DISMISSED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 670, 22 November 1909, Page 7

DISMISSED.

; ■ EESULT OF NEW: YOEK CUSTOMS ■;',:.;.■. v ;.■ ■■' '.-■■ inquiry, j '.-..'.'..,'.■■". (By Telegraph -Press Associntlon-Oopjrlsht.) ;.. ,■ .. (Eec.\Nov'ember 21, 5.5 p.m.)' ■ ■ : : . New York, November 201' ■The port collector'at New. York has dismissed. 104 .Customs employees as the result of tho. investigation regarding the weighing frauds in connection with,the Sugar Trust.., He has .also .dismissed • Mr. Vail, the acting deputy surveyor, in connection with frauds regarding imported cheese. , .'■';. .: :■'■:■.' 4 :■"■,■' ■ ' : ',;.! ; vV FAKING" THE SCALES; ; ; \:' ' _ In a test .suit-brought by the Government, the i American Sugar . Eefining Company (or Sugar Trust) was found guilty of defrauding the Treasury by a device attached to the scales which determined the weight' of • the company's imported raw. sugar, on which duties are paid. ;The;penalty fixed by the' verdict m that suit was 134,118 dollars. - The Government'at once set out- to • collect ;from the'- Sugar Trust about 2,250,000.d011ars more, alleging that tho Treasury had been defrauded of this sum, at least, : by: the, false weighing of cargoes not involved in , the suit mentioned. ■■ On June 29, the I, Sugar .Trust practically.admitted, tho justice of.the ohargo, and offered to settle with ,the Government by paying , 2,269,897''d011ars in cash, this mm including . the 134,116 dollars awarded, in! the suit that ..was tried. ■• ■\" This, payment: (says , an American paper) was■ made by .advice ;of the , trust , s counsel. It appears from the statement of:these attorneys that there was a prospect that the Government , s claim would be , raised to 3,000,000 dollars, and'that proceedings for forfeiture of the sugar fraudulently weighed would have increased greatly the sum to be paid.'. The trust i abandons' its protest and gives up' its right to 'appear. , • THis ; ': Settlement;, has been , approved by tho AttoTney-General and the Secretary of the Troasury, It does 'not, , however;, restrain the Government.from; prosecuting .criminally the officers of the trust, or the omployees who were guilty-of.these frauds/'y.',"; : .■■-'.?■' ."': "/.■"•