New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-05
CHARLES R. HE|KE
DEAD At SEABR|CHT
Secretary of American Sugar
Refining Company, Recently
Pardoned by Taft.
VICTIM IN WEIGHT FRAUDS
Convicted and Sentenced to
Prison Term and Fine, but
III Health Moved Presi-
dent to Pity.
[Ry Telegraph TO The Tribune. |

fBy Telegraph TO The Tribune
Seabright, n. j.. July 4.--Charles r.
Heike formerly secretary and treasurer
Of the American Sugar Refining Com
pany, who was convicted of conspiracy
to defraud the government by bringing
into the country dutiable sugar at less
than its true weight and who later had
his sentence committed by President Taft,
died early tonight at his summer home
here
He had been Ill since the time Of his
conviction. and the condition OF his
health. it was said was responsible for
the Communication Of his sentence.
Mr.. Heike's death was due to a COM
plication Of diseases Of the heart, lungs
and kidneys. He was taken from his
home in Jersey City 10 Seabright in the
spring in the hope that the change would
prolOng his life
His wife. his daughter, Mrs. Woolsey,
and his son, Rudolph. were at his bed
side.
Charles r. Heike. the secretary of the
American Sugar Refining Company Of
New Jersey and secretary and treasurer
Of the New York company was the only
executive officer of the sugar trust" con-
victed Of completely in the sugar frauds
at the docks OF the Havemeyers e. Elder
refinery, at Williamsburg. II was
charged by the government that by short
weights the government was defrauded
to the extent Of more than 100000 in
customs duties.
Heike was convicted June 10. 1910, after
a trial that lasted nearly four weeks, and
on the following September 10 he was
sentenced by Judge Martin, in the United
States District Court, to serve eight
months on Blackwelrs Island and to pay
a fine of 10000.
Heike resigned from the company and
took an appeal. The Circuit Court Of
Appeals sustained the court below and a
writ OF certiorari was sought in the Su-
preme Court Of the United States.
Heikes main reliance was the conten-
ton that he had earned immunity, and
the writ was granted February 20, 1872
The case went again to the United
States Supreme Court and on January q
il was decided that Heike must serve his
time
Heike, in the course of the trial in
1910. was looked upon as the man high
or up" and was as high as the govern
ment went in its prosecution Of the
sugar short weighing frauds.
Henry l.. Stimson, Secretary of War
al the close OF the Taft administration.
was special prosecutor for the govern
ment He prepared a masterful case.
The confession OF Oliver Splitter. sub
ordinate. showed conclusively that short
weighing had been practised for years,
and he put the source down as prac-
tice into which he naturally fell. II was
brought out that Heke was familiar
with discrepancies in the Weighing Of
raw sugar received at the Williamsburg
refneries and that one of II. o. Have
meyers confidential clerks prepared a
statement which showed the number Of
lots on which the excess of settlement
weight over the refinery weight was
above 2 per cent. For years the clerk
prepared for President Havemeyer and
Secretary Heike statements illustrating
how much the corporation was benefit
ing by underweighing
Heike was convicted largely upon the
testimony OF oliver Splitter, dock super
intendent for the trust, who was sem
fenced 10 two years in the federal prison
at Atlanta, but pardoned after he had
been there a short while. in order that
ne might take the stand for the prosecu-
ton
Heike had spent the greater part OF his
life in the employ of the American Sugar
Refining Company and its predecessors.
He was never a director, but was secre-
tary for many years and was close to
II. O. Havemeyer and others in the Have
meyer family when they were in active
control As secretary Heike received a
salary Of $4,000 a year. At his trial
Hleike was represented by John B. Stanch-
field, ex-senator John C. Spooner ana
George S. Graham.
Six minor former employees OF the
sugar company were convicted. including
Ernest Gerbracht. former superintendent
of the Havemeyers & Elder plant. In adj
dition TO the foregoing record the govern
ment collected from sugar companies on
evidence of fraud nearly S3,50OOo0.
Pending the nedTlnS ol MS Na'iO"S oP
peals Helke was at large under s2oW0
bail
Since his sentence he had been in poor
health and in January, 1918, when the
United States Supreme Court finally de-
cided that he must go to jail, the infor-
nation was kept from him. Henry A.
Wise, United States Attorney. said that
he would not oppose a petition for
pardon for Heike. He had known ne
said, that the man was simply an en-
ploye and tool of the late II. o. Have
meyer. by whom he was completely
dominated He was certain that Have
meyer would never have permitted any
one OF his employees to interfere with
anything that he had set out to do.