The professional world., 1903-04-24

view OF the fact that tn person accus.
ed had paid to the Government an
amount equal to doublq the duties al
legged to have been dud on the goods
in question. This was dine under the
discretionary power vesed in him by
law.
1t Is understood, however, that this
power does not apply tov the cases OF
the other persons unddA accusation
and that the Porto Ricah\grand jury
will proceed with investigation of case
and IL the facts warrant bringing in
indictments against the accused in ac-
cordance with the instructions of the
trial judge, who has informed the jury
that it was to pay no attention to re-
quests or threats from any quarter
Washington is very much interested
in the scandal, as 1t is generally under
stood that several prominent army and
navy officers and officials of the insu-
lar civil government are concerned.
The questions involved were of suffi-
cient Importance to warrant a special
investigation of the circumstances by
Secretary Moody and Postmaster Gen
eral Payne during the recent trip of
these officials to the Caribbean sea-
Their report practically admits that
large quantities of goods have been
taken into Porto Rico free of duty, but
1t recommends that prosecution be not
carried out because these goods were
for the personal use of the officials
concerned and were not disposed of
to others for profit
Attorney General Knox was undoubt.
edly influenced by this recommenda.
ton in ordering suspension of pros
ecution.
One popularity of the case is the
utter inability of the cabinet officials
or anybody who might be supposed to
be in position to know the facts to
recall the names of the men accused
If smuggling. This is so marked, in
fact, that there are those who are un-
kind enough to say that it is unwill.
| ingness on the part of the officials to
talk about the affair
1t is known, however, that men high
in army and navy circles stationed at
Porto Rico during the last year or
more as well as high officials of the
Hunt government, were concerned,
which accounts for the reticence of
administration officials and the will
ingness, not to say eagerness, with
which the attorney general seized upon
a slight pretext to relieve one of the
accused of the necessity of proving his
innocence.
The scandal growing out of the
smuggling of goods into Porto Rico is
of long standing, having first come to
light several months ago. Certain
American officials in the island adopt
ed the practice of sending to ovA OF
the West Indian islands for the Rup
ply of liquors and similar luX ies
which they used on the tables of biz
clubs and private houses in San ar
and elsewhere. These things re
transported to Porto Rico in a
ernment vessel and thus entered
island without the payment of duty
1t is said that this practice was G
, ried on for a considerable perid
which resulted in great saving
the private purses of the officials
question and consequent detriment
, the insular revenues.
Just who all of the officials concern
ed were is not positively known, bu
it is reported that they include Real
Admiral Yates Sterling, formerl,
commandant of the San Juan nav,
yard Commander George M. Mentz
U. S. N, in charge of the island light
, house service; an army officer namet
= Lewis and another officer who wa
steward of a well known club in Porte
. Rico and Benjamin F. Butler, polio,
!, commissioner of the island until h.
was arrested. MentZ and Butler ar
now under bond for trial.
. These and other officials were il
the habit of cruising about the water
about Porto Rico on government ves
> ? sells, and on their various trips woul
touch at ports in Cuba and other is
. lands, where they would take on boar,
u quantities of liquor, which was take
= to Porto Rico and dispensed from
: clubs and the officials quarters. TIL
fact that it was generally used in dis
pensing hospitality is considered b
members of the cabinet to be a stron
point in favor of the offenders, and o.
e this circumstance largely is base
their favorable report.
t The idea of a party of cabinet o.
It ficials on a junketing trip constitutin
e a committee of investigation and tai
b ing upon themselves the liberty of e!
'f onerating certain persons accused {
o smuggling and the interference by tn
l. department of justice in behalf Of ce
n tain of the accused is believed to
e for the purpose of screening some {
d the highest officials now or formerly
n Porto Rico.