Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-21
Reports Made on the Porto
Rican Smuggling Cases.
EXTENT OF PRACTICES
GOVERNMENT DEPRIVED OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
Customs Collector Cruzen Fearless and
Thoroughly in Earnest-AWa1t-
ing Treasury Action.

| LIZ 4AOeS0Ay A&Ss>~>s
| Whether one Of the worst smuggling
scandals in the governments history shall
| be suppressed or thoroughly ventilated
with punishment for all the guilty parties
| Is a question which the United States
| Treasury Department has been asked to
| pass upon.
| The present situation regarding the now
| notorious San Juan, Porto Rico, smuggling
cases is in some respects the most remark
| able presented in a long time for gov
| erpmental consideration. Collector OF Gus
| toms Alonzo r. Cruzen has reported to the
Washington authorities a startling array
of facts. and, with the Endorsement OF DIS
trict ATTORNEY Pettingill of San Juan. has
asked for a prompt ruling as to future
guidance.
Reports to Secretary Shaw.
He has told Secretary Shaw that from
twenty-five to thirty civilians and army
and navy officers are more Migrant Vlo-
laters of the customs laws than are super
visor of Elections Butler and Captain
Mentz of the light house service, who have
been helo by United States Commissioner
Anderson to appear before the Unteu
States district court in April for trlal LOT
the alleged smuggling of liquors from 81.
Thomas into Porto Rico on government
vessels.
Collector Cruzen and District Attorney
Pettingiil have taken the ground that THESE
two men should not be made scapegoa.s
for the sins of so many others, anu ina
the governments should either prosecute
all the smugglers or none. In brief, tney
have asked that the Treasury Department
either show leniency to Butler and MENU
and drop the other cases, or else oroer the
oo1f
high standing.
Extent of the Practices.
From reliable sources of information nu-
merous unpleasant facts continue to come
to light. Beyond doubt the United states
government has been deprived Of hundreds
of thousands of dollars by importations OF
liquors, clothing, linens, jeweiry and other
goods on which no duties were paid, and
the traffic on government vessels, it IS
clcimed, has been steady and large. OtneI
government steamers besides the Laurel
and Uncas are involved. Recently, II is oe-
clared torpedo boat TOOK TO san Juan Juan
been $500 for each consignee, ana THESE
cases were carted about as usual IN army
wagons 1t is also said that one family OF
very high standing has become lnVolVee
through the indiscretion of the matron at
its head She went into prominent Ban
Juan store and when told that the price
of a bottle Of wet goods was Vito sa aa
sharply: "Why. that's an outrage. we
alwavs get that over in St. Thomas Tor
40 cents!' Diners openly boosted that the
wine on the banquet table came In duty
Free and now some OF the smugsieIs nave
been hit through their own lnolscretlon.
A close friend of Collector CruZen says
the latter has reason to be proud OF the
letters-a. large bundle-recently received py
the collector from the United states; one
of them, from an eminent foreign anloa $50
government on your firm stand Tor the
right Go ahead and continue to 90 your
duty" Another says, Gold lace and epau,
lettes should not protect wrongdoers and
should protect the government" Still. an
other reads 1.-THE United States govern
ment cannot afford to be lenient IN this
case. nor can you; let no guilty man t eso
collector have written to him commencing
his course.
Collector Cruzen Declares Himself.
Collector Cruzen, who was formerly a
Nebraska banker, is absolutely fearless and
thoroughly in earnest. He said recently
to The Stars correspondent:
IT was sent here by the President to pro-
tect public interests, and 1 mean to do It,
It is hard for me to move against my per-
sofal friends but If my own brother were
a smuggler 1 should deal with MIN as
would with a stranger. This business has
been going on for a long time, and was
much embarrassed because 1t could take
place under my nose and could not catch
the men who were doing 1t. No one will
accuse ex-Collector Whitehead Of being
dereltct in his duty, yet the same sort Of
smuggling went on during his regime. l
had my inspectors out at night watching
certain Cuban and other steamers, but
learned nothing. Merchants of San Juan
continued to come to me with complaints
that they could do no business while such
wholesale smuggling was permitted. At
last a friend said, You are not after high
enough game From this hint and others
changed my tactics Then came the
seizure on the lighthouse tender Laurel and
the other events already made public. The
arrest of Supervisor Butler, Mr.. Giles,
Captain Mentz and Steward Brennan of
the Country Club followed rapidly. 1 now
await further orders from Washington. I
have, Of course, been harshly condemned by
the friends Of the men who have been
dragged into this controversy, but had l
acted differently I would have been COM
pounding felony. Laws are made to be
! obeyed, and 1 here to see them exc
cuted so far as the customs service Is con-
cerned, and, by heaven, l propose to do
it., otherwise l would become an accom-
plce.
when a smuggler confesses and offers
| to make restitution by full payment of du-
| ties it is not uncommon for the Treasury
Department to accept the money and avoid
further trouble and q scandal In these
| cases nothing of the kind has occurred and
| in some instances the smugglers have been
| particularly boastful and defiant. 1t now
rests with my superiors to say what shall
be done about it. l have nothing to con-
| ceal as to my course. except what might
| be manifestly improper for me to reveal
| If revelation should defeat the ends of jus-
| tice. United States District ATTORNEY Pet
| tingill is thoroughly in accord with me in
| this matter"
|