The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-13
HE c URT S .
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT.


The Champagne Cases-Openiug Proceed.
ings-Larxe Pecuniary Interests Involved.
The United States u 100 Gases Of Champagne
Wtne-Ths long pending case was called on in the
United states District Court yesterday Immediately
after the jury the Henry street disery had
turned their verdict The room crowded with
the legal fraternity, deeply interested In seeing the case
once initiated and fairly set gong and 70 hear the open
ing statements Of counsel.
As rs expected that the case will occupy considera.
BILE length Of time and counsel win have 10 refer 10
any amount Of authorities and great portion Of the
testimony win be documentary and presented through
commissions held In France &C. Judge Batohford aug
gcsted that the two long tables from which opposing
brought together and drawn across the room m line
With the bench Counsel at once recognized the advan
tage o. the suggestion, and acted upon it,
United states District Attorney, Mr.. 8 q. Courtuey
before the jury were sworn Intercepted each
knowledge Of the and their feelings f any, with
70 any, and the jury, Was called from the panel,
was sworn.
Mr. Lowry, the part Of the government, opened the
70 try was one Of very great importance only on ac
count OF the principles Of Law which would have 70 be
10 the course q the Trial but on accocn. Of the
eminent had in the result Il also important BE-
cause was in this judicial district the pioneer OF cass
OF very important cases. all alike character and eli Dc.
pending the result that may be arrived a. Unfortu
natey IL not novel case. Fourteen or fifteen cases
precisely IKE tins in fac. and IN law, have already
engaged the attention OF jurors and Of courts
OF whchnvoving every principle Of Law necessary to
oe decided have passed over 70 the Supreme Court OF
the United states for ua determination. In thirteen
fourteen Of these the result had been favorable 70
inc government The case now before the court was
entitled The United States Va 100 Cases Of Cham.
payne wine for condemnation charge OF undervau-
aion: The wine IN question, II alleged, had been
sent oy the foreign manufacturer 10 his agent here
gross naturalization on the invoice with view Of
evsdng the just dues Of the government mporta-
non was Imported In the early pam Of 1884 nom
kheims IN France, and was involcsd al q valuation
greatly below the real market value Of the article with
INTENT 10 deiraud The government had been suffering
heavy rom tns system Of the
KINDS Of impoued merchandise among which Champagne
holds place, as regarded this system OF fraud but In
1s6S the found these frauds 90 gross ana
and the perpetrators Of them 90 bold thai u
set to work and a last Uncovered that there existed
systematized plan 70 cheat OF its lawful revenue
and Congress passed law which provided for the o.
pointment Of various agents and other parties 10 20
abroad and inform themselves OF these charges made ~
The merchants here against the foreign manufacturer
These frauds sprung mp under The system OF
tarn, the simplest and moot dangerous pan being by
means Of two sets Of invoces one Of which, at an under
valuation would be SAINT 70 the agent here 70 bs used 4,
the Custom House and 70 In the regular manner
and the other which showed the real value Of the roods
seizures 10 several cases followed the discovery Of this
ssem OF fraud and the books and papers Of the agents
being seized, sesrv IN al were double invoices found
among the The oath prescribed BY Law be taken
by the conseness OF foreign merchants here far a.
this inquiry concerned Is 70 the erect that the goods
are put down on the invoice AZ the fair market value
at the time and place where they were procured On
this point those manufacturers Of Champagne wines
ADVISER have devised scheme Of dsisscs = ingenious
az speesous and complete - the original fraud was
scheme which has imposed succsssivsly every oicer
OF the government tili they had their suspicious
made out the ngures-ngures that win not lie They
claim that this b inferior wine. and has no market
value Now appears that o. the place Of manufacture