New-York tribune., 1877-09-01
FRAUDS ON THE REVENUE.
SYSTEMATIC SILK sMUGGLNG.

SYSTEMATIC SILK SMUGGLING.
OATMEAL FOUND WHERE snK SHOULD BE-THE
STEAMSHIP ENGLAND TO BE SEIZED on HER
ARRIVAL
The investigation of the silk smuggling
which resulted in the seizure os the National Line steam
ship Denmark, has led TO rdeyeopments Captain
Backett 1t is stated discovered few days that
gnghndbecn carried on systematically by officers OF the
steamship EngIand, packages being shipped
ON nearly every voyage from Liverpool for year He
ascerained there fifteen in the Leroy street
bonded warehouse bearing date OF shipment from early
IN January to late in July all having been brought by
the England. They were seized and conveyed TO the
Custom House seizure room, where it was Gscertaned
that each case filed With oatmeal
The manner in which this Ingenious sygindle the
Government perpetrated, explained by person IA
miar with thattenpts to deaud the revenue. The orig
nal eases containing fine silks, shipped from Liver
pool without any previous bill OF ladng being obtained
and were placed on the ships manifest as goods marked
to order" THIS avoid seizure, that the
cases, on arrival, would b. seEt ~ The sampng room or
warehouse and held in bond suoec to the order Of the
owner or consignee on payment OF duties During the
voyage the officers OF the steamship connected with the
fraud flied boxes with oatmeal, gave them ident-
ical brands and marks with silk eases, and stored
them IN the hold. Upon discharging the cargo here,
by cOnniylnce Of OF the Custom House inspectors
the silks were removed surrepttouy. and the cases OF
othual we're sent 10 the Warehouse. When the manifest
was examined it found that there IN the
warehouse corresponding in marks and numbers 20 those
recorded on the manifest and further examination
WAS deemed necessary made. During Of the
Government sales Of unclaimed goois In warehouses,
which are disposed Of NJ public auction after remaining
unclaimed for ycur there have been found boxes OF
cat mcal and IL Il believed that they the evil
Gcuce or this scheme Tor piunaerug the Government.
The fifteen cases 81 stolen silk represented by the
dummies seizsd yesterday, are vataed 81 rjOOOO snd
Is he belief O Custom House officials tnat slpD,
COZ worth silks have beea thus thrown upon the mar
ket without the payment OF duty, deimuiins Tie
$4,000. The revenue officers are the trail
Of the New-NOrk men Implicated IN these
well in the previous smuggling ventures,
aud arrests Of prominent dealers are limited A.
X Tin gle, Chief OF the Special Agents or tbs Treasury
partment arrived IN tue city yesterday, and mas been
engaged in this investigation. also stated that
Jack Scott " tire leaders n the frnuds, mas bcen
Ia the city and rs vicinity Tor ten days, having returned
from Cluad, he In hiding, and has given val
liable information to tie United states DstricAttorDey,
wi'r viii enable that officer 10 secure indictments
against all the leading parties to the fraud
similar system oi swndlmg the Government, but on
smaller scale, discovered several years agc Whcn
Captain Bracket inspector IN the Custom House
IL Is asserted that several young men related 20 PfOmi-
ncnt politicians acting c0luslDu with storeh0usc en-
pOyes ned OF their contents and replaced them
with and Ihe persons arrested, but
owing strong political influence, they were released
and tint matter lushed upon return OF the goods
one Of these men, asserted, has since been active in
ward politics aud mas held 4 prominent position.
Tile evidence OF open and notorious agency IN these
newly discovered silk smuggling frauds DJ the Officers Oi
the steamship England T. sid tO be 50 overwhelming
vessel will be u upon her ARRIVAL and De held
Liverpool. due here sunday, snd Ii advertised To
sail saturday