The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-11
A BATCH OF NEW INDICTMENTS.
Horace B. Claflin 4 Co. and
Others Implicated.
BAIL TO BE GIVEN TOMORROW,
What the Accused Have to Say
for Themselves.

Court large batch OF indictments against
number OF persons alleged to he concerned in de-
irauding the government by means OF smuggling
silk into this port was freely circulated among the
business community. At first no names were
mentioned, but there were, as usual IN such cases.
any quantity OF rumors aAoat duplicating num-
Der OF prominent business firms. Conjecturos
were made as to who the parties were, but no
definite and reliable information on this point
could be obtained. subsequently it became
known that among those against whom these In
dictments had been found were the firm OF Ii. b.
Claim & Co., the millionaire dry goods merchants
and the well known auctioneers. Messrs. Field
Norris Fenner a Co. The fact that this time
honored aad wealthy nrm had In any way become
so implicated IN the silk frauds on the revenue
was o surprise TO every commercial man, and
many were the expressions OF sympathy and re-
greet that even the breath OF suspicion could De
waited against such q house. That there could
be found any suspicion OF the integrity OF this
old established firm even was matter of
much comment, for II. q. claim Co., notwith-
standing the many rumors that have arisen
against them In times OF panic and financial dis
turbance, have always been considered to trans
act their business In q legitimate and straight
forward manner. IL was, therefore, with no little
surprise that the news OF their Indictment upon
such grave charges was received and the TACT
continued during business hours to form the
principal topic OF conversation to the exclusion
almost or regular business. In fact, so far as
could be learned rom visits paid by the HERALD
representatives to a large number OF prom
trent houses engaged in the import trade,
the action against Claim & Co. was looked upon
as kiEd OF conspiracy on the part OF certain
parties already implicated TO so weave and DIS
tort the circumstances and facts OF the case in
order to secure their own acqulttal at the ex-
pense OF a large firm such as this, whom they
imagine would be willing to submit and pay up
the hne involved rather than defend themselves.
AS VIII be seen, from the card published here
with, Messrs. Cann 4 CO. entirely deny any COM
plicity in the alleged frauds and state that they
intend to take active measures to protect their
good name ana honor against the aspersions which
have been cast upon them.
There Will also be found statement given to
one OF the HERALD representatives from the head
OF the firm OF Field, Morris Fenner & Co., in which
they likewise deny any completely or even knowl-
edge OF the frauds with wncn they are charged.
They firmly protest that all their transactions have
been regular and that their business has always
been done on behalf and by order OF respectable
and responsible firms, as they believed, VINO were
the consgnees or purchasers OF the goods In ques-
tion by and through the ordinary channels.
THE CHARGES.
the indictments, the specific charges against II.
Il. Cla1in a. Co. are con tanned in three inoict-
ments.
The nrst of these contains three counts and
charges the firm with concealing six cases OF
struggled SILK, valued at $4,000 on the 21st day
OF April, 1878.
The second Indictment contains sixteen counts,
and charges the firm with receiving and conceal
ing at various times during the years 1872 aud
1877 large quantity OF silk.
The third indictment contains twenty-eight
counts and charges that during the years 1878 ana
1874 the 1rm received and sold large quantities OF
SILK, well knowing the goods to have been snug
gled and clandestnely introduced into the port OF
New York.
TIE names Of the members OF the irm or Horace
8. CIafiin n Co. who are maze parties 10 the IN
dictment and are indicted are as iolows:-Horace
b. Claim, John Clanin Edward f. Eames, Horace
J. Fairchild william S. Dunn, Daniel Robinson
and William ii. Talco:t.
b. Claim a Co. are charged with receiving and
dealing in amounts TO between 100000 and
100000.
Immediately alter the handing IN OF The indict-
ments United states District Attorney Bliss sent
word TO the arm vi the fact that they nan been IN
dicted and that bench warrants had, as matter
OF form, been issued for their arrest. In order,
however, to avoid the service OF these, and any
Official action, the members or the rrn we're each
notlfea separately 10 appear at his once and give
the necessary BAH, which was nxed at $4,000 Tor
each individual.
Up 10 the closing or Mr.. Bliss ONCE the only one
OF the nrm VINO furnished the necessary ponds
was Mr.. w. 5. Dunn, who appeared before United
states Commissioner Shields and perfected the
requisite legal documents. HIS oonasmen are
Augustus ID. Juillard and Duncan r. Mckenzie. Mr.
II. b. Claim an0 the other partners OF the firm
Nin justify IN tue required security to-day.
The charges conralned Ia toe indictments
against Messrs Field. Morris and Fenner are that
they knowingly and unlawfuly received and sold
smuglled, TO the extent Of several thousands OF
dollars. The particulars and specific counts Will
be found elsewhere, as also an of1cial statement
given by he firm denying the knowledge OF any
iraua, as has previously been stated.
HISTORY OF THE ALLEGED FRAUDS.
IL VIII be remembered that about four mon tbs
aoo the community considerably startled by
the announcement that the smuggling oil SILK
goods had been carried on IN this city to a great
extent. and mat one CHARLES L. Lawrence, a Gus
tom House broker and one Des Anges, deputy
collector, were, as alleged the chief offenders IN
the case. As soon as the imputed Taud was dis-
covered Lawrence ned TO Canada The District
Attorney Mr.. Bliss, got out An order for his arrest;
but Lawrence hearing Of THIS, mad time 20 make MS
escape 10 England. subsequently, ne was arrested
there and brought back 70 this country. Later
on Des Anges GraaI, Wolf and Ban. VINO are
charged 10 nave been concerned In the fraud,
were taken into custody, aud at the preliminary
:, cama nnp a tcstimony that Mr. TaIcott puve
for tue hrm II II. -. Claim Co., purchased 4
large quantity or those silks from Graaf, valued at
between S4O0,O00 and $5J0,0O0. IL Is charged by
the govern ment that those silks sold at
sacn low prices-ln TACT, at prices as low as the
manufacturers put on the poods-that they must
undoubtedly have been smuggled. The plan
by which the alleged fraud was carried
on was thls-several cases OF SILK would be i'm
ported together with a case OF cotton goods. This
latter case, as q specimen or the whole, would be
sent TO tue Appraisers Department. wnere, on
being examined, 10 would be passed at once with
the alleged connivance OF Des Anges, all the pa
pers, invoices, &C, having been previously got I'D
and forged by Lawrence, as charged Dy the gov
eminent. From the Indictment will be seen me
nature OF the charge against Field, Morris, Fenner
x Co., the auctiOneers, VINO are stated To have
sold some or the silks purchased pT Mr.. Talc0tt
for the firm of Claim GO.
ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES GRAND JURY.
Yesterday the Grand Jury Of the United states
Circuit Court attended before Judge Benedict, and
handed In q large batch OF indictments, wnicn
were Immediately filed with the CLERK
rho Judge asked If they had concluded their
labors.
Inc foreman replied that they had not.
INDICTMENTS AGAINST H. B. CHAPLIN q co.
Among the indictments just filed are three
against the nrm Of II. B. Claim Co., charging
them with receiving buying, c0ncealtng and Iacil-
ftAtlnQ oil different lots OF BlKg.