The daily morning Alaskan., 1899-09-07

The four young men wh were arrested Monday morning on the arrival Of the British steamer Tees on tharge oi ilIsg- ally bringing diamonjS into American territory, were up before U. 5. Commis- sioner Sehlbrede for trial yesterday morn ing. The members of the quartette are Victor Gilmer, John C. Hal, A. C. Me Lellan and Jacques Hess.
 The story is a lengthy one, the basis for the arrest having teen laid in Montreal nearly three weeks ago. The four young | men, all oi whom a.e English except Hes, who Is a German. made up their party in Switzerland and sturled Tor the klondike | on an excursion with outfits for two wears sojoum, the object of the trip being eXplor tions and scientific reS.areh. All the lour young men ale highly educated | and cary with them letters from some oi the most distinguished statesmen aud educators of Eu.ope.
 Before leaving Switzerland, where they | had been in college, they purch sed large | number of Swiss watch movements whon they eNpeetel 10 sell at q proht on reaching the K!Jndike metropolis. They also brought with them unlu, diamonds ,o the value ol about SI2oo. A, Montreal one ol the four, in the presence Of an American treasury detective, chlnced Jo speak oi their stock fSwlss watch movements, and the treasury agent. thinking that it ~aS the intention to >mugeie the goods n!o the States from Victoria, telegrdphei tne collector of customs at Port Townsend, ! Wash, 10 keep a sharp lockout for Jew and three young hnglshmen. The result was that when the party arrived at Vic toria from Montre. there WAS 20 Amer ican customs inspector there to shadow them Learning that the party was com ing north instead Of going Co the states, the shadow telegiaphed for instructions and was ordered to follow the quarlette to Alaska He did so, and when Capliln Thomas, inspector alloat,wdS taken aboart the Tees at Mary Island, he was taken into the confidence of the sound oihcer and th, four suspects were designated Co him. Al ! Wrangel the Sound inspector stopped oft, Inspector 4. C. AuIton Of talt place, coming on in company with Captain Thomas.
 Immediately on stepping ashore at this place the four young foreigners were marched into the warehouse where their persons and hand baggage were carefully searched. No Swiss watch movements weie found, but in a small belt wotn by Gilmer, were found the stones above men ,ioned Deputy Marshal Drew was sent for and the four young men were arrested. They were not !. lked up but were allowed to remain in the cage Of Captain Thomas at the Fifth Avenue hote! until the trial came up yesterday morning
 The trial was one which stirred the svmFa,hies of all present. All the boys told the same simple, straightforward story accounting fer the belt and diamonds. The story Was substantially as follows:
 At Victoria the boys purchased their outfit from various dealers, but principally from Leiser X Co.,, wholesale outtitterS, and to the latter rlace all the other pur- chases, including the Swiss watch move ments, were taken. and LeiSer & Go. packed and bonded the goods. in all I4o packages, through [, Dawson. The dia- monds, on the advise of LeiSer X Co.,, the clerk at the Driad Hotel and othe s, were not bonded, as the package vas small, and the transportation companies stipulate that they are not responsible for .oSses. In view of the above advice, Mr. Gilmer car- rled the diamonds on his person, and each of the four testified that it was their inten- to either bond them from here or pay duty on their arrival.
 While Judge Sehlbrede felt deeply for MLGilmer in his dilemma, he could not do other than bind him over to the district court, the bail being fixed at $500 which was put up in cash. Deputy Collector Andrews has charge of the diamonds.
 Messrs. Hall, MeClelland and Hess were discharged, there being nothing against them.
 The boys were ably defended by Colonel James Leddy, of the firm of Leddy X f Dillon, who entered into the case with his proverblal vlgor irreproaehable genlitity of manners and usual confident and sooth'
 ing style.
 | Captain Thomas and his brother officer , Inspector Auldon, both proved themselves } comp, ten; and efficient officers and both agreed with Judge Sehlbrede that official
 duty is sometimes very unpleasant.
 The three English school boys and the { son of a German wine merchant will con , tlnue their journey to the interior today e but Mr. Victor Gilmer will be on hand 4 when wanted 10 answer the charge glinst
 him.