davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-09-22

'My tip to you" said the go-between,
sis to do as the weighers suggest
They could as easily charge you over
weight as underweight Besides. you
will save much money"
The importer, foreigner, thus adj
vised by representative of the gov
eminent of his adoption, took the tip
and thereafter profited through this
official corruption and shared the
duties thus saved. Costello received
most of his goods as part Of what
were known as Mediterranean car
goes" cheese, macaroni, olive oil. The
government was afterward found to
have been losing an average Of $780,
600 on each Mediterranean cargo that
came to port.
The case is typical. The represen-
tatives of the government practically
forced the importers into these decep-
tions. The customs service and COM
mercial New York became permeated
with this sort Of fraud.
Henry L. Stimson was appointed
United States district attorney in 1909
and determined to clean up these Gus
toms frauds. William Loeb, Jr., was
collector of the port, and of the same
mind. The two men got their heads
together and considered ways and
means. A big cleanup followed and in
bringing it about the work of Detec-
tive Billy Gard played a most impor-
tant part.
This young special agent was told
to go out and master the detail of New
York customs, service that was new
to him, to come to understand them
so we'll that he could place his finger
on the points where things were going
wrong, to pick out the men in the
service who were corrupt, to get his
information in such form that it would
be admissible in court as evidence and
so strong that it would insure convic.
tons. He was to do all this in the
face Of the unfriendliness of the serv
ice he was to study, despite all the
| stumbling blocks that would be put in
his way, in opposition to the dominant
political machine of the port, in the
face Of lack of any special knowledge
of the service. Young Gard accepted
the assignment with a grin.
what are you doing on the customs
cases?" District Attorney StimsoI
asked three weeks later.
Going to the baseball games,". salt
Gard,
81 hadn't noticed any cargoes being
unloaded out that way" said Stimson
"How long have you been FAM"
Gust a week." said the specia
agent. Never attended a game be
fore in my life. 1 sit in the nice
warm sun of the bleachers to tn
right among the fanatics. / hav
learned to keep score card a
ready"
Aud such we're actually the / 4
} To solve the riddle of the custom
frauds Agent Gard was working har,
at the task of becoming a baseball
fan.
Two weeks he had devoted to thu
docks. During the first Of these weeks
! he had gone from wharf to wharf anC
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-09-22

Copyright BY W. Q. ChApman

The effrontery of this special agent,
you would quite naturally conclude,
was ridiculous. You approve Of the
sort of courage that makes man
willing to tackle almost any big task,
but you also recognize the limitations
of the individual. David with his
slingshot had an obvious chance of
success. If he could make a scratch
shot and land on the coco of Mr.. Co
Hath he would win. But Special Agent
Billy Gard sailed forth nonchalantly
against the whole army of Philistines,
apparently without even slingshot.
The Philistines in this case were
typifed by the customs crowd of the
port of New York. That crowd was :.
ring within the administration of the
affairs of that greatest of gateways
that had built up system for divert
ing a million dollars year from the
pocket of Uncle Sam and appropriate
ing the money to itself. For twenty
five years the men of this inner circle
had steadily strengthened their posi-
tions, their hold upon those in author
ity, their power to shake down i'm
porters. There is a great influence to
be welded by million dollars a year
In the hands of willing spenders.
The development of this condition
of affairs was based primarily upon
the fact that positions in the customs
service are dependent upon politics.
The men who built up the system Of
customs graft had secured their ap-
pointments because they had political
influence. They afterward used that
influence and put their easy money
back Of it. Their power grew. 1t
made it possible for them to dictate
appointments more important than
their own, even to the collectorship
itself 1t made it possible for them to
bring about the removal of any small
er official who seemed to stand in their
way. Men not in the ring learned to
wink at many things that they saw.
When an emissary of the crooked Gus,
toms crowd went to an importer. even
where he was honest, it came to be
known that it was wise to listen tt
any proposal made. Thus did the ma
chine gather force.
Just one example of the workings
of the system. An Italian named Cos
tello was an importer of cheese. HI
was a successful, enterprising anC
honest merchant. One day he receiveC
a large shipment from Italy, upol
which he expected to pay duty o
$4,000. The cargo was unloaded ant
weighed by the customs representa-
tives. That night an emissary of tn,
ring called upon the Italian merchant
He showed the record of weights TO
the cheese cargo. According to thi
record Costello would have had to pa,
a duty OF but $4,000. 1t showed bu
half the weight in cheese that had az
tually arrived.
I'VE save you $5.0Oo," said tn
spokesman. I'VE expect you to d
vide the profit"
But l believe in dealing honestl
with the government" said Costello
II have always done so and I hav
prospered."
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-09-22

