New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-06
SMUGGLING COSTLY GOODS.
PARIS ART FIRM CHEATS THE GOVERN.
MENT
SPECIAL TREASURY AGENTS EXAMINING THE
BOOKS OF THE AGENT IN THIS cITY-THE
AMOIrNT or THE ER AIrnc NOT nNnuN

okEtAAL TREASURY AGENTS EXAMINING THE
BOOKS OF THE AGENT IN THIS cITY-THE
AMOUNT OF THE FRAUDS NOT KNOWN.
The special Treasury agents engaged In tho work Of
finding out the extent Of the smuggling OF
ures to the branch house In this city OF the Paris
firm OF Alard Sons busy all day yesterday
investigating the books OF Paul RouleZ the agent in
this city and the manager of the branch house at
No. 3o4 Ftfth-ave. Tho result Of their iuvestiga-
lions was not made public, though the books showed
that the business done by the firm was With the
weahiest and the most prominent people socially In
the city and the aggregate enormous order
given BY H. NICK. Twombley amounting, It Is said, to
S95,ooO. Tho chief business of the Customs officers
yesterday was to find out who had purchased smuggd
goods from the Aards believing that the duties had
been paid.
In the meantime RouleE, the agent, has partially
confessed to the officers. He Kept under sur
veillance, though not actually arrested The OIL
GERS wish to know the fun history Of large quantity
Of valuable furniture which has been imported lately
ostensibly the personal property of the agents
wife. Most Of the seized property is at the Barge
Office and has not yet been appraised. Among the
articles two handsome cabinets, Of chocolate
colored marble with hammered gold handles on the
drawers two blue satin a-tete sofas two lounges
covered with ruby velvet; one handsome antique
armchair; three gorgeous tapestries; priests vest
ments embroidered gold and silver cloth two altar
desk cloths, also embroidered with gold
Collector Magone said yesterday that while the
importations Of furniture, port!eres paintings,
etc., by the Allards' agent extern
sive, yet the frauds on the Government would
not as had been asserted, reach s250,oo0. Many OF
the articles not subject to duty for instance
the $50, 900 Rembrandt painting imported for Mr..
Twombley, and many of the importations the duty
had been paid.
"what we want' said the Collector, is the money
Of which the Government has been deirauded."
The Collector thought the greatest fraud Of all had
been perpetrated the customers Of the Alards,
whs had been charged duty articles on which duty
had not been paid. The seized goods, the Collector
said would not be returned but would be sold for the
benefit of the Government. r. L. Stetson, OF No 46
wnliam-st who represents W. K. Vanderbilt and Mr.
Twombley who were customers Of the Alards, de-
clared that his clients In total ignorance Of the
methods employed by Roulez
Among the innocent customers Of the firm were
Mrs orme Wilson, Of this city; William Borden, OF
Chicago, and Mrs. Robert Garrett, of Baltimore.
The branch house at No. 304 Fifth-sve. was open
yesterday and was In chargo Of NJ. Roulez, who lays
all his troubles at the door Of bis predecessor Bloss
Ter who was discharged and then Informed the Gov
eminent.
Commissioner Shields said yesterday that he had
received no return nom the search warrant issued by
him at the request Of the customs inspectors The
they knew nothing about the investigation except
that the issuance Of several warrants had been ap-
proved by Mr. Walker. 1t is believed that the
Anards being IN Europe and their agent hero having
BY his confession practically turned States evidence.
the authorities IN q quandary to know whom TO
pupsh and have referred the question to Secretary
Window
This Paris firm has been doing business In this city
for about eleven years. Its branch at No BOA Fifth
ave- does practically nothing moro than receive
orders from wealthy customers for goods TO be pur-
chased on the other side The list Of customers In the
possession Of the Customs officers contains than
100 names. The firm by great good luck, secured an
order for fitting up and decorating the home OF
wealthy resident Of Fnth-ave., soon after It first
opened its Office here. This order filed so salts
tactorily, the fittings all Of imported stuff, Of
such fine quality and the decorations after the most
fashionable Partisan style well executed that the
work proved a tremendous advertisement. Wealthy
people visiting the house struck by the
ioW in on the lucky firm. All Of tho orders wero ex
ecated abroad and, OF course, the amount of duty
extremely large 1t would have been we'll for tho
Allads had they been content with legitimate profits.
but they yielded to temptation and began TO STUFF
and sofas imported by them. Owing TO the standing
OF tho firm, their importations escaped the rigid
Illegal business throve The manifcstS filed at tho
Custom House In this city never showed the existence
Of sSsr S ESdS this
fraud the Government might have been kept up
for many years.
goods which hsve been seized will be able TO make
an arrangement with the incoming Collector. Colonel
Erhardt, by which they secure possession OF tho
articles which they caused TO be brought over 70 this
country.
disposition of tho American exhibits at the Paris
Exposition. Doubtless their connection with these
exhibits win be summarily severed.