New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
DIR. As1OPs BAGGAGE.
ASSERTIONS on HIS LEGAL ADVISER ~ REGARD n
TIE CASE.

IN
THE CASE.
To NE Edff0r Of The TrfBUne
SIR In your issue OF NOyembes notice
some statements under the head OF "Dafes oa wcaas,
Apparel wbich are Incorrect. II is tbe,e r,psrtd
relation to the uii brought ny Sir Wlam Astor 70 "a
cover back dulies on apparel, that ar As.e
attorney applied 20 Mr Merritt the Collector for No..
mission TO layr their baggage passed free OF DUTY; a.,
the attorney was informed thar TIE u-ua examnatb.
must be H. ale determine wnat articles new a.
Old aud whether they therefore subject 10 duty
free; that Mr.. Ast0Ps attorney claimed IN reply t,,
personal cts new or old, duty uua4r "a
law aud lie proposed % nake this test case; that.
Mr. Astcrs arrival baggage declarations made "
several members Of biz famiiy. and 10 clam md.
tlat the articles had been ia actual use"
desire TO correct these statements. an the perso,
referred 10 as tue attorney OF DR. Aston. I'D not en
on NJ Merritt for permission to have the baggage pasd
free OF duty asked for permission to ~ inside u TIA
lines established by The officers 20 consult xrA
Mr. Asor aad his family and 10 aid them Was rerFpsi
by NJ Merritt to the surveyor OF TIC Port, Mr Bari
who gave me pass enter within he lines. Sota'tg
more was asked nothing more was received. Noh,a,
was said 20 the Collector Surveyor as % IA, article,
they had or IN relation 70 what dny would b. cnarg,a
uDOn them, alJ oihng was SAID ABOUT tis D me -.
had no idea al tnr tIe tNdt mere you'd aaY
dispute in regard u the Guiy.
The staiemont not correct that, on the arrival Ots
baggage 10 clam was made that the artice, had hess
IN actual use. The clam was made ihdl al me articles
rad been more or less usedi but Mr. Ast,r Vas H.
forned by the revenue Cficer that al wearing apparl
thai La been HOugh' the other slde. whether v0.a
or NOT and even -ucL bad been there Paired va
-uii.ct to duiy. lie therefore Proceeded T. XamiHe AT
me baggage and 10 charge ia upon ruJ-aulallg N
the wearing apparel OF the whole family Wler0er toe
same had been actually worn or not VI Aston took
exception 10 this construction oi tue laN, HAca j.
fo lows: Thai me impCrt1 lon % the iODf ~ aress
shall be free from duty among when are "ra ng a.
pare IN actual USE and other personal ELECTS l10t NET
chandisc)"
II was the opinion Of SIR As;or's counsel that wear
ng apparel 30 EIroe Tor cue asse hgers pr
sonal aug immediate us,, and forming part u ls wand
robe and -uci suitable ~ iis means an st4-0l
nm ME- was free duty. That the words ac,g al
in The laI DO DOT mean SDat man actually Has IA
norsnn but what lie has with lin ready fDr VII a
occasion dem ands ard that the amount Vi this geaFr
APPAREL will infer according 10 the Taste, means aa
station of the owner, aSd not 10 De GecGd by fg-
.pue officer Had Congress designed 10 limit the amoul
Of wraring apparel passenger may BRING INTO the
try n could easily nave done by mtng IT, yaGs
or by fixing the should have been 10 n posse
sion. hLHhi DAL
| Nesc- York, Nov. s, 1880
| There Is obviously misunderstanding between
Nr. Day and the Custom House authorities to tho
facts. The statements which Mr Day objects were
furnished b. the Custom House. Our own OpuiOa
is that the revenue collected IN TINS way from pei
sonal baggage costs the Government more than Is
| comes tO,-Edl