New-York tribune., 1891-04-30
DRESS PATTERNS SEIZED.
A SERIES OF BIG UNDERvALUATIoNs.
THE EXPORTER IN PARIS HAD ONE INVOICE
FOR THE DREssMAKER AND ANOTHER
FOR THE GOVERNMENT.


FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
The efficiency Of the Mckinley Customs Admlnistrar
ton law in preventing undervaluations was plainly
shown yesterday in one Of the most important ard in
teresting seizures which Charles s. Wilbur has made
since he became the Chief Special Treasury Agent at
this port Many Of the large dry goods establishments
OF this city have long complained because they had lost
the custom of large number of dressmakers. These
houses made inquiry among the trade and learned that
outside people were supplying the dressmakers with
their materials and patterns 1t suspected that
foreign underwriters were responsible for this, ana
Mr. Wilbur six weeks ago instructed his righthand
man, Special Treasury Agent Jay C. Cummings, to
woSk up the case. Mr.. Cummings did his work so
weS that as result he seized on Tuesday thrty-iour
cas of stylish spring patterns at an appraised value
OF about $50 000 which at the Appraisers Stores
Tht details Of the were obtained yesterday MT
Wilbur has waged successful on dressmakers who
hdve in the habit of smuggling purchases into THIS
country their personal effects and this seizure caps
the climax Of his work in this direction 1t was suS
pected that Charles II. Lauer of No 73 Rue ST. Anne,
Paris and with branch houses in Lyons London ana
this city, supplied the dressmakers with their ma
terals It was believed that Lauer undervalued MS
goods and deauded the United States Government ou
of a large sum of money yearly. Mr.. Cummings OBJ
taned the address Of Lauer's customers In this CITY
and from them got their private invoices which Laner
sent them At the time he directed agents OF the
Government in Boston, Philadelphia Baltimore, chicago
and Louisville to get the private invoices Oh
Iauers customers In those cities. The majority Oh inc
dressmakers willingly surrendered the invoices 10 aiu
the Government in detecting undervauatlon' But therc
were some In this city who objected and they were
compelled TO Weld when Collector Erhardts aid was
invoked Sections 16 and II Of the Administration act
give authority to the customs officers to demand the
invoices and fix penalty Of 500 for REFUSAL 10
do 80.
Mr. Cummings learned that Lauer had an agent
named Bradford a suave, fiery headed gentleman VINO
visited this country three or four times year anu
secured orders Lauer would make out private IN
voices for his customers and consign the goods to
John A. McSorley g. son, of No. Al Finest Inc
Mcsorleys are Custom House brokers' and their ONCE
1t was said Is Lauer's branch in this city Iheh
Lauer would make out a greatly reduced invoice Tor
the Custom House. The McSorleys say that they re-
ceived the consignments specially marked. with no
list Of prices and simply delivered the goods The
Goods which were seized on Tuesday were inv0lced as
$4,000 francs When Mr. Cummings placed tho
private invoices in the hands of Appraiser Cooper the
Appraiser advanced the value to 81 900 francs. In ad
don to the thirty -four seized, there were fty-
eight which had been delivered by the Customs people,
and Mr.. Cummings collected, through the McSorleys,
penalty of SlOs00 Oh that lot. The cases have been
taken to bonded warehouse and confscated, because
they we're undervaued beyond the penalty limit The
dressmakers the sufferers. Lauer sold his goods
at the dollar price which means that the duties and
freight charges included.
Then there were about 40 dressmakers and allors
In this city who dealt with LauCr. Among them were
Redfern, Of No. 30 Flfthave.; White, Howard Co.,
No. 10 East Thirty fourthst; |. Blum No 2o1 Filth
ave.; Mrs. Bryant and Mrs. Ondrak, No. 81 Fifth
ave-. Madame Mathilde, No. 296 Flfthave. and other
well-knOwn merchants.
1t is believed that Lauer has carried on this under
valuation game for about two years. He can give
a bond for the goods and thus his customers would
recover them. But it remains to be what Lauer
will do. His business at any rate is out of order