The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-06
ALLEGED CASE OF SMUGGLING.
A New York Firm Said to Have Defrauded the
Government for Many Tears Past.

New YORK. April 5.-Allard & Sons. of
Paris and New York, are accused of carry
ing on smuggling operations on a tremen-
dous scale, and quantities of goods have
been seized at their warerooms on Fifth
avenue. Their method, it is charged. was
to substitute rich silks and tapestries for
the hair in ~stufIing the upholstered parts of
antique furniture. and SO escape paying
duty. \ portrait Of one % the Vanderbilts
was brought in back OF an antique mirror.
ii is charged. and a Rembrandt between
the panels In a carved door. In each case
the customers were charged with the duty,
which, it is alleged. had not been paid.
Thus far the loss TO the government, it is
estimated, amounts to about $4,000. and il
is expected that before the end is reached
the total will foot up to fully $50. 600. Allard
d Sons are well known in the fashionable
world. The main house is in Paris. Their
present agent, Roulez, succeeded Alphonse
L.. Blossier. Blossier admits that he wac
discharged from the employ of the firm
some time ago. He does not tell why.
Blossler, In a sworn statement made to Mr..
Simmons, charges Paul Roulez, as agent OF
the hrm, with defrauding the revenue IN
many instances. At z O'clock Tuesday
morning Simmons, by appointment, met
BlOssier, Treasury Agent j. T.. Cummings,
and Inspectors Frank Finlay and Ritter.
the latter of the Hob0ken office. They
went TO Allard's. on Fifth avenue, seized a
cabinet which had been entered free of
duty as old furniture, and which was
offered for sale at S120; two arm-chairs
which, Blossier stated, had been stuffed
with portieres and brought out by one of
the Allards on his last visit to New York.
One of these portieres is made of valuable
silk, and is now owned by William Borden.
of Lake-shore drive, Chicago. The otherSs
of plush and is at the barge office. Ahand-
some door was also seized. Blossier stated
that this door had a companion now in
the possession of III. Mckay Twombley.
He stated that as a double door the two
were used to bring in a Rembrandt paint
ing valued at 10000. He said that the
painting was hidden between the two
doors, and that ii is now In Mr.. Twombley's
library. A large quanty of other goods
was taken to the barge office. A second
trip was made to the Allard establishment
in Fifth avenue. They found a mirror with
a history. Blossier swears that it was i'm
ported by the Allards, and that hidden be-
tween the glass and the wood back was a
painting of Harold Vanderbilt, the young
son of William K.'VanderDilt. This, he
says was valued at $4,000, and is now in
Mr.. Vanderbilt's home at Oakdale.
1t is not expected that anything further
will be done in the matter until Secretary
WiuuOm 10 ucdIo lIOLus luc ldCtc III tnc
case were embodied in a report sent to
Washington last night. No arrests nave
yet been made. A reporter called at the
wareroOms of Allard IL Sons this morning,
and w. H. Secor, counsel for the Al1ards.
n Mr.. Roulez, the agent, said: This
whole affair Is an outrage on a most re-
spectacle firm, and the result will show
that the Allards are innocent of any at
tempt to defraud the government. 1t is
the work of a discharged employee, who has
taken advantage of the fact that all the
members of the firm are absent in Paris.
preparing for the coming exhibition"
"They were aware that it was coming"
continued Mr.. Secor, "and two weeks ago
cabled Mr.. R0uleZ to consult with me In re-
gard to it. They were put on their guard
charged agent, the instigator of the pres
ent proceedings. and this letter will form
an important part of the defense offered by
my clients. My clients are prepared to fur
nlsh bonds to any amount to secure the gov
INNER for the alleged duties of which, t
is said to have been d~efrauded.r
Collector Magone, when asked by a re-
porter if there was any new development TO
day, said: II have not yet heard of any.
What we want now is the money of which
the government is defrauded."
us it true that Roulez, the present rep
resentative of Allard e. Sons, had admitted
the smugglingp
III has admitted that theirs was SNUG
some of the imported chairs with costly
goods, on which no duty was paid.n
did he admit this as states evidence, so
that he could not be punishedfn
mo, sir. He simply stated what he knew
about the enuggling.n