Agent Gard had selected the right
man, O'Toole, at first timid in his
fear OF the ring, became an enthusiast
over the task of wedding out the
graft. The dominance of local politi-
clans had no terrors for him with
Washington at his back. The value
of all he had learned in eleven years
at the scales was made to supplement
the lack oflcustoms experience on the
part Of the special agent. His &C
quaintance with the customs force in
the port made his information invalu-
able. So enthusiastic did he become
that he missed three ball games in
succession and went past four Saturday
nights without his customary tussle
with the spirits that bring forgetful-
ness.
O'Toole confirmed much of the list
of short-weight employees that had
been made up. OF the derelictions of
many of these he had personal knowl-
edge. With their methods he was
entirely familiar and was able to point
the way toward the establishing of
guilt so it would be admissible as evil
dence and would secure convictions.
That an individual weigher may re-
port short weights it is necessary that
his associate at the scales, a checker,
should share in his receptions, for the
checker is witness of the record of
the scales. In the celebrated short
weight cases of the sugar scandals,
the checker had a steel spring like a
corset stay that he thrust into the
mechanism of the scale and retarded
it, thus resulting in showing of
short weight. But in the case Of the
Mediterranean cargoes the fraud was
less disguised. The scales were al
lowed to record the proper weight,
but the weigher and the checker, in
collision, divided the figure by two in
setting it down. The system was both
simple and effective. 1t worked for
twenty-five years.
Gard consulted with O'Toole upon
the advisability of using >workmen
about the docks as informers. The
weigher thought this could be done
and knew a number Of men who might
be so used. A laborer, for instance,
working about the scales, was able to
see the amount that the beam regis
ter d at given times. He could easily
remember the big numbers, those that
represented the thousands Of pounds,
until he had chance to set them
down. He could thus get a rough rec
ord of the Weighing of a given half
day. This could afterward be COM
pared with the figures Of the weigher.
A pretty close check could thus be
put on the given suspects.
BY such methods fairly clear cases
we're obtained against given weighers
and checkers. After much information
was gathered certain guilty men would
be selected who would be given
chances to tell all about their krowl-
edge of the frauds. These men would
be given immunity. Thus would few
of the guilty escape punishment; but
thus, also, would the government learn
all the details of the frauds that it
might be able to provide effectualIy
against them.
Special agents were set to watch
every suspect, to learn his manner of
life, how he spent his money. whether
he could be trapped on the outside.
When the government needed the con-
fession of a given man he would be
called upon and talked to in some such
manner as this:
"You. as checker. worked with
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1916-09-22

there is nothing to live for. You per-
form your small duties with great
void in the back of your mind There
is no stage setting that makes the
petty play seem worth while. The only
relief is an occasional Saturday night
when you forget"
The special agent began to realize
that the weigher was starting on his
tri-weekly fling. 1t also began to be
evident that he was of the order of in
ebriates who indulge in debauch of
self-pity as an accompaniment to their
liquor.
at always seemed to me-" said the
special agent, that a man could be-
come SO absorbed in his work that it
would fill his whole life. Particularly
should this be true when he has a
task so important as yours"
Mother of Mary!" exclaimed the
Irishman. Become absorbed in
watching a bunch Of thieves always
at work? Would you like to spend
your declining years in sitting idly by
and watching your employer and bene-
factor robbed?"
''Why do this?" said Gard. "Why
not lay the whole thing before the
right authority and do worthwhile
piece of work in cleaning up the serv-
ice?"
Eyes, and be broken and thrown in
to the discard to starve," was the re-
ply. 81 have seen too many Of them
go up against the gang. None of it
for O'Toole."
'Just one tip will give you," said
the weigher after hearing the special
agents argument in favor of lending
his aid to showing up the frauds. IF
you will examine the records of Med
iterranean cargoes you will find that,
during the past ten years, such car
goes have regularly been about twice
as heavy when handled by certain
weighers as when handled by. others.
The men whose records show these
eargoes always light are the crooks.
Those who show them heavy are hon.
est. The solution is merely matter
of mathematics.
With this semieonfidence the agent
contented himself He continued to
go to the baseball games, but met
O'Toole only casually. In the mean
time the records of weighers were be-
ing examined. In week, the figures
were complete. They showed these
men divided into two groups that we're
far apart with relation to the weights
of cargoes. The group that weighed
light was the larger.
A few days later Gard saw O'Toole
after ball game. He told the weigh
err that District Attorney Stimson
wanted to see him that night at the
federal building, that the district at
torney was under great obligations to
rim for the tip to examine weighers'
records and wanted to thank him.
"O'Toole," said the district attorney
that night, ''this is a time when the
government needs the aid of honest
men. We know that men who would
clean up customs graft have, in the
past, come to grief. But this is not
now true. / have taken up your case
with the secretary of the treasury
himself. That official asks me. to in
form you that, in case you aid US in
cleaning up this situation, your place
viii not only be made secure but that
you should figure that the service will
be remembered in the light OF your
future interests. We know that your
record is clean. We want your help.
Are you with us?"
-
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1916-01-05
GAS CASE TAKEN FROM JUDGE
GIBBONS COURT

