The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-24
Origin Of tho Dispute Between the
Wine Growers and the United
States Custom House.
Immense Frauds Charged Against the
Champagne Manufacturers.
Interesting Sketches Of the Country, tho
Leading Champagne Houses and their
Mode Of being Business
Our Rheims Correspondence.
RimMs, DErARrMxrr % rHx MARSs.

RiiHTMB, DEPARTMENT. MARNH. I
AsuxSr PRovisCz or CHAMrAcns, Oct 10, 1885. 3
RAeims amd IL vicinity- Esciemen. Amsng Che Cham
pugms Mansf1csmvers-The Custom House Seisures in
San Fvancico and New Ymk-CAorges Of Immense
Frauds AgainW Ms Champagne Aaa,Jachrcvy-LtH
efMe Cossgnes and Tbe1 Frncipa,s-The Arisbeyusy
Of Chanpagse-TAir Wealth and Social and Political
Posiho,--7Ns Widow Clicqnos and the Head Of Her
Huse-The Effect " the Seissrcs upon che Wine Her.
chantHManMta Of Champagne WTne-PsInr.ire
Mode Of Doing Busness Be,ceen The Vine Grooers and
nc Manufacu,e,s--E6ea Of the Seisu,ss upon Erporia
tion-7he Wine Merchaas Demand tie Intervention Of
the French Government, do.
At the distance Of few hours ride from Paris by the
choice of two railways lies Rheims pronounced Rantz
the capital of tho Champagne wine district
and the of the territory which produces the Pan
disical beverage Around and ii, lying upon the
banks OF the sluggish Marne, up on the hi
sides, embosomcd among vines, the villages Of
Ay, verzenay S;ery. Bouzy, and others with names
familiar a household words TO Americans who have
eyer-as who has not s-induged in nocturnal "cham
payne suish,s or in mntutna Iibations of champagne
cocktails" some Of these names indeed, may bring up
unpleasant recoections with them: rcmembrances of
Retrospective headaches and dimnes Of vision and gen
era shakincss but ofencr it is TO oe hoped peaaater
ones of good fellowship and social enjoyment, and
genial expansion Of ideas and flow of vii. aud mrth
also win result from ght OF the names, familiar
tho faces of old friends which greet US n the queer
streets Of this queer old Eugene Clicquo, 0. de
st. Maceaux Charles He,dseick, Piper, and the Widow
Gicqaot though foreigners and strangers 70 and
land, are well known, and i not themselves their manu-
features at least will be loved ,moag az.
Just At present. however these gentlemen 1nd Indies,
20 whom m past, and nov we have been and
indebted for many sparkling glass Of. the delicious
tar which bears their ,erai names. IN very
amiable mood and not nduging Ia the pleasant
and satisfactory feeling toward he government of the
Uniod states In fact the champagne interest of Rheims.
which In greater or lesser degree be considered 20
embrace the whole ami people, is In state Of fer
ment and agitation equo TO that Of one Of their bottles of
the most lively and sparkling wine Abou! aeen months
the Custom House authorities in San Francisco seized
hundred and twenty-five baskets Of Eugene Clio
quot champagne, inroccd at Bordeaux, at forty five
cents BOTTLE aud charged the and propretos
with an attempt 20 deirand the government: ny IN IN
deryaiuaon OF their merchandise In the trial. which
before the Un:ted States District Court. Judge
Hoffman presiding, tho government advocates pro-
duced Paris price current. showing the
wines quoted at from ninety. three TO
dollar and thirty cents per bottle. AMI
also exhibited letter written by the house OF Eugene
Ccqact, offering to se his wine in large quantities at
sixty nine Genus AZ toe cetaS IN Rheims, ana also
London letter stating that he had bat quality OF
vino export which he sold At seventy four cents
bottle IN his cellars The defence, tho character or
which. obtained from Tho parties here most directly IN
tercsted will b. elaborated in the progress Of these let
tiers. of await, and decree OF forfeiture
tered in tho case.
In the carly part Of the prcsen, year the wine
chants or Rheims rcceivcdfrom New York legal doca-
mont Informing them that suits for the large Of
81 s0 900 in gold TO be prosecuted against THOR
agents there and against them for defauding the gov
eminent in tho differentiation of champagne wines.
Wines TO immense amount had been seized, but sub
scquently released upon tho consgnccs giving bonds in
double their present value 70 abide the dec,sion OF the
by the legal authorities The agents and their
principals in thechampagns district and the Of
claim IN ade against cach follous.-