"THE BIG SCOUNDRELS."

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 31, 5 February 1910, Page 15

"THE BIG SCOUNDRELS."

AD VENTURES OF AN ENEMY OF THE SUGAR .TRUST. One of the most eagerly discussed characters la America to-day is Mr. Robert Parr a Treasury official, who Is known as the "Nemesis of the Sugar Trust" (writes a. New York correspondent). • Under the statutes regulating the awards to be made to Customs officers and other persons who detect and seize goods In the act 6t being smuggled, Mr. Parr is claiming £200,000 reward—so per cent of the £400,000 recovered by the Government from the Sugai Trust as the result of his Investigations. Mr. Loeb, collector of the port of New York, has endorsed Mr. Parr's claim, the gian'tlng of which now rests in the discretion of the head of the Treasury De? partment.

It is now several years since Mr. Parr, then a subordinate Customs employee, furnished Sir. Roosevelt with a dramatic account of the vast frauds perpetrated by the Sugar Trust. Mr. Roosevelt Instructed Win to devote his whole energies to gathering evidence sufficient' to convict the "big scoundrels" or "the men higher up." When Mr. Roosevelt left the Presidential chair he secured the appointment of Mr. Loeb, his private secretary, as collector of the port of New York, believing that he was a man of iron will, fully capable of bringing the Customs derrauders to, justice.

The story of Mr. Parr's investigations before and after Mr,' Loeb's regime reads more like a first-class detective romance than a chapter of real life. He fought the hostile influence of agents in the Customs service as well as of outsiders, and only succeeded in seizing falsified weighing machines by means of an audacious ruse. Since then he has been subjected to amazing temptations. . As mneh as £25,000 has been offered him by friends 'If only he would consent to disappear."

Insidious temptations were placed In his path. Beautiful women sought his friendship and detectives haunted his footsteps. He has been repeatedly denounced to' the authorities as a spendthrift and" as a man of gross life. In every Instance he has proi-ed his innocence. Now he Is being lnunda'ied with threatening letters menacing him ivitk death. Recently the Government offered him a bodyguard, but he refused. So far only a -few minor officials have been 'convicted of participation in the frauds, by which the Government was deprived of millions. The latest to be indicted Is Mr. Gerbracht, a former superintendent of the Havemeyer-Elaer Kefinery at Wllllamsburg. Mr. Gerbracht received a salary of £4000 a year. Hβ ha* entered a plea of not guilt;.