The evening world., 1890-06-11
RISE INDIGNANT.
Ihey Declare that There Is a Fash.
iOnabls Smuggling Conspiracy.
War on tho Chappies and Their
London-Made Clothes.

Since the Custom-Hous authorities have
dnearthed the desperate plot Of the chappies
TO defraud the Government and smuggle
their gaudy London tailor-made habili-
ments into this country without paying the
requisite duties thereon. all dudedom has
been In o state OF wild agitation.
Az there Is q very fair prospect that some
Of the leading representatives of Gotham's
moneyed aristocracy may be brought before
the courts to answer for their aiding and
abettinR the violation OF the laws of the
land, the present commotion in the ranks
OF the dudes and Johnnies is not at all sur
prising.
\ SPECIAL agents have been probing into the
[ matter, and have discovered q great many
uncomfortable facts relating to Illicit deal
= ings between the London tailors and their
swell customers in the States, and II Is whis-
pered in official circles that the tempera cure
is going to be made exceedingly torrid for
! somebody.
The courts In this country cannot very
we'll reach the London t~ai,ors. 30 the natu-
raj inference Is that the noble army OF
chappies will have to bear the brunt Of the
Il appears that this sort of thing has been
going on for q number OF years past, and
during the last four or five years the bust
$500
The manner IN which the game is worked
appreciate the value OF the AnRlo-American
dude as q customer. and they can afford to
go to considerable expense to, get his trade.
.a AilSSGaSi1Ss o1gg.s ssH Ike o. R ri B sH5se H Haslt' E
Co., Cutler & Co., and Whitaker 4 Co.,
have organized q regular agency system to
! capture the trade in this country.
Each firm has q wary and crafty represen-
1ative. who comes over two or three times Q
ysir with a well.stocked sample box OF the
II he oomes In the Fafi or Winter he puts
NJ ct the best fashionable hotel in town.
and IL In the summer he finds swell quarters
other Aristocratic resort.
He has only to make his mission known In
l eeonidential way, show a London %tailor,s
trade mark. and the gllded youth will flock
around him, eager Tor q bargain.
They select their patterns, get their
!, usasures taken, and in. due time the real
london prices. to be sure, but not SO steep
81 y the regular duty was added.
or course, it Il understood that no duties
are paid and that the bonus goes to the
agents and the go-betweens. The latter are
employees on the big ocean liners, expert
ence having Shown that this is the best and
safest way OF getting, the goods in free OF
duty. They receive about 81. so for each
recent that they bring back.
Naturally, the American tailors are COM
planning with extreme bitterness against
this invasion Of their rights and are prepar-
ing To make q big kick.
An indignation meeting Of Fifth avenue
tsilors was held Yesterday, at which were
present j. r. Merwin, President of the New
York Merchant Tailnrs' Association; NJ.
Rock. John j. Mitchell and Andrew Patter-
son.
1t was decided to call a meeting of New
York tAilors to be held in the offices OF the
John j. Mitchell Company, at $40 Broad
sy, tomorrow night, when the action OF
the men attached to the steamship City OF
Chicago; together with the Customs service,
will be, denounced on account of the recent
smuggling Of London clothes.
President Mer win says that this illegal
-affic has reached such a point that the
ONE trade is actually becoming impover-
| ,hed. Every year the Fifth avenue tailors
Ire losing some OF their most paying CUSTOM
kra.
lists. " he says, but II the McKiniey bill
docs not protect us against these wholesale
kmuRglerS, We want free trade. We san cut
better clothes han the London tailors. and
We could untersell Them If We could get our