The New York herald., 1879-10-01
ACTING UNDER ORDERS.
An Entire Family Searched by
Customs Officials.
THE DUTIES OF INSPECTORS.
What Constitutes Reasonable Ground
for Suspicion

one more in the long line of customs abuses oc-
CURED on the dock of the White Star Steamship line
last Saturday The principal victim Mrs. Albert
). Grahe, whose husband Is a merchant at No. los
franklin street, in this city. To the language of
the gentleman himself: f:-"Last May went with my
family to Europe and returned in July, leaving my
WIFE, our little girl (seven years old and the maid
IN Germany. They came home on the White Star
steamer Britannia, which reached this port last
Saturday afternoon. At Quarantine tho customs
officers took the declarations Of the different pas
sengers including that of my wife, respecting their
baggage. She said that there twenty-five yards
OF silk. intended for her mother. and two china
piacques in her trunks. She was asked if she had
anything else. and replied Yes, several little arti
cles that can't enumerate.' The officers then
tered upon her declaration that she the silk and
placques and various other articles Having
learned that the Craife one OF the officers
asked passenger IL my wifo not milliner.
1T was five O'Clock when the Britannia reached
her pier and was waiting there with my wife's sis
ter for their arrival The baggage transferred to
the dock and number ofCustom House officers sur
rounded u.s. They announced their intention of
going through my wifes baggage very carefully and
said they had been instructed to do so Two
or three trunks were opened, when. as il
was getting late. they decided they couldn't
mako the examination that night. but would
do it in the morning Then the officers consulted
together for minute and told my wife they wanted
to her. Inspector auckland conveyed the
message believe the deputy surveyor in charge
OF the dock was Mr.. Kibbe. went with my wife
and the officer to a room at the beginning of the
pier and as We entered Inspector Buckland
.Why mott? asked Because you can't; You
have got to come out?' So reluctantly went with
him. | didn't suppose for an instant that they were
going to search my wife. thought they were going
to ask her some questions 1t was entirely new
experience to me and to her.
NICE PROCEEDING.
Inspector Buckland conducted to an Office
midway down the dock. up flight Of stairs and
into room that was quite dark: Said the
lnspector:-'We have Information which leads
to be very suspicious OF your luggage, and we
told to examine it very thoroughly. Now, want to
know what you've got about your person..
''If he had knocked me down with a club T" said
Mr. Graitte II could not have been more astonished
suspect my wife OF having passed anything over to
me for the sake OF cheating the revenueY
~ don't know. Iwant to know If you have got
anything dutiable on your person..
"'Are you going to light the gasp demanded.
"No, can search you without It,. said the in
spector. and then. despite my protesting against
pockets. First he felt the pockets. in my coat and
vest, then those in my pantaloons, and wound up
it over we stepped out of the room.
was boiling mad and said not word. Down
me she had been searched by female inspector
The woman also searched tho maid who ompanied
my wife, and found some German jewelry in her
dress pocket. They had asked my wife II she had
any lace concealed in her dress.
ASTONISHING VIGILANCE.
"Whie all this was going officer approached
my wifes sister and my child. who sitting on
trunk waiting for u.s. and told her that she must
90 with him .Yes,' said another officer. .you must
60 with him; you and the little girl. He won't
harm you They, too. were taken to a room and
searched. Just think Of it," said Mr.. Cratic. with
"a ~,
that little girl seven years old! Well. the Ger
man jewelry was all they found in the whole
have to pay sl5 duty upon it. She told them
she did not pay much that for it, and looking
it second time they discovered that it
mock jewelry and gave it back to her. It only
cost her ten or fifteen francs. Inspector
Buckland had told me that he was acting
under the orders Of superior who
the dock at the time. They declined to go on with
the examination OF my baggage nntil the next morn
ing. Before leaving the dock demanded to know
from Inspector auckland and from Surveyor Kibbe
why my wife's baggage had been suspected; but
they did not even answer me. Itook my family
home but after what had trsnspircd it seemed more
like house of mourning than the glad reception
had prepared tor them.
MEANS TO SEE ABOUT IT.
81 slept over the injustice, land frequently when
do that conclude to let the annoyances pass, but
not so this time. resolved to find out what right
the officers had for the proceeding and if they had
none that would prosecute them in any way
could. On that Sunday morning we went to the
White Star docks and my wife,s trunks were
soms immense discovery Every package overy @
when it was over they admitted that there was
nothing there that had not been in my wifes dcclara
tion There was less in fact for in her honesty she
dutiable were the silks and china placqucs
One Of the officers told mo in effect that tho
suspicion did not cmanato from the customs
officials, but came from outside Now.
mean to find that outside source il il Is possible
thing. A Mr. Welsh examined the trunks Sunday
,,bJ foup m n yer
Perry invited him along with us to- dine on board
the Britannia. The Captain said should have gone
to him about the matter; but don't what he
could have done. have put the case in the hands
of my attorney and I'm going to have 1t out"
Mr.. Cratic told the above details III an emphatic
manner and naturally "bolcd over" as he expressed
it, at certain stages OF the story. Mr.. Francis Q.
Reed, his counsel. on whom the reporter callcd said
he had not cxamncdthe revenue laws closely enough
to see how the customs officials complied with
their privileges. He believed, however, that their
conduct was gross indignity.
SOME 'oFtIcIAL urrERANcEs.
At the barge office. on state street. the reporter
found Deputy Surveyor kibbe. and asked him what
Graiilc s baggage. Mr.. Kbbe declined to answer tho
question. said he had right TO do so and that he
acting in this. in all other matters, under the
orders OF the Surveyor OF the Port. lie produced a
copy of the chapter from the Revised Statutes dein
ing the powers OF inspectors OK customs.
wherever he may be found ''whom they have reason
able cause to suspect" The reporter asked MIR.
Kibbc what he considered reasonable cause to sus-
pect and he replied avcrtngly that thcro had been
reasonable cause to suspect Mrs. Cratic.
"was there anything suspicious about the appear
ance of tho lady. her maid. hor child or her bag
gagc?' asked the reporter.
II don't know that there was; but We can't judge
by appearances We know that by experience"
"Dd you know anything about the family?"
.No," answered tho Deputy Surveyor.
'.Shoud you consider an anonymous communi-
cation cause to suspect tho honesty OF respectable
ladyY'
''why do you say 'anonymous'?'
"woll, signod communication persisted the
porter.
..That would depend. It would warrant us in
making a careful examination"
.swithout ascortaining the character of your in
former. who, for all you know. might have mali
cious motivoY'
'You should the surveyor said Mr.. Klbbc.
al get an order from him to do thing and do it,
That's for suspicion enough for me. don't
like to search any person. 1t is most disagrooablo
duty to perform"
suppose You were asked in court what cause you
had to suspect Mrs. Giraffe OF smuggling. What
woud you sayT
'Acting under ORDERS"
..Supposo the Surveyor should be asked?"
'.weli, he might tell or he might not. Ho might
be acting under orders, and on up till you reached
tho government ITSELF
The Deputy Surveyors theory of circumlocution
aral 40 NIT that >ya