The Portland daily press., 1875-06-11
The Silk Smuggling Frauds.
Prominent New York Firms EERn-
pIiCated.
The Great Firm of EE. Es. Clafin ~ Co.
VudIcted

The Great Firm of H. Es. Claflin ~ Go.
Indicted.
NEW YORK, June 10.
The grand jury of the New York Circuit
Court to day found an Indictment against Hor-
ace b. Clafin of the well known dry goods
house of H. b. Clafln & Co., and VIM III.
Talcott the silk buyer of the firm, for COM
plicity in the recent smuggling frauds. There
are three indictments against Talcott, charging
HIM with receiving and concealing Struggled
silks, Three indictments were found against
III. b. Claf1in s. Co., the first of which con ains
four counts charging them with concealng SIX
cases of smugged silk gods valued at $50 900
on the 31st of April, 1873. The second indict-
ment contains ten counts and charges them
with at various times during the year 1877 and
1873 concealing quantities OF valuable SILK. me
third indictment contains % counts charging
them with having received and sold large guam
titles of silks well knowing them to have been
imported into the United States contrary to
law. The names of the members of the firm
who are also Indicted are Horace 3. Clahn,
Jno. Clafiin, Edw. E. Eames, Horace [. Fair
child, VIM S. Dunn, Daniel Robinson, and
VIM. A. Tacott.
The Commercial says of Clahin & Co.'s in
| dictment that the amount of Struggled goods
| received bylthem amounts to upwards OF Sl, 0oO,
900. For several days past the air in the office
| of the District Attorney has been thick with
| rumors of the impending downfall of a great
| commercial house, and she arrest of Talcott.
1t was fully and positively asserted that Catfia
| & Co. would be one of the houses to fall, but
| no one not even the officials, expected the
| blow would fall so soon, and when the jury
| handed up the indictments against the time
| honored firm to Judge Benedict in the United
States Circuit to-day, the event startled all who
| heard of it as clap of thunder from clear
| sky. Notices of the indictments were served
| against him, but up to noon writing he had not
| appeared at the Office of the United States
| Commissioner.
In addition to the indictments against III B.
| Clafiin & Co., the United States grand jury
presented further indictments against Chas.
| w. Field, Aaron Field, John j. Morris and
| VIM. ID. Fenner, for receiving and concealing
| upwards of $4,000 worth of Struggled silks
| during the year 1874. 1t is said indictments
have been found against several other large
| firms
Gard from IN. B. Ciafin.
| H. B. Clafln will publish tomorrow morning
| the following card:
| The United States grand jury have to-day in.
| dcted our firm for alleged completely in at
| tempts to defraud the customs revenue at this
| port. We simply ask our fellow citizens tc
| withhold all judg nent in the case. We have
| conducted our business honorably and honestly
| and we expect to demonstrate our integrity and
innocence. As there has been no dishonor in
| our past, so we intend to tprotects oul
| future from stain by an uncompromisiDg de-
| fence against any accusation that has been OF
| may be brought against us.
| (Signed) Ell. B. CLAFLIN & Co.