The gas litigation was lifted from
the hands of aged Judge John Glib
bons yesterday. This follows COM
plant made by Donald Richberg, at
torney for the council gas, oil and
electric light committee.
Gibbons was the judge in whose
hands the gas cases have been held
since 1911. The city claimed the cor
rect gas rate was 70 cents a thou
sand feet Gibbons set the price at
80 cents and turned the case over to
a special commissioner.
During the four years which
elapsed since the start of the litiga-
ton consumers paid the gas COM
pany about $10,000,000, which must
be returned if the city wins the case.
Judge Frederick A. Smith, as chief
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1916-01-05
ELEcTRIFIcATIoN STEP

Another step toward identification
of the steam lines entering the city
was taken yesterday when the rail-
way terminals committee of the
council instructed the railway ter
minals commission to prepare plans
for the abatement of the railroad
smoke nuisance.
The report of the Assn of Com
merce on identification, which cost
a half million and was paid for by
the railroads, was turned over to the
body to be used at its proper value.
The report of the commerce body
recommended electrifcation, but
said\it was not feasible at present be-
cause the railroads were not finan-
cially able to bear cost of the change.
1870
Some men are spendthrifts-oth-
ers are spend-thrifty. @
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1916-01-05
justice, entered the transfer order.
The case will go to his court.
A-A-CHOO! WARE MAN WHO
SNEEZES! IT'S GRIP!

This grip formerly la grippe) bus
mess is something not to be sneezed
at. This burg is full of it, how full
one cannot say, but to hear the doc
tors tell, there are anywhere from 1
to 100000 cases.
Sears, Roebuck & Co. report that
10-per cent of their workers have the
grip. Marshall Field & Co. admits
that grip is prevalent among it's en-
ployes, and an inside tip. relates that
the basement workers are especially
heavily hit from the illness. 1t seems
that big portion of the State street
workers suffering from grip are those
who work in the so-called bargain"
Easements.
Lots of fresh air is the best pre-
tentative against grip" says Health
Commissioner Robertson, and all the
docs seem to agree with him.
Keep clear of the gink that tries to
sneeze in your face; the universe
gets most of its grip germs from the
sneezing of grippers-and grip is a
contagious disease.
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1916-01-05
THOMPSON DISCUSSES LAKE
FRONT IMPROVEMENT PLANS

GhSN lNT NV GLftINO
Mayor Thompson talked to the re-
porters for an hour in his Office on
the lake front improvements of the
Chicago Plan comm. The mayor
really knew what he was talking
about and so was very interesting.
VIM. Hale Thompson does not
want narrow lagoon, a few hun
dred feet wide, between the proposed
filling and present edge of the lake.
He wants an island built mile off
shore; to have a trolley running
along it; to have bathing beaches,
tennis courts, golf links and every
thing else to make it a playground
for the people of Chicago.
''The lake is only 26 feet deep a
mile off Chicago's shore line" said
the mayor. I'VE have a wonderful
natural advantage and I'm going to
ask the people of Chicago to boost
for this improvement. Let the gov
eminent build the first big breakwa-
ter and then let us make this land
behind it. This city, the second
largest in the country, is without
harbor protection. It is shame.
Some day this will be the greatest
inland seaport in, the world. These
improvements will help make it So"
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
CUBS HITTING
PUTS THEM UP
With leaders
Jake Daubert Leads the Ma
tionals, While Speaker
Leads American League.

