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# LOST HIS TASTE.
Witness Tells the Sugar Trust Investigating Committee
That Roosevelt Gave Up His Interest in Big Game.
# READS TWO LETTERS
Which He Wrote to the Former Chief Executive
Urging Prosecution of the Heads of the Concern.
Washington, June 29. That former President Theodore Roosevelt had lost "his preference for large game" because of the failure of the government to prosecute former heads of the American Sugar Refining company for the wrecking of the Real Estate Trust company of Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania Sugar Refining company deal in 1906, was asserted before the house sugar investigating committee by George H. Earle, jr., receiver for the trust company. The Pennsylvania refinery was acquired by the American company and promptly closed. Mr. Earle also said that considerable of his correspondence with Mr. Roosevelt in connection with the case was not communicated to the senate when a resolution was passed calling for all papers. Mr. Earle submitted to the committee two letters he said he wrote to Mr. Roosevelt subsequent to the one bearing date of September 21, 1906, submitted to the senate.
"That letter was not all I wrote to Mr. Roosevelt," said Mr. Earle. "I wrote several that never saw the light of day, and I have been able to find two of them."
"Read them," said Mr. Hardwick.
"On October 1, 1906," Mr. Earle replied, "nothing having been done by the government in this case, I wrote another letter to Mr. Roosevelt."
Earle's Letter.
The letter follows in part:
"Seriously, I mean still seriously, the matter of the wrecking of the Real Estate Trust company by the sugar trust, if justice should be done, needs the promptest attention from the attorney general. I have seen a number of the conspirators who wrecked this institution for the benefit, and at the instigation of the sugar trust and I am, in myself, a magazine of evidence against them; but while we have been waiting and doing nothing, others have been intensely active and these very persons who were not to help me are now withholding all documents and evidence at their command. If we could have jointly acted a little earlier we might have gotten some original papers which we greatly need and may find it very difficult to do so now; but I have copies of and can prove them, although not all the facts that establish the infamy of this conspiracy.
"It has often happened that you have been able to punish the oppressors of the public, but there has really been no occasion where there has been substantial evidence against so many of the first rank; and I totally misjudge your character if you have lost your preference for 'large game.'"
"Mr. Roosevelt had lost his preference for large game and I was mistaken," said Mr. Earle when he concluded. He then read another letter which he wrote to Mr. Roosevelt under date of October 27, 1906. In this letter, after apologizing for his importunity, he said:
# He Tries It Again.
"I thought that the case that had come to my attention in the performance of an unsought trust both might enable the government to enforce a most important statute hitherto unused, and, at the same time, to demonstrate that the oft-made assertion of the trust that they were but technically not morally guilty of crime was untrue. When men, for pecuniary ends, violate one class of laws they do not stop at infringing others; but when they so charge that the government is persecuting them for making mere necessary business arrangements, it is difficult to prove the untruth of their assertion. And so when I found a case of first impression where there was prof of what I considered pure villainy, I thought it my duty to lay it directly before you. And I have or had no other end to serve.
"I have followed your suggestion and visited the attorney general, who, in turn, referred me to Mr. Purdy, at which I greatly rejoiced. For, unless I have misread his character, he is intelligent, fearless and devoted to the performance of his duty I think he now understands the importance of this case; and so I am content and wish to thank you for whatever trouble you may have been put to by my appeal to you."
# He Expected Action.
Mr. Earle declared he had not talked with Attorney General Moody because the latter had been appointed to the supreme court bench and could not undertake the case. He had seen Assistant Attorney General Purdy, explained the case to him and thought that the government was going to press the case.
"Mr. Purdy told me," said Mr. Earle, "that he wanted all the details. I gave them to him. After he heard them he jumped up and said, 'We'll send them all to jail.' He said they wanted to get the best man in the United States as special counsel in the case and asked me how James M. Beck, former assistant attorney general, would do. I said I thought he would be all right."
"That was before Mr. Beck became counsel for the American Sugar Refining company, was it not?" asked Chairman Hardwick.
"Yes, you know after a man makes a success as a trust buster he does not continue to serve the people long."
The witness criticised former Attorney General Bonaparte and said that when he assumed office he despaired of government action and began civil suit in the federal court of the southern district of New York.
"Mr. Bonaparte never submitted anything except briefs favorable to the American Sugar Refining company and they were very bad briefs at that." Mr. Earle declared.
Mr. Earle related the history of the case of the Pennsylvania Sugar Refining company, organized by Philadelphia capitalists, and how Adolph Segal borrowed money on his stock from Gustav Kissell, who turned out to be an agent for the American Sugar Refining company.
Woman's Garter Saves Life.
