New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23
REVEALS SECRETS OF
SUGAR TRUST WAR
Claus A. SpreCkeIs Declares
American Company Wanted
Him to Reduce Output.
FOUND MACHINES BROKEN
Intimates That Competitor Paid
His Employees to Put Dead
Rats and Refuse in Barrels
in Federal Refinery.

III eueTdl heuu6ry.
Because history credited Nero with
having been cultured man who played
the violin as one accomplishment sp-
peared 10 be sufficient reason to Claus
Augustus Spreckels. president Of the
Federal Sugar Refining Company Of
Yonkers. one of the independent sugar
concerns why he should not seek to con-
fer with the late Henry o. Havemeyer.
head Of the so-called Sugar Trust, with
8 view Of "burying the Ratchet in the
war then raging between their interests.
This analogy in ancient history was
drawn by Mr.. Spreckes In his testimony
yesterday before the Hardwick Congress
sional committee.
He was examined by various members
Of the committee during the two sessions
held by that body yesterday and was re-
quested to return on Monday and con-
tinue his testimony. The witness clear
" showed from his testimony that he
had no love for the so-called trust and
many Of its methods He pointedly &C
Cused the American Sugar Refining COM
pany. which he termed "the big combi-
nation" Of necessarily trying TO reduce
The output of sugar and put up the price
TO the consumer. He contradicted much
Of the material testimony in regard to
conditions in the sugar industry pre-
viously given by Washington r. Thomas,
president of the American company:
Do nd
now or have been at some time affiliated
with the American company. He dis
agreed emphatically with the economic
theories in relation TO trade conditions
propagated by Mr.. Parsons and other
witnesses at former hearings.
But TO return 10 Nero. Mr. Spreokels
testified that John Arbuckle. head Of the
Arbuckle refinery in Brooklyn. came 10
him three or four years ago. soon after
the famous conference between Mr..
Havemeyer and Mr. Arbuckle, at which
they were supposed to have declared
peace, a deduction which the committee
men make from the testimony before
them. and wanted Spreckels 10 meet
Havemeyer for a little talk.
MIR. Arbuckle asked me II would not
reduce the capacity of our plant" said
Mr.. Spreckels. HE told me the Ar
buckles had reduced the capacity OF
their refinery about one-half. that they
had buried the Ratchet with the Have
movers and he wanted me- 10 come into
the peaceful fold. BE said. I want you
To meet Mr. Havemeyer; you will find
him a highly cultured man. who plays
the violin, among other accomplish
ments.'
sour Old Friend Nero"
ct told him I knew Mr.. Havemeyer
very well. and had also heard Of another
accomplished person who played the fd-
die. That was our old friend Nero ]
said"
The witness said that he declined en-
phatically 10 consider the proposition OF
reducing the output at the Federal re-
fnery, and told Mr.. Arbuckle that he In
tended to run his plant az its full capac-
ity all the time.
What reason did Mr.. Arbuckle offer
for wanting you 10 reduce the cspac-
itv?" asked Representative Garrett, Of
Tennessee.
so that We could all make more
money" replied the witness.
Mr.. Spreckels said that he had also
been approached during the last year by
q Mr.. Warner, Of the Warner Sugar
Company. with a similar suggestion.
did Mr.. Warner give the same rea-
son?' he was asked.
NO" replied Mr.. Spreckels. che said IT
would tend 10 create a better feeling
among all the refners."
The witness said he always supposed
Warner had come from the trust.
The committee was greatly interested
An the witnesses story Of the hostilties
between the Spreckels interests and the
American company, which practlcalIF
ceased in 1891. when his father, the late
Claus Spreckels. sold out his Interests
on the Pacific Coast to the American.
Rut the witness added that he had all
sorts of troubles at the Federal rennerS
for wear after he started it in l9oZ.
I'VE would find our machinery broken
elevators crippled. the sugar syrup sy-
rhoned from the tanks into the sewers
Nv nee Of hose, and many other serious
;rconveniences continually arising. salo
,bc vvitpess. I'VE had many complaints
from, customers Of finding dead rats ana
,,bhish i'm the barrels Of sugar snlppeo
10 Them.
"One night 1 returned TO the refinery
Of midnight, and. going 10 the shipping
room ordered all the barrels opened
T.bere were dead rats and oil kinds OF
refuse hacked in the tops of the barrels
d,echsreed all the men on the spot,
and took charge of the plant myself
They insisted on having their pay ana
told them they had better get II from
the reraons who employed them TO do the
dirty work.
The witness said that Brooklyn ia"-
yer called on him afterward and threat
ehed TO sue him for the unpaid wages
would Welcome Such Suit
II have never paid them and they have
never sued" said the witness. Il would
welcome such a suit in order to find out
why these men wanted to spoil our
sugar. understand most Of them are
,york,ne I'm the Havemeyer and Elder re-
finery."
The witness admitted that the sugar
vorkmen often migrated from one re-