The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-14
PRIESTS yEsTMENTs SMUGGLED.
The Extensive Enterprise Of Fucntas-Custo om
House Omcers Implicated.

Joseph Iotland, who lives AT Amity and
Thompson streets. called on Special Treasury
Agent Bracket. In the Custom House, on Aug.
3. and informed him that Leonardo Fucntas "A
South American. had arrived in the steamer
city of Chester from Europe with large guam
tity Of smuggled goods. Capt Bracket traced
the baggage declaration made by Fucntas. and
found that in 1t the words three cases II NOR
chandise" had been erased. and in their place
thre" cascs Of personal Effects The entry
further showed that the goods had been passed
free Of duty hy John }. Pollok ami John Laird
Custom House inspectors. Capt. Bracket seized
several thousand dollars worth OF women's
deliberately embroidered underwear. which
Fuentas was charged with having smugglcl.
\ part ~ tho goods WIS sci1,d in Lotlnnd's
r'SidrnNc hud IN" r.Wuui'r in "A cigar store
k"T 10y Mr.. ,Iounnd iH South Fifth avenue.
for "A loan that hc hni made to Fucntas. who
said Dee WAS a Resident of los laso-. in Bolivia,
nud WAS I'm Europe IN lS15 on pleasure" tour.
H. returned with large quantity ot goods that
hr had NouEht IN Paris and l,ume TO sell in BO-
Eva. oh hiS arrival in, ,lll- city hG was met On
the steamship wharf hy Nictorirn Allen. n run
nor ior. a spanish boarding house in the fli-
tecutA Ward, who urged him to land his bag
pag" rs personal ELECTS. telling him he could
End a better market ~ the United States than
IN Bolivia. lie gave Allen 81 100 with which 10
pay tnc duties on three cases of merchandise.
and nftcrward aseertaincd that Alien had kept
SljIu and divided tine rgst among Custom
House officers. Allcn ndiy coutradirtcd
Fucnrts and said thnt lac WIS the first to suI-
gc-t IN" smuggling \ few days alter the seizure
of TIA" uudorw, ar. fucutas had Allen arrested
on a charg' of swindlin..
Ih' above things led 10 the discovery that
Furntus hal smusgl"d large quuutty II urti-
cirS t. bee worn hy the Catholic rrrgYmrn. nnd
for -rV' raj days Special Agent Bracket AND In
-brrtur Jackson huNt been searching IN Ford
ham Ioh.kcn. and Philndcphin for goods that
he was said to hay" ulrrcd Tor sale ia those
places Ihr result Wa- 20 remarkable cole tiun
of clerical v"stWents in IN" Special Agent =
Office vest rday. There were twenty com
pl"tn sets of Catholic NrSimcntS. consisting of
chn-uhlps. nauciplc-. stui"s and dumaticas. i'm
yellow. white, red. hm'k, purple. and green
suited 10 the various l.A-is and idst-
chasuhles. braided with gold thread, set
win Jewuls and lined with satin and silk. that
were valued at $500 to $3.50 each. Four Of tht
damuticas, intended 10 ho worn IN grand
cnr"munios, Were appraised at 600 each. There
were 2lu pieces ultOg rlh"r Hud all bore sacred
cmhru- eluhorhtrly worked IN silk silver and
gold. Ihrr" were also large number oi SIX
plush hats. such us are worn 10y priests IN
Mexico and South America. 1t Is said that
clrrgymcn in several cities Father Adrian OF
Philadelphia brought three sets of vestmruts
paying $500; but when he learned that they
had been smuEglri lN promptly cOn-i iIueC
them 10 Special Agent Bra kott. and the latter
compelled the man who mad effected the sale tc
rcsturr the money.
Fuentas was nit 10 hc found yesterday. Il
was -nid that hi, bail had been reduced from
: 900 to slOu. and ihat lac had fed. one OF In,
have been removed from Office. aud the othcl
lt.