New-York tribune., 1884-01-10
1 STORY OF FRAUDS IN WooLLEyS DENIED.
CHARGES AGAINST IMPORTERS or DYES AND RUB
BrRs ALSO SAID TO BE FALSE.

CHARGES AGAINST IMPORTERS or DYES AND BCb-
RrRs ALSO SAID TO BE FALSE.
A dispatch from Washington was published
on Monday, alleging that the Treasury Depart
men had received information showing that the Govern
n1en had been defraudcd out OF millions OF uoarS VI
revenue by importers who had Systematically under'a-
ned their goods The dispatch stated that the firms most
,ersvelv ir,pcsed were among those engaged IN the
Importaton OF wool aud woollen goods from England
that between English manufacturers and certain import
ers Oh this side there existed an understanding ny "o
invoices were underv alued and the process oil uersu
ing the Government greatly facilitated that the honor OF
many leading firms and elsewhere was cohcerneu'
and that startling disclosures would follow etc
Dn,gent INQUIRIES by TRIBUNE reporter among some
~ tho leading dry goods importers failed to elicit any con
6rnatiou Of the foregoing II. b. Clafn Co.. schnabei
Rrothers Sullivan Vail & Co, Brigg, Entz q Co. euIz-
hacber Gutterman Wendees, all largely Interested In
mportng woolens from England agreed In saying tha1
they knew OF no frauds being practlsed by I'M
norters OF such goods frauds to the extent In
timated could not carried on without causing dmi-
mutton in their trade and consequently attracting their
attention Samuel Thompson's Nephew Co. dealers In
wool said the thing with regard 10 the importation
of wool A member Of the firm OF H. Herman Sternoach
& Co. which imports largely of English wooen goods'
was more emphatic In expressing his opinion as 10 tue
general honesty OF that trade He explained tna naruy
any English wooeu goods consigned here the large
English manufacturers striving get much for IN EN-
as could be obtained; IL anything. overvauing them
rather than the reverse Continental woolsn goods on
the contrary he said generally consigned ana soid
on commission here and this system offered greater
temptations and opportunities for uDdervauatlon' ana
I'm his opinion such goods frequently undervaiued
He thought that such consgnments should be more care
fully examined by the appraisers
Another dispatch from Washington was published
Yesterday containing less specific charges against
firms whose names were mentioned. A Klpstetn, I'm
norer OF anline dyes at NO52 Cedar-s the authority
Of the consul at Base charged with having received
anine dves that were UNDERMINED 6S per cent and by
snecial Agent Kimbal with having imported carbonate
az soda as chemical salts for the purpose Of evadns duty
Concerning the first OF these charges Mr. Knpsein says
that it Il false az to the second that he imported
mound of carbonate of soda Heller Mertz, importers
o ne dyes a No 55 Maiden lane say that they have
moi been guilty OF any fraudulent undervaluation Al
admit ing previously pehaltes amount
ing 10 $4,000 for alleged underyauatlOn OF invoices
This was done they say merely To avoid expensive n
cation Robert SOau of No. 13 Franklnst, agent 1OI
The Hamburg Gutta Pcrcha Works is charged on the au
thOrity OF Special Agent Brackett with having unde
valued rubber tissue neCessang an ADVANCE III Jne IN
voice OF 90 per cent. Mr.. Soltan SAID that tne
duty he paid because the goods were really under
va1ed but because they had been sold and litigation
would have entacd ruinOus loss He added that ne ad
been approached by who advised him of what
he might expect ana pTOnlstu 10 H& IL AOI SCoilaA
OF money.
MANY other merchants charged with undertaking iu
voices silks ribbons and embrOderies emphatcaly de
MED the ALLEGATIONS member of the firm OF G. A. Auh
sant charges OF undervauatiOn Is 10 impose specc IN
stead OF ad valOrem duties