Huntsville gazette., 1894-12-15
WEALTHY SMUGGLERS.
Prominent Citizens Public Swindlers-
The Collector Has Them on His List--He
VIII Give Them an Opportunity to Come
Forvsrd and Pay Up, Failing in Which
They Viii be ExpOsed.

The Collector Has Them on His List--He
VIII Give Them an Opportunity to Come
Forward and Pay Up, Failing in Which
They viii be Exposed.
New YORK, Dec. 11.-Collector Kill
breth of the New York customhouse
has Christmas gift for Uncle Sam
that is calculated to stir society circles
in this and other large cities to the
foundation. 1t is in the shape of au-
thentieated information that certain
well-known Americans. many of whom
are leaders in other things besides So
ciety, have been detected smuggling
Paris fnery and valuable trifies of vari-
Gus descriptions through the New York
customhouse.
TIE COLLECTOR Is MUM.
The collector will not divulge the
details of his investigation, but the
main facts are well known to his
subordinates, and when the story is
made public, as it will undoubtedly be,
it will create sensation. Judge Kill
breth's lynx-eyed inspectors have been
at loss for some time to account for
the large number of trunks brought
home from Europe by American tour
lists, and recently the collector took
the matter in hand himself and started
an inquiry on both sides of the big pond.
ON BOTH SIDES OF TIE BIG POND.
He learned that number of prom
inent people had brought home with
them valuable gowns and dress goods
under the rose, SO to speak, and that
these goods were subsequently distrib-
uted to friends in this country. OF
course, if passenger feels like bring
ing a stock of clothes home from Eu-
rope, the customs officers can not OBJ
ject, but If he or she goes into the busi-
ness of buying at wholesale in Europe
and selling at retail in America, the
collector has good reason to interfere.
CELEBRATED EVANGELIST INVOLVED.
This, it seems, is exactly what has
been done. In one case the family Of
celebrated evangelist brought forty
eight trunks to New York on the steam.
ship Paris. 1t was learned later that
the contents of eight of these trunks
were distributed to friends in this city
and elsewhere. A prominent politician,
who is said to be a member of the
United States senate, handled seven
trunks full of dresses, etc, in the same
way, and scores of others are said to
have been detected carrying on similar
operations Collector Kilbreth re-
ceived considerable assistance in
srsttipg at the facts from a
woman WHO represents New
York ladies' tailoring csta blishment in
Paris. This agent is supposed to keep
her employers posted as to who are
large purchasers of goods abroad and
of their movements. i is said that she
has been in weekly correspondence
with Collector Kilbreth since July, and
that through her the collector has done
some Yalrable collecting.
HE HAS A LITTLE LIST.
It is understood that he has IN his
safe list OF flames which, when pub
lished, will open the eyes OF The eopn-
try. Many of those involved are promi-
nent in New York, Washington. Chi
caFo San Frapeisco and other cities.
The collector has sought The advice Of
the treasury department, and il ID
barely possible that he will give the
guilty parties an opportunity to come
forward aid pay the duties on the
smuggled articles, faili1g III which
they will be exposed.