The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-10-22
CAUGHT HIM FOR ss1 900.
A Chicago Millionaire Pays Dearly
For a Three-years-old Necklace.

This is a little story of how the GUS
toms authorities at the port of New
York came within an ace of lifting" a
$35. 900 pearl necklace from the posses
sion of John w. Gates of Chicago II
is somewhat late in getting out and
doubtless, save for a tip at the wal
dorf-Astoria last night, it would have
been one of the buried legends OF the
custom house.
To begin at the beginning, Mr.. Gates
is fond of going to Europe. He travels
abroad almost every year, ana n turn
is one of the conspicuous figures OF the
American colonies of London, Paris,
Berlin and Vienna He is usually &C
companied by his family, and some OF
the foreigners have been taught to look
American. Mr.. Gates returned from
Europe on the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse, which arrived in New York on
Tuesday last. He had been abroad
since the settlement of the famous
Northern Pacific corner in Wall street
last May. The frequenters of the Wal
dorf-Astoria recalled with vividness
last night the apparent agitation OF
Mr.. Gates during the financial cata-
clysm. AS he departed for Europe he
told his friends: Il have still my wateh
left, and am thankful to be alive.
1t required only a word or two,
hint and a nod, last night concerning a
mysterious $4,000 pearl necklace to
start an investigation Collector Bid
well was at his home in the Hotel Endi-
colt, but he declined absolutely to say
anything about Mr.. Gates, or a pearl
| necklace, or anything else concerning
the affairs of his office. He merely
said:
| Il make it a rule to preserve silence
as to the personal affairs of the col
lector's office. Anything affecting the
/ customs revenues or matters of that
kind is public to all
Later on in the evening it was as
| certained that half-dozen custom
house men were familiar with the de-
| tails of the mysterious $4,000 pearl
/ necklace which came near going into
! Uncle Sans treasury. From them it
was learned that short time ago
| Special Treasury Agent Theobald ar
rived from London and informed the
| customs authorities at this port that
! Mr.. Gates had on his person in London
/ a S35, 600 pearl necklace. Special Treas
ury Agent TheobaId announced that
| Mr.. Gates was having some pearls
added to the necklace; that he dion t
purchase it abroad this last time, but
on a former visit, and that it had never
! paid duty.
The customs authorities made it their
business to ascertain when Mr.. Gates
was to sail for New York, and back
came the word from London quickly
| JndI ne ndQ sailed on the AalS6I w IL
] helm der Crosse. On the arrival of this
! famous German steamship at Quaran-
] tine, Deputy Collector King boarded
! her for the purpose of taking the dec
larations of all the passengers.
I He met Mr.. Gates and Mr. Gates was
very candid with him in declaring that
he mad brought over wearing apparel,
and Deputy Collector King thought this
was very kind on the part of Mr.. Gates.
Mr.. Gates then went on and told the
deputy collector that he had also with
him a dog collar of pearls and dia-
! monds valued al 200.
Mr.. King was also very thankful for
this evidence of candor on the part of
Mr.. Gates, and the deputy collector got
to work and figured that there was
$1,000 due in duties on the wearing APP
parel brought in by Mr.. Gates. and on
the dog collar of pearls and diamonds
there was a duty Of 90 per cent; and
so MIR. Gates handed over to the deputy
collector $500.
Deputy Collector King was very gra-
cious to Mr.. Gates and thanked him
in the name CT the United States gov
eminent for his candor, and Mr.. Gates
was about to turn away, thinking that
everything was serene. when the dep
uty collector said to him:
Mr.. Gates, L would like to see you
alone for a moment or two; may -"
Certainly, replied Mr.. Gates
Come along; what's up?"
When the two had got to a quiet
nook on the deck Of the steamship
MIR. King said:
Mr.. Gates, have you pearl neck
lace about you?"
Mr. Gates began to grin. He was
not at all nonplusssd as he replied:
Certainly. Mr. Deputy Collector; ano
it is a very fine one. too"
Worth about $35,oOo?' queried Mr.
King
what that pearl necklace is worth. 1t:
a beauty
"wiIl you kindly produce it, Mr.
Gates?" said Mr.. King.
why, certainly" said Mr.. Gates
and he took out the great treasure Of
the Gates family.
this pearl necklace, Mr.. Gates?" In
quired Mr.. King.
Yes" replied the Chicago magnate
but 1 didn't buy it abroad this las
time. 1 only had certain additions
made to it.
When did you buy it abroad?'
"oh.' replied Mr.. Gates. "a summel
Did you ever pay duty on it?" in
quired Mr.. King.
No, I didn't" replied Mr.. Gates
with jolly candor
Then said Mr.. King. "Mr. Gates
pearls are dutiable at so per cent, an,
you viii very quickly see that yol
! must give me additional dutie
amounting to $21. Geo."
That's all right my boy" reptile,
Mr.. Gates. when he saw that the jill
was up; here is a check for the SCI
000 Glad TO meet you. Glad to NEE
you. Come around and see us again
, / didn't mean to try and fool you.
certainly wouldn't try and fool you
l certainly wouldn't have tried to foo