Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-06
.SWINDLED UNCLE SAM
FRENCH SNUGGLBRS DBPRAUD TIKI GOV
BRNMBNT OUT OF $1,000 1000.
Extraordinary Operations Of a French Art Firm
Through Their Branch House in New York.
Their Former agent IS Discharged, and
Be Yearls for Revenge.

NEW YORK, April 5.-Oae of the most
extraordinary casss ofsmugglipg and fraud
on the Custom House known in this coun-
try was made public to-day.
A'lsrd & Sons, a large Pariaiau firm,
dealing il art furniture, rare tapestries,
paintings and brick al brac, have a branch
establishment in this city, a. 3O4 Fifth av-
enue. For period extending over al least
seven years, this house has engaged in the
most 5arefscsd sets OF smuggling.
For many years the agent of Allard q
Sons in this city VAS a man named Bios
saire. About three years ago he wac super
seGed by their present agent, Paul Roulez,
who resides ON Palisade avenue in West
HobOken, n. J. Under ROultz's manage
ment Biosslire WAS steadily degraded, IN
III las February he WAS discharged from
the employ OF the firm.
In revenge for what he claims the iojus
tioe practiced against hin some weeks ago,
Brosaaire called on Special Treasury Ag-n.
George II. Summons and impaired some
stsI;li1g information that led to sn imme-
diB's ana searching investigation OF the
affairs of the firm. Agent Simmons econ
found that emnggled goods had been pur-
chased uGsuspect!ngly from this firm by
some of the wealthiest residents ard most
liberal sIt collectors in t6is city, Including
Wm. K. Vanderbilt, Mex. Twombley, o.
6S4 Filth avenue, and Ofme Wilson, OF 4l4
Fifth avenue; eleo by Robert Garrett, Of
/ Baltimore; VIM. Borden, OF Chicago, and
many others.
Tbs scheme pursued by the firm was TO
consign 10 their New York house cabinet
| furniture, In which were concealed, IN
dsrnesth The marble ;cps and in the false
| pSneiiEg, costly portiere curtains and rich
gobeliu tapestries. C17tOms duties, Of
course, would De paid only on the furni-
ture. In ,he Fifth avenue store The
smUggled goods would be removed. Par
chasegs we're invariably charged ex'rave-
CANT press for the articles, with the duties,
out Of which the Government had been
swindled, added ther-tO Thus a 6oub's
raud was perpetrated. Il is not suspected
that any one Of the many purchasers ha1
the Temotest idea thai the goods were
uggled,
Nj. II. Mex Twombley is probably the
mcst conspicuous victim of the firms Cis-
noeesl practices. His hill for goods or
dered from the New York hOuse Of AliaId
/ & Soma amounted to 500. 000 In this lot
OF gNOds vas an oil painting Tepresented
TO be Rem brsnt, for which Mr. Twombley
paid S2O, coo, arp on account of which be
Ia nov suing tbs firm, having discovered
I D. 9 ha rfa - Iu
picture was smuepled into this country be-
tween two decorated doOre, ore Of which
was intended for Mr.. TwOmbleY's house,
and can now he seen there. Mr. TTOmhley
aoa received large quantity of other
paintings, costly curtains, bric-a-brnc and
rare tapestries, which wers smuggled
through the Cusiom HOuss, concealed in
ihe upholstered ats Of airs ard sofas.
Mr Wm. X. Vanderbilt ordered from
Allard & Sons an oil portrait OF his ten
year-old son last November, which wss
GsiiyaIed to him in February last. He
paid toe firm !6 000 full price, on The
picture. The firm cot that through free
OF Cuty by packing il behind the glass of
mlrrcr ageinst the wooden back. The
| frame was sent separately. When tie
D
the back of the mirror, framed, aud dsllv-
erej 30 Mr Vanderbilt by Blcssaire, row
the Governments informant Itis uUder-
stood thst Mr. Vanderbilt mas also been
the purchaser OF large quantity Of rare
gobein tapestries, yoriieres and articles Of
virtu from this firm.
