The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-03
MASON HIRSH.
The Official Story of the Silk
Smuggling Case.
Why A RELEASE WAS ORDERED.

WASHINGTON, APRIL, 1915
rhe Mason Hrsh smuggling case came before tho
treasury officials for adjudication on an appeal from
he action OF the Customs officers in New ork ana was
thoroughly Investigated. much time being devoted 70
he inquiry instituted TO determine the question Of
Hrsh's alleged guilt.
One OF tho most trusted agents OF the treasury Dc
partment, A. X. Tinglc sent 70 New York TO make
his inquiry and upon his report examination and
ppraisement OF H-sh's baggage was ordered and the
FOODS released. This report Is addressed TO Buford
Wilson Solicitor of the Treasury, and after prclimi
sary statement OF its object, viz "A thorough OK
an of all the circumstances and facts connected
Nth the seizure various articles from the baggage
81 Mr.. Mason Hirsh, who arrived at New York, per
teaner Russia y the 18th of January last and tho
citation OF the aindavts OF George s. Nichols Deputy
Surveyor; George d. Carroll, Inspector; William H.
Lockwood, Deputy Collector; Theo Y Kelley, Exam
liner Appraisers Department. Wilson Bergman, clerk
In the Naval Office; Samuel Grau Leon Hirsh, Ludwig
Dreyfuss, c. OTTO Bocse, Charles L. Brush Henry
Lampcrty, Richard Williamson, Joseph l. Hrsh and
Bertha Hirsh goes on to say
From all the facts shown by these afndavits
touching the question OF guilty intent the part Of
Mr. Hirsh TO deraud the revenue. think tho pre-
ponderancc ui the testimony lends establish his nno
ccncc. The inspectors Carroll and Egan charge HIM
with having offered them money 10 pass his baggage
without examination. He admits that he offered Car
roll money expedite the passing Of his baggage but
says that he did only alter Carroll had asked him
how much no would give and had idea OF thereby
avoiding examination or cvading the payment OF du-
ties Ho acknowledges his error IL making any oiicr
OF money to The officers but explains that his anxiety
great 10 get through with tho business and
take his wife home that he was ready TO do anything
10 accomplish that result y is evident
that account OF his nervous, excited man.
ner, Mr. Hirsh became object OF suspicion
the part the officer, who believed that his ner
rousncss caused by his guilty intention TO SNUG
lie dutiablc gvous; these suspicious confirmed
when he exhibited such grea, anxiety 10 hasten the
examination, and when aterward he offered money to
Carroll to hurry the matter through they became GER
tain that he smuggler IL Is conclusvcly shown
that MI Hirsh was yer. anxious and much excited on
account the critical condition OF his Wife, and that
there much confusion on the vessel and the dock
when The passengers and baggage were landed tan
only reconcile the contradictory statements OF the
reason Of Mr. nrsh's excncmeni, his imper
feet English and the noise ana confusion incident TO
the landing OF passengers and the examination Of
the baggage, the officers misunderstood his words, as
they certainty did the cause OF his nervousness
excited manner. When 1t considered. tho tcsti-
mony shows. that Mr. Hlrshs whole time Tor some
weeks previous 10 and during the whole voyage WIS
taken up with the OF his sick wife; that his bag
gage cntry was made up IN haste by Mr.. Dreyuss at
Mr. Hirshs request that nc took the oath as matter
VI before the deputy collector without reading IL
that when persons offered - attend to his bag
gage he replied that he had goods to be appraised and
must got appra ser, and that ms standing as bust
and eli zrn IN the community where he re-
sides Is unexceplonab!c, il seems very Improbable
that he could have had the intention OF smuggling Mt
AFFIDAVIT Is 10 the effect that the
trunks Packed by hcrseH anu lnothtr
Paris and London, and that her father had only
general idea OF what they contaned that II their
Intention 10 have had the two OF three extra pieces OF
silk which declared The entry made up
into dresses before they lett Paris and that MIR Hrsh
supposed TINS had been done Whatever opinion tho
,cers have had to the proprety oil seizng the
duiabc goods lound action OF that kind taken
by them time of the detection of tho alleged
smuggling. On the contrary, the examiner
directed TO make the usual appraisement that
the duties might be collected. On account OF the late
OF the hour and The variety OF the articles 10 be
tnnI la
acxt day. Mr. Hrsh leaving the matter
the hands OF his brother, with the
autes should be found due. hen the examination OF
Ihe goods finally made next day the examiner
decided that The variety OF the articles was such that
proper examination ana appraisemcnt could not be
the DOCK and marked the entry TO be sent to
the public store. This action strictly In CONFORM
ity to the printed regulations the back Of the bag
I,gc entry. But the Deputy Surveyor, Dir. Nichols,
dissatisfied with tins decis!on aud said THAT rather
,han have the goods 10 the public store for
ippraiscmcnt, ne would seize them, which was accord
lngy done The seizure was not made, therefore,
because II was fragrant case OF smuggling ms has been
alleged, but because the duties could not lac collected
the dock and credited to General Nichols and
his staff 1t should be explained that there are two
deputy surveyors assigned 10 the duty OF examining
passengers baggage, General Nichols aud NJ. Benton
Each oil thesc gentlemen has q corps OF inspectors
and there is y rivalry between the two corps to
Which shall collect the most duties on the dock The
under consideration being one In which General
Nichols supposed there would be several hundred dol
lars duty TO be collected he was naturally DESTROYS
the should to swell the receipts collected
SIDERABLE ceng OF jealousy between tho several on
oil the different departments who are assigned 10
the duty OF attending to the interests oil tie revenue IN
connection with passenger baggage. Each officer APP
pears to have exaggerated idea OF his own iinpor-
lance and functions; and this explains the DIS
graceful wrangle which, as the testimony shows,
occurred between the officers in relation TO this
Deputy Surveyor Nichols states, IN closing his testi
mony. that u . fair appfasemcnt had been made 50
that the duties could have been collected the dock,
or NJ he had known all the facts in the de-
welcomed. he should have made no seizure. The scz-
urc therefore, Is the result OF disagreement oil the
officers the value OF The goods and the decision
tue that the public store was the proper
place for the apprascmenI Among the articles
ported The seizure schedule were five packages OF
umbrella silk. Mr.. Hirsh beng manufacturer OF um
brcIias the enumeration OF these articles IN tho
count OF the published In the newspaper was
public, the idea conveyed beng that he had been
taught In the attempt to smugglc umbrella
sk merchandisc 10 he used in his ular business
OF manufacturing. Upon examination by the appras-
crs the nve packages enumerated umbrella silk
proved TO DO patterns OF umbrella covers made OF
cotton and OF commercial value whatever, being
simply samples Of covers sent TO Mr. Hrsh BY manu-
iaeturers in Europe The inspectors, IN OF
zea selected dutiabc several articles such As soied
linen SHIRTS ladies' underwear, necktics shoes, apor
all OF the silk dresses, books, toilet articles &c,
which appear 10 be personal effects and wearing APP
parel In actual intended Tor immediate and
there lore not dutnbe. In view OF all the iacts and
circumstances Is exhibited by the accompanying ai-
davits and obtained by me from various persons,
whose written evidence not taken, respectfully
that the Collector OF Customs OF New York
be authoi ICED REORGANIZATION TO be made OF
the baggage his custody seized from Mr. Hirsh
and to release the to him upon payment OF the
duties upon all articles properly subject to duty.
From conversation with the Collector upon the subject
have believe that such disposition OF the
ease win DO IN harmony with his views"