Chicago, June 17.-Terrific hitting
by the Cubs in the past week put
them in the lead in club batting IN
the National league with .265 and
gave them three places among the
ten batters doing 300 or better. Az
erages published here today, which
take in games played last Wednesday
show Jake Daubert still heads the
list with .345. Max Carey Of Pitts
burgh has resumed the lead in stolen
bases with IS, but in most other de-
partmcnts the Cubs are ahead. Will
liams in home runs with T. and in to-
tail bases with 90; Zimmerman in
runs scored with 33, and Flack in
sacrifice hits with 10. The leagues
800 hitters ere:
Daubert, Brooklyn, .345; Schultz,
Chicago, 1888; Doyle, New York, 1893;
Zimmerman, Chicago, $50; Robertson,
New York, 1923; Wheat, Brooklyn,
.313; Williams, Chicago. sos; Wag-
ner, Pittsburgh, 1903; Chase, Cincin-
matt, .3O1.
Only seven regulars are hitting bet
ter than 300 in the American league,
and Burns of Detroit has edged into
second place. Speaker still leads
with 1888, is ahead in total bases
with 1OS, and in runs scored with 43.
The unusual sight Of catcher's lead
ing the league in stolen bases is
shown with Schalk Of Chicago setting
pace with IA, one ahead of such
speedy men as Cobb and Sisler.
Graney, Cleveland, leads in home runs
with four and Gandil, Cleveland, in
sacrifice hits with Is. Detroit is
ahead in team hitting with .256. The
300 hitters, including only those who
have played in at least half the
games of their clubs. are:
Speaker, Cleveland, 1888; Burns,
Detroit, .346; Jackson, Chicago, 1887;
Cobb, Detroit, 1881; Heilman, Detroit,
80; Nunamaker, New York, .3OS;
Smith, Cleveland, 1903.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

ing of elijah" by great chorus
was the finest performance that has
been staged at Braves field in some
time.
Rule 1.-When discussing the indi-
vidual uplift work of the Giants, take
a slant at the old armored war horse
out there behind the plate, Bill Rari-
den.
Willie Hoppe mot the billiard
champion) totes the title of Cali
fornia four-round lightweight cham
pion. We may soon learn that Ar
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

thur Pelkey is the one-round heavy
weight champion.
Willie Kolehmainen, the profession
al runner, may not be as fast as
runner, but Willie is paid regular
money for running. which helps.
Minooka, Penn, has gotten away to
a swell start this season, with two
of its sons-Steve O'Neill of the In
dians and Mike McNally, the Red Sox
rookie-going great peppers in the
big yard.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
st. Louis at Cincinnati,
How They Stand.

Philadelphia, June IA wonder
full running catch Of Griffith of a
drive by Whitfield, with two. men out
and two on, in the ninth inning, pre-
vented Philadelphia from taking
to 0 victory from Cincinnati today.
Score r H E
Cincinnati 100 900 OOO--1 6 2
Philadelphia 1000 900 1000 5 l
Toney and Wingo; Demaree, Nc
Quillan and Burns, Killifer.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
SUPERBAS WIN AGAIN.

Brooklyn, June 17.-Brooklyn took
a firmer grip on the lead today by
defeating Chicago, 4 to 3. in eleven in
nings. Brooklyn used four pitchers,
the three relief men holding the Cubs
without hit or run after Cheney had
given a three run lead.
Score R H E
Chicago :. ....OO1 101 900 O0-3 4 2
Brooklyn 1000 900 03O Oh 9 8
Vaughan, Seaton and Archer;
Cheney. Marquard, Appleton, Coumbe
and j. Myers.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
WINS LATONIA DERBY.

Cincinnati, June II. - Weber y
Wards Dodge, wit: Murphy up. won
the thirty-third renewal of the classic
Latonia derby at the Latonia track to-
day. George Smith, the winner of
the Kentucky derby at Louisville,
finished second. and Dick Williams,
third. Time, 1927.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
JOINS DERMOTT CLUB.