Amoog Mr.. Ome Wilson'S purchase,
which figure On the list Of enuggled arti-
cles, il a lsrge quantity Of rich portieres,
/ tapes ~, bric- s-brac, rare Fseach clock,
pnd many ether costly articles. They were
brought over in February, 1857, and
passed through the custom house by Paul
Ryulez's wife rs her own household
effect. Upon investigation it was found
| ths. they had been bought by Wilson dur
/ iBg the preceding November ard packed
/ bg ,ie Ailards 10 Paris.
The iov.stigstirn made by Spscial Treas
urg Agent simmons having progrested far
s.oceh By las. Monday night 20 warrant
| him IN making q Sc 'zrre, be he'd the necet-
.qry payers executed and called to mis- aid
/ Speci Il Treasury Agents J. G. Cummings,
Frank Finley, Special Ageut Ritter and the
informant BlOsaaire, who had been depu-
tized AS an officer. They went to the Fifth
Avenue Hotel and remained there most Of
rhe night, and st : o'clock Tuesday morn
inc proceeded TO Allard's store 3G4 Fifth
avenue. As soon as the snitor OF the store
opened the door they made a raid on ihe
stock. and captured q large quantity o.
chairs with upholstered seats that we're
f,und stuffed with rich laces, tapes
tfies. silks, bror ~, PORTER curtains
and aiaost every thing person couiG
imagine Tlege chairs wsre recent
invoice. ana had not been unpacked.
The officers also seized the mirror IN
which the Vanderbilt piCtore had been
concealed and oae Of The Ornamental doors
hstweeu which Mr.. Twcmbley's alleged
Rembrsnt had been smuggl,d. A large
onsotitv Of other stuff, belJing recent
marks not identified on the Custom House
invoices of the firm, were slsO seiz=d
Thee tbings we're sent to the seizure room
in tbe Barge Ollice and the party went 70
Roulez's house in West Hohoksn, where
thew aeized lot Of tapestries valued st
81 600 which they found packed IN q
plush sofs. These things were also sent TO
the seizure ToOm.
II WA ascertaired through Ro1ltz him-
selfthat the articles purchased By Robert
Garrett of Baltimore, ere q large qusnu-
4, of rare aad costly heavy silks used ior
making old court dresses, used now only
for covering circular casi5s and sofas.
william Borden, OF Chicago, had p1r-
chased some elegant pOrtiere cnrtsins'
Thf,e goods vs'e also smuggled.
An examination YVES held yesterday AFTER
noon before Collector Megone, Deputy Col
Iar.or c. p. McCle)lsod snd Special Treas
rrv AGENT Simmons Roulsz, the New
Work scent OF Allafd & Sons, wss preeent,
AZ vel as Blossaire, the informant. o.,
R,plez made ia confession aud sa'd
,bnt he wss ccguizant Of tho dishonest
,ranssciions and the smuggling Of The firm
w. admitted that bS;h he ami Blossalre
,ysre prss, ut. es wss Young Ferrand a.
la a mtmher of tie fim who YVES IN tnls
country at TIE time when the Vandefoii
nictuTs was uDpacked and franco, III Il
Fehruary last He also scSnoHie0geu
s.n5iro Blossairc to dfliveT the same 10
Mr. Vanderbilt. He made further adn's
s;on that the goods brought ovsr by MS
,.;fa a. household effects in 1887 were MOI
his nropertv, ard that sll the articles al
Isgsd in the complaint to have been snug
lied we're smugSled. Both his declarS'lO1
and that OF the i formant, Blts'aie' "e''
then sworn TO By them.
The offepses enumerated il thia story
besides many others in the complaint, -
tepd back only 20 the year 1S-6, but the
customs authorities are gathering rev
evidence every day to show that t1e hrni
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