham said he believed prison
sentences would be the most effectiyt
means of enforcing respect for the anti