The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-21
WITNESS MAY TALK
WILSON TO BE AGAIN PUT ON
STAND IN CRIMSON HEARING.
BEFORE U. S. COMMISSIONER
INQUIRY INTO SMUGGLING OF
CIGARS WILL BE CONTINUED.

The Crimson Case to Prove hut
Small Part of InvestigatiOn-Thir-
ty-four other Hearings May Grow
0ut of Inquiry-AnOther Witness
May BE Summoned This Morning.
Julian SOIomons Expected in
About a weeks Wanted 10 Tes-
tffy in several Cases-If Does Not
Come Voluntarily VIII Be Brought
by Authorities.
The hearing in the case of Judson
G. Crimson on the charge of snug
Cling cigars into the United States
from Cuba, viii be continued before
United States Commissioner Ryals this
morning at II o'clock. Mr.. w. L.
Wilson win again be put on the stand
as a witness. HIS counsel, Judge 5.
B. Adams, viii probably announce his
decision relative TO his advice to his
client in regard 10 answering the ques-
tions that may be put to him by the
commissioner.
The answers will necessarily shape
the further conduct of the case United
States Attorney Leaken declined yes
terday TO state what further witnesses
will be tnterrogated on the ground
that he will not forecast the govern
ment's position. lie did state, how
ever, that the importation of contra
band goods into this country has grown
to such proportions that the case now
pending will prove to be small part
Of what is to come.
In addition to the Brinson case, the
attorney said, there win be thirty-fOur
tother cases involving various pur-
chases Of alleged contraband cigars,
the importation. without duty, so far
as can be learned in Savannah, of over
100. GOO cigars. The names of the per-
sons implicated Mr.. Leaken refused TO
make public until the warrants for
their appearance have been served.
One such warrant will be issued to-
day charging the importation of 1000
La Diligentia cigars.
The purpose of the government, it is
stated is to keep up the investigation
of these cases If it takes all summer to
finish them, for in the aggregate they
form, it is claimed, one of the most
stupendous frauds of this kind ever
practiced on the government. These
frauds are not confined to Savannah,
however, but exist in Port Tampa,
Washington. Baltimore, Philadelphia,
New York and several Western cities.
Mr.. Julian Solomon. who is wanted
as a witness in this case, and who was
subpOenaed several days ago but has
not yet reached this city, is expected
shortly. 1t is thought that Mr.. Solo
mon did not intend to violate the or
der of Judge Emory Speer even though
his failure to obey the summons for his
presence at the hearing has caused the
government no little trouble and ex-
pense.
The desired witness is expected here
in about a week, that is if he has de-
cided to ceme of his own accord, as It
is understood he has. If he refuses to
come voluntarily he will be brought
back and punished by the court for
contempt. He is wanted particularly
as he is not only a witness in the
Crimson case but in many of the others
yet to be brought before the commits
sioner.
One of the ludicrous features of the
whole series of cases is that of one
of the importers of the contraband
cigars, this time "Carolinas" instead
of "Diigentias." Nile thought it a
good plan to have the cigars come
in a trunk by express and have the
key to the trunk come by mail. In
some way, il is related, the key reach
ed the hands of the party for whom it
was intended, but the trunk fell into
the hands of a totally different per-
SON
He proved to be one who knew a
thing or two about the business, how
ever, for 1t is related that when he
discovered the nature of the consign-
ment he coolly helped himself to as
many of the cigars as he wanted to,
then allowed the trunk TO reach the
person for whom 1t was originally in
tended. This party discovered, of
coUrs, that he had been euchred out of
quite a part of the cigars that he
should have received, but was in no
position to make a kick to either the
express company or the man that had
turned the trick. and so was forced to
pocket his losses.