Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-03-11
AN INFAMOUS CONSPIRACY.


We recall nothing more infamous and
detestable on the part of this or any
other government than the conspiracy
Matched in the New York custom house
to achieve the arrest of the Italian artist,
Boldoni Anything meaner or more
vicious it is impossible to imagine. 1t
was an act for which an individual
would be held in odium by all honest
men, and which, if done in any name
but that of the law, would have subjected
its author and accessories to criminal
prosecution.
Boldoni is a famous painter. Some
time ago he brought to this country a
number of his works for purposes of eX
hibition. He did not expect or seek to
sell them, and, on making affidavit to
that effect, he was permitted to enter
them free of duty under bond. 1t imme-
diately occurred to the custom house de-
tectives that they might gain much fame
and commend themselves greatly to their
masters by entrapping Boldoni into some
illegal act, and, accordingly, a few days
ago, female connected with the service
dressed herself handsomely, hired fine
oqIipSgl, with flunkeys In livery, and
drove to the art gallery, where the Boil
doni pictures were on exhibition. She
pretended to be deeply impressed by a
portrait of Verdi, which the artist valued
at 5000, and, without asking the price,
offered $4,000 for the work. The dealer
in charge of the gallery explained the
circumstances, telling her that he was
under bond not to sell the pictures, and
saying that he could not enter into any
transaction until the expiration of the
time agreed upon. She then importuned
him to give her an option at $4,000, or a
contract to sell to her at that price as
soon as the bond expired. This he con-
scented to. He did not deliver the picture,
nor did he receive any money. He
simply undertook, upon the termination
of the bond and his release from all OBJ
legations to the government, to sell the
Verdi portrait for $4,000. Then the
trap was sprung and the customs officers
made the arrest. All this under the pre-
text of law and in the name of one of
the greatest nations on earth.
As we have already said, it seems i'm
possible to imagine anything more Odious
and shameful than this transaction.
Here we have a dishOnorable conspiracy
to entrap foreigner into technical
and vicariOus malefaction-a conspiracy
cOncocted and executed by officials ap-
pointed and sworn to uphold law and
order Neither the artist nor the dealer
had shown the slightest intention to
violate the bond. 1t was perfectly evil
dent at every stage of the affair that they
proposed simply, when released from
their obligations to the government, to
pay such duty as might be levied on the
picture, and then sell it In thoroughly
legitimate way. Yet, upon this showing,
the whole collection was seized. The
detectives arrested the artist and en-
deavored to imprison him in the Tombs.
That aspect of the case is sinister enough,
for 1t represents the most tyrannical
brutality and ruffianism, but what are
we to think of the motive at the bottom
of the outrage? What are we to think of
government officials who deliberately 90
to work to cajole and betray an individu-
al into an illegal act in order that they
may throw him into prison and cOntis-
cate his property? And what will the
civilized world say of nation in whose
name such an infamy is committed? 1t
is enough to make an honest man
ashamed of his country and just man
long for autocratic power so that he
might punish the abominable cOnspra-
tors as they deserve Washington. Post.