The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-27
Clever SWindles.

selves anSWeraDle 1Or the contents Oh
registered letters and packets, provided
thej- value be declared beforehand and
a small sum, in addition to postage,
paid to cover risk of loss. But great
risks the post-offices refuse to accept on
any terms, and they draw the line at a
very modest maximum. This system,
which the English post-office has not
vet seen fit to adopt, is a great con-
venience in a country like Switzerland,
where the manufacture of watches and
iewelry entails the frequent transmits
sion of gold and precious stones. As a
rule the system works well, but when
diamonds are in question foreign postal
administration and insurance COM
panies are sometimes victimized by per-
sons whose positions might be supposed
to offer sufficient guarantee for their
honesty. In April, 1882, firm at
Chaux de Ponds, Canton Neufchatel,
Switzerland, had certain diamonds,
valued at &c, 400, to send to Bucharest,
and this being beyond the post-office
maximum for transmission abroad, the
insurance was effected with two COM
panies-La Baloise and La Suisse
which cultivate this sort of business. In
consideration of an agreed premium
they guaranteed the safe delivery of the
diamonds, which were handed to their
agents, Mayer, Freund & Co., and sent
by them in registered packet to the
consignee at Bucharest, NJ. Julien
Bloch, a relative of the consignors, and
their representative for the whole of
Roumania. The packet arrived at
Bucharest on April 30, and in accord
ance with the usage in such matters
was handed by the post-office to the
custom-house aushorities, who duly
advised NJ. Bloch of the fact, and asked
him to claim his property. Six days
later that gentleman called at the
custom-house and asked for his box,
but the box was gone. at contains
diamonds diamonds worth 100000
francs," said NJ. Bloch, ''and it
must be found" The custom
house people were quite of
the same opinion. They, too, said the
missing diamonds must be found. but
they were not found, and M. Bloch
went away without his precious box.
Naturally enough, he did not seem much
concerned at his loss, the diamonds, as
he remarked to NJ. Georgesco, chief of
the custom-house, being insured for
almost their full value, and M. Bloch
gave himself no further trouble about
them, not even informing La Baloise
and La Suisse of what had come to pass.
But the Bucharest post-office authori-
ties were less Indifferent. They insti-
tuted minute search for the missing
valuables, and searching investigation
into the circumstances attending their
disappearance. In the end, whether
influenced by fear, or as he himself
said, moved by remorSe, certain
Sperlich, a minor revenue officer, con-
fessed that, after handing the box to
NJ. GeorgeSco, he had stolen it from
that gentleman and handed it to M.
Bloch, who had promised him for his
pains reward of f200. Sperlich said
further that the box contained nothing
but sealing-wax, and that Bloch had
contrived its disappearance in order to
get the f6, 400 for which it had been
insured by his confederates at ChauX
de Ponds. On this Bloch took to flight,
but was arrested at the frontier,
brought back to Bucharest, tried, and
condemned to four months imprisOn-
ment, a term which the Court of APP
peal subsequently increased to twelve
months. Sperlich received the same
condemnation, and Georgesco was SEN
fenced to fifteen days imprisonment
for neglect of duty. 1t will hardly be
believed that after this exposure the
firm at Chaux de Ponds had the hardi
hood to sue La Baloise and La Suisse
for e6, 400, the amount for which they
insured the box of sealing-waX. But
they did, and the case has just been
decided by the tribunal of the Seine
of course against the consignors. The
matter was probably referred to the
tribunal of the Seine because, although
the companies in question are Swiss
companies, their headquarters are at
Paris, and they have elected domi-
cile' there. In other words, If you want
to sue them the action must be tried in
the department of the Seine. 1t may
possibly occasion surprise that the firm
of ChauX de Ponds have not been pros
ecutel; but rs they still insist that the
packet did actually contain diamonds,
and it cannot be produced, twas prob
ably thought that it would be impossi-
BILE to convict them on the sole evidence
of man like Sperlich; and seeing that
Sperlich is in prison, even his evidence
is not obtainable From the practices
to which certain Swiss watchmakerS
and jewellers sometimes lend them
selves, it might almost seem that they
look upon rOguery as a necessary adj
junct to horology. Not very long ago
the French Government discovered that
thew had been for Years Systematically
swindled by certain watchmakerS at
Geneva. Until the discovery in question
led to a change of system, all articles of
iewelry entering France from Switzer-
land were stamped at the frontier, and
when re-exported drawback equal to
the duty was returned to the exporter.
The stamp, or hallmark, was taken as
a proof that the duty had been duly
paid, and beyond declaration as to
the ownership no formalities were re-
quired. This system suggested an in
genious and easily practiced plan for
getting the better of the French custom
house. Gold chains, brooches, watches
and similar articles were sent openly
over the frontier, stamped, andt the duty
paid. This was the first stage of the
business. They were then taken to an
other custom-house on the border, de-
clared for export, and the drawback
secured. The next procedure was to
smuggle them back into France and get
the drawback second time (of course
st another custom-house), and so the
ball was kept rolling-for nothing
is easier than to smuggle jew
elry-and it went on rolling until
a jeweler at Geneva, who had
failed and been, as he thought, badly
treated by his confederates, revealed