The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-27
THE GREAT SILK SMUGGLER.
Civil Suit Against Chas. L. Lawrence for
More than 3 100000.

! From the New York Tribune.
The rate of daty to which hosiery and
other cotton goods are subject was paid
upon the silks alleged to have been snug
gled through the Appraisers office at an
differentiation by ChaS. L. Lawrence.
The difference between the duty which
should have been paid on these silks and
that which was paid is, it is claimed,
81 .336, 400, and suit was begun yesterday
/ in the United States District Court to re-
cover that amount from Lawrence.
The detectives received their first inti-
nation OF the true state of facts in October
last, when they began an investigation TO
| discover, if possible. how silks and laces
could be sold in this market at an under
| valuation. They were assisted in their
quest by dealers in this city who had been
losers by such sales. Shortly after the
beginning of the investigation the detect
ives found that what purpOrted to be cot
ton goods were delivered TO lace-house,
! and were consigned to some fictitious con-
signee, the entries being made by Charles
L. Lawrence, who signed the bonds for
the withdrawal of the goods. Lawrence
claimed to have power of attorney from
the fictitious eonsignees. The detectives
watched Lawrence night and day, and
Collector Arthur detailed Deputy Collect
ors Phelps and Baulch to assist them.
The watching of the suspected persons
continued until early in January without
any important result. At that time Gray
Brothers, Custom-hOuse brokers, made an
entry of eight cases of what purpOrted to
he cotton goods, consigned to Freeman &
Powell. The entry was made before Col.
Des Anges, Lawrence signing the bond for
the withdrawal ofthe goods. Des Anges,
N n Z a plS pY
animation and appraisal. The detectives
watched Lawrence while he was signing
the bond and making the entry. a few
minutes after Deputy Collector Baulch
made inquiry of Des Anges as to what
bond Lawrence had signed. At this Des
Anges became suspicious and alarmed,
and gave an order cOuntcrmanding the
withdrawal permit.
This order was sent to Mr.. Mooney, one
of the detectives, who was in HObOken
watching the discharge of the cargo of
the POmmerania, on which the cases of
goods were. The cases were then re-
moved to the warehouse on the dock, and
an examination of their contents, few
days afrerward, showed that they con-
tanned silks. The goods were seized and
placed in the seiZure-rOom of the Custom
house. One of the cases-the one chosen
for examination by Colonel Des Anges-
contained cotton goods. The Indictment
of Lawrence and Des Anges followed.
Lawrence fled to Canada, whittier he was
pursued by the detectives. While in Mon
treal, he received telegraphic dispatch
from a confederate in this city, informing
him that the detectives were on his track.
He Immediately left Montreal in a sleigh,
on February Il, and pursued his journey
toward St. Johns and Halifax, while the
thermometer was at forty degrees below
zero. He afterward sailed for England
under the name of G.. q. Gordon. He
was arrested on his arrival at Queenstown
by detective from Scotland Y ard. Law
renee took his arrest very cOolly, not sup
posing that he could be eXtradited. His
case came up before Police Magistrate Sir
Thomas Henry, and he was defended by
Judah z. Benjamin, the former Secretary
of the Confederate Treasury. The Magis-
trate ordered Lawrence's eXtraditiOn, and
she prisoner was then placed in the Clerk
enwell Detention House. While there
Lawrence had conveyed to him new
dirk-kniie nearly foot in length. When
this was found upon his person he was
confined in dark cell. Efforts were then |
made to bribe the detectives, or at least to |
rescue the prisoner from custody. None |
of these attempts were successful, and |
Lawrence was finally put on board of the
Scynthia and brought to this city. He
had about 81, 800 in money on his person |
when arrested,
The detectives connected with the cap
ture say that the combina ion to defraud
the revenue was one of the greatest con-
spiracies ever formed. 1t numbered about
500 menbers, many of them being men of
wealth and position, both here and abroad. |
The most extensive ramificatiOns of the
system were in England and on the conti- |
nent, agents being kept in nearly every
large port.