Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-07-16
Extensive Revenue Frauds.

government, toa considerable extent, were being
perpetratcd by certain parties living in this
vicinity, and various measures have from
time y time been taken to unearth them and
bring the guilty parties to punishment. These
measures have however proved abortiye until
within the past few weeks.
These frauds, commencing several years ago
in small way, in the smuggling Of liquors by
various under ground railroads, have gradual
y extended until they included the wholesale
introduction into this country from Canads Of
ready made clothing, gentemens' furnishing
goods, cloths, silks and dress good. of nearly
all descriptions.
These facts in time came 10 the knowledge Of
Col. Frank r. Howe, Government agent at
New York, who detailed James Carter, a Gus
toms detective in the government service, to
work up the case. Carter associated with
himself Vermont veteran in such matters,
and both proceeded at once TO Montreal, nom
inally for the purpose Of buying horses, but,
to all appearances with view to making some
money, honestly or dishonesty. Here they
fell in with parties who were engaged in the
business Of smuggling, with whom they soon
ingratiated themselves, telling tremendous
stories Of their success in smuggling, and re-
coiying similar condolences from their newly
made friends They found here that goods had
been sold by ut least three firms to persons in
the United States with the understanding that
they were to be delivered free Of duty and in
ono instance they saw case Of ready made
clothing duly marked to certain parties in
Springfield Mass, and ready for shipment.
/ This was q case in point, and, learning that i,
was to he sent, part Of the way at least, by
express, they bid their Canadian friends a
hasty aden, and proceeded at once to Spring
field, where they waited for several days before
it came but at last it put in an appearance,
and was promptly seized.
By tracing this box back they found it had
been delivered to the express Office in this vii
lage, but the express agent here was unable
TO tell hy whom it had been delivered to him.
Following this lead, however, they obtained
| information which justified the arrest Of Mark
French, Of this village, which arrest was ef-
/ ected on Monday Of last week On Tuesday
Mr. French was arraigned before United States
Commissioner c. j. Gleason, waived an ex-
animation, and 10 default of bail, was com
United to the Montpelier jail, where he has
since remained
This fact would have appeared in the Mont
pelier papers Of last week, but for the request
Of the district attorney Mr.. Fifeld, that IT
might not, he fearing that certain guilty par.
ties, not set apprehended, might be forewarn-
ed, and the ends Of justice defeated by that
means. The rcsultshows that such fears were
| ly oyorestimated accounts Of the affair were
sent to the city papers, and copied 70 some ex-
tent by the press Of this State
/ It appears that French aud certain other
parties in the states, have, in c0llusion with
with certain merchants in Canada. Of whom
they purchased their goods, been in the habit
Of running the dutiahle articles mentioned
above, across tie line, and disposing Of them
. % merchants and Others in the states. So far
as we are informed, there are but three Canada
houses, and these in Montreal, Implicated and
as we have before intimated, the amount Of
these transactions has been greatly oyeresti-
mated
These goods have generally reached the
States by one and the same route. They have
come from Montreal by railroad to Bolton, the
second township from the line, opposite to
I Troy. There they were received and brought
/ By team through the town Of Potion to the
south side of the line, by an obscure way. in
the town Of Troy. The course from there has
usually been through the towns Of Jay, Lowell
and Eden to IIydepark. From there they
have been taken sometimes through Stowe to
Waterbury station, and others via Morrstown,
/ Gilmore and Worcester to Montpelier The
work Of getting them past the lines it is said
has usually been performed by resident oil
Bolton.
/ Heterogeneous for securing the safe transit
Of the goods seem to have been ample, and the
combination a strong one. Too much creditcer-
tainly cannot be given to those officers who by
their sagacity and industry have succeeded in
exposing and breaking up the business.
Subsequent TO Mr.. French's arrest, a search
warrant was issued, aud his correspondence
bills, receipts and account books, were seized
From these it appears that he had been in the
habit Of keeping pretty full books and
the disclosures promised when these shall be
made public, as they undoubtedly will he in
time, are decidedly rich. In the meantime
rumor is uncommonly busy with the names OF
men who should be above the imputaiion Of
dealing in struggled goods, aud we sincerely
hope future investigation will prove them tc
have been 80.
II is, perhaps, no more than fair, to state
that Mr.. French's counsel claims that his con
nection with the smuggling business has beer
small, 50 far as the amount struggled is con
cerned or in French's words-he had moi
done enough 10 hire train, or buy up an Of
fcer for his own use.
Mr.. W. L. Washburn has not been arrested
on the charge Of smuggling, as some paper
have stated, but is bound up in the sum o
81 600 to appear rs a witness
MoRRIsyILLE.-On Wednesday morning o
last week, when Mr.. II. II. Gilmore opened hi
grocery store, he found it had been entered