The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-06
IHB BOLDHSH SMUGGLING
Case on Record Just Brought to
Light in New York,
THE GOVERNMENT SWINDLED
Out OF a Million DolIars-Thc opcr-
atlons of q Leading Importing
House-People in High POSI-.
tIon Innoccntly Involved,

y
House-People In High POSI-
y tion Innoccntly Involved,
, NRw YoRE, April 5,-one OF the mos
, extraordinary cases Of smuggling ani
fraud on the custom house known II
this country became public through the
, customs authorities in this city yester
day afternoon,
Allard & Sons, q large Parlsian firm
dealing in art furniture, rare tapestries
! paintings and bric.a'brac, have a branch
establishment in this city at 3Ol Fifth
avenue, For a period extending over
at least seven years this house has en-.
gagged in the most bareiaced acts oil
smuggling.
For many years the agent OF AlIam &
Son in this city was b man named Bios.
saire. About three years ago he was
superseded by the present agent, Paul
Roulez, who resides on PAlisade avenue,
in West Hoboken, j, Under Roulez's
management Blossaire WIS steadily de.
graded, until last February, when he
was discharged from the employ OF the
firm.
In revenge for what he claims the in
Justice praCtlCed against him some weeks
ago, Blossaire called on Special Treasury
Agent George II. Simmons and impaired
some startling information that led to an
immediate aud searching investigation
OF the affairs OF the firm. Special Treas.
ury Agent Summons soon found that
smuggled goods had been purchased un.
suspeCtingly from the firm by some OF
the wealthiest residents aud most liberal
art collectors In this city. including
William X. Vanderbilt, II. Mckay
Twombley, OF GS4 Fifth avenue, and
Orme Wilson, OF Ala Fifth avenue; also
by Robert Garrett, OF Baltimore, vii.
liam Borden, OF Chicago, and many
Others,
now II WAS WORKED.
The scheme pursued by the firm was
to consign to their New York house
cabinet furniture, in which were con.
cealed, underneath the marble tops and
In the false paneling, Costlyportiere cur
tains and rich Gabelin tapestries. Gus.
toms duties, OF course, would 10 paid
only on the furniture. In the Fifth
avenue store the smuggled goods would
be removed. Purchasers were invaria.
bly, charged extravagant prices for the
articles, with the duties out Of which
the Government had been swindled
added thereto. Thus n double fraud
was perpetrated. 1t Is not suspected
that any Of the many purchasers had
the remotest idea that the goods were
smuggled.
Mr.. II. Mex. Twombley Is nrobly the
most conspicuous victim OF the firms
dishonest practices. His bill for goods
ordered from the New York house OF
Allard & Sons amounted to $4,000. Iu
this lot OF goods w,ls an oil painting, rep.
resented 10 be Rembrandt, for which
Mr.. Twombley paid $4,000, and on &c.
count OF which he Is now suing the frm,
having discovered that the picture Is
only a copy. This picture was snug
gled into this country between two dee
Grated doors, one Of which was intended
for Mr.. Twombley's house, and eau now
be seen there. Mr., Twombloy also re-
celved large quantity Of other paint
ings, costly curtains, hriG.l.braC apd rare
tapestries, which were Bmuggled through
the custom house concealed In the up.
holstered seats OF chairs aud sofas.
Mr.. William X. Vanderbilt ordered
from Allard 4 Sons an oil portrait OF his
ten.year.old son last November, which
was delivered TO him in February last.
He paid the firm $4,000 full price, on
the picture. The firm got that through
free Of duty by packing 1t behind the
glass Of mirror against the wooden
back. Tho frame was sent separately.
When the goods arrived the picture was
taken out OF the back of the mirror,
framed and delivered to Mr.. Vanderbilt
by Blossalre, now the Governments in
formant. It Is understood that Mr.. Van
derbilt has also been the purchaser OF q
large quantity OF rare Gobelin tapestries,
portieres and articles Of Yirtu from this
firm.
Among Mr.. orme Wilson's purchases,
which figure on the list Of smuggled ar
tiCles, Is a long quantity Of rich portieres,
tapestry, briC.a.braC, rare French
clock, aud many other costly articles.
They we're brought over in February,
1887, and passed through the custom
house by Paul RouleG's vile 9s her own
household effects. Upon investigation
1t was found that they had been bought
by Wilson during the preceding Novem-
ber and packed by the Allards in Paris.
SEIZURE pF THE oooos.
The investigation made by Special
Treasury Agent Simmons having pro.
gressed far enough by last Monday night
TO warrant him in making a seizure, he
had the necessary papers executed and
called TO his aid Special Treasury Agents
J. O. Cummings, Frank Finley, Special
| Agent Ritter and tho informant, Bios
salrc, WHO had been deputized as an off.
Ger. They went to the Fifth Avenue
Hotel aud remained there most ot the
night, aud at I o'clock Tuesday morning
proceeded to Allard's store, 304 Fifth
avenue. As soon Us the ianitor ot the
store opened the door they made raid
on tho stock ind captured large quan.
tIty OF chairs with upholatergd seats that
| we're found ptuEed with rich la6e6, To.
pehLCltbt bllkbt uIuuAuhI pVENVlpSI UuFNlHp
aud almost everything person could
Imagine! These chairs were recent In
| voice and hgd not been unpaCked.
oTlRR sEIspRKs.
The officers also seized the Mirror In
which the Vanderbilt picture had been
concealed, and one Of the ornamental
doors between which Mr.. Twombley's
alleged Rembrandt had been smuEgle1,
large quantity OF other slulT bearing
recent marks not identified on tho Gus.
tom House invoices Of the firm, was also
seized. These things wero BGnt 10 the
seizure room In the barge office,
and tho party went 10 RouloSo's house,
In West Ho6okon, whero they seized d
lut Of tapestries valued al $4,000, which
they fouud packed In plush sofa.
These things IeFe also sent 10 the seizure
room. II was aBccrtained through
RouleSe himself that the articles pur.
chased by Robert Garrett, Of Baltimore,
we're . large quantity Of rare and costly