Carl Ware, local ball player and cot
ton buyer, has accepted an offer to
play baseball with the Dermott club
this season, and begins his service
there tomorrow. This will be his sec
ond season with the Dermott club.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

A crowd sufficiently large to great
ly encourage the players, was in at
tendance yesterday afternoon at the
Athletic field, to witness the econd
double header Of the City league sea
son, in which the Armours. ami the
Y. NJ. C. A. teams were the victors.
The members of the league Navs
obligated themselves to put the field
in fine condition and maintain it, to
which end they have decided upon a
small admission fee to the games. The
attendance yesterday brought a feel
ing of enthusiasm, and the boys put
up an interesting article of ball. They
expect to do even better as the sea-
son advances.
Ballard and Moss formed the bat
terry yesterday for the league-leading
Armours. while Murphy. Mooney and
Mccarthy worked in the points for
the Swifts. In the second game,
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
SPORT CHATTER.

Branch Hickey made % baseball
talks before St. Louis social clubs
last month. If talking won pennants
the Browns would be cemented up
there.
From Boston viewpoint, the sing
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
BLUHM'S TIMELY HIT.

New Orleans, June ia single by
Bluhm in the tenth scored knapp and
gave New Orleans the final game of
the series with Chattanooga, to 4.
Chattanooga OO1 900 O30 % 4
New Orleans 100 900 OO1 Is 10
Covington, Walker and Kitchens;
Walker, Smith and Higgins.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

Mccain and Martin worked for the Y.
NJ. C. A. team, while Smith, Ozburn
and Barber were the battery for the
Cotton Belt aggregation.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
How They Stand.

Detroit, June 17.-Detroit made it
three straight from Philadelphia to-
day, Myers unsteady pitching and six
errors behind him leading the Tigers
to Z to 3 victory.
Score R H e
Philadelphia ....O2O 900 O1O-3 8 6
Detroit .OO3 021 10x-7
Meyers and Schang; Cunningham
and Stanage.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

Al Mamaux, Pittsburgh's young
ntcher, stands firmly between the
Pirates and the deep, dark waters OF
the MOnongahela.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

If not asking too much, will "Kid"
Williams and Johnny Ertle kindly
step into the ring and settle their
squabble over the bantamweight
championship?
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
YANKS DEFEAT INDIANS.

Cleveland, June 17.-New York won
from Cleveland, to 8, today scoring
the winning run in the fifth, when
Highs double, Peckinbaugh's triple
and Hipp's double followed each other.
Score R H E
Cleveland .....200 900 1903 8 3
New York ........O11 O20 O10-5 8 0
Bagby, Coombe, Covaleskie and
O'Neill; Shawkey and Nunamaker.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
TO OPEN TENNIS TOURNEY.

Arrangements are being perfected
by c. A. Won Harten, physical director
of the Y. M. c. A., for the opening of
the annual association tennis tourna-
ment Thursday afternoon. Already
the tennis club has more members
than last summer. and others are ex-
pected to join. The schedule will be
prepared within the next two or three
days.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
SENATORS WIN ONE.

st. Louis. June 17.-Washington
won from St. Louis today, S to 2.
iScore- r H E
Washington 100 POI OO1-5 II
St. Louis 900 001 O01-2 10 0
Harper, Gallia and Henry; Groom,
Weilman and Hartley.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
DETROIT TAKES
THREE STRAIGHT
FROM ATHLETICS
Tigers Moving Swiftly and
Steadily Upward-1ndians
Lose to New York.
Results Yesterday.

New York 5, Cleveland 8.
Washington 5, st. Louis 2.
Detroit 7, Philadelphia 3.
Chicago S, Boston 0.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
How They Stand.

Atlanta, June 17.-Atlanta batsmen
pounded two Little Rock pitchers for
seventeen hits in the game today,
which the locals won Is to /. Out
fielder Tresher hit safely each Of four
times he went to bat getting tri-
pie, a double, and two singles. Out
fielder Jacobson for Little Rock made
three hits, two of them triples.
Score R H E
Little Rock 1000 100 O0O-1 8 2
Atlanta ...........O21 O45 1Ox-13 II /
Holmquist, Powell and Rumler;
Brennon and Perkins.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18
Where They Play Today.

New York at Cleveland.
Washington at St. Louis.
Philadelphia at Detroit.
Boston at Chicago.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-18

Anyone wishing to buy or sell
Jefferson County script, call on Chas.
We'll Supply ca. If