The San Francisco call., 1904-06-28
PROTEST FINE
IS CONTESTED
Society Ladies Seek to Re-
cover Large Sum Paid for
Breaking Customs Law
FALSE BOTTOM FAILS
They Violate Plain Rules
and Say That Federal
Officials Were Very Rude

Mrs. Fannie A. Boettcher and Miss
Nettie McMurtrie, now Mrs. Nettie B.
Haley. believe that s67Se is a sum well
worth fighting for, and the time of the
United States District Court was taken
up yesterday in the hearing Of their
contest for the recovery Of the money
from the Golfers of Uncle Sam.
The money was paid by them two
years ago as a treble value penalty
for having failed to declare dutiable
articles in their baggage when they
arrived on the Nippon Maru in July,
1902, after visiting the Orient
AN UNHEEDED WARNING.
The testimony Showed that upon the
arrival OF the steamer at this port the
two women, as well as the rest of the
passengers. were served with a printed
notice, from which the following are
extracts:
Notice 10 Passengers: II will be necessary
FOR you 10 make a declaration under oath be-
fore a customs officer. before leaving this yes
sci, stating the number OF your trunks and
other packages. together with their dutable
contents.
Residents Of the United states returning
from abroad should prepare a. detailed list OF
al articles purchased or otherwise obtained
abroad and the prices paid therefor or the
value thereof, specifying separately wearing
apparel articles OF personal adornment. toilet
articles and similar personal effects. The ex-
emptiOn OF 500 allowed by Law will be made
by the appraiser at the dock. Articles. includ-
ing wearing apparel, viii be appraised at the
market price In the country where purchased.
To All Passengers; failure TO declare any
outiabie goods IN your possession will render
the same liable 70 seizure and conhscstiOn. and
yourself 70 the full penalties OF the law, sec
tiOn 2S02 Revised Statutes providing that
w henever any article subject to duty is found
ia the baggage Of any person arriving within
the United States which was not. at the time
cf making entry for such baggage. mentioned
10 the collector before whom such entry was
made. by the person making entry. such article
shall be forfeited. and the person in whose
baggage IL shall be found shall be liable TO q
penalty Of treble the value Of such article"
DENY HAVING THE GOODS.
The women contented themselves
with entering upon their declarations
simply the number of pieces of bag
gage and trunks in their possession.
When asked by customs inspectors as
10 whether they had any dutiable
articles in their baggage they replied
in the negative.
Inspector L. Lorentzen swore yes
terday that Mrs. Boettcher in answer
to his question as TO whether she had
any silks, cloisOnne or other dutiable
goods in her baggage, had said fatty
that she had not. He told about hav-
ing found bolts OF silk basted into the
shape Of garments in her trunks.
Deputy Customs Surveyor Chauncey
Milton ST. John testified that he had
asked the ladies whether they had any
dutiable articles in their baggage and
that they had replied that they did not
have any.
Inspector A. Stivers said that Miss
McMurtrie had denied the possession
Of dutiable articles. Nearly every gar
ment of hers that he had found had
something dutiable sewed up in it, he
added. In one of her trunks he found
several dutiable articles concealed be-
tween the lining and the bottom of the
trunk. The lining had been ripped to
allow the goods to be placed there and
had been sewed up again.
Dispositions from the women were
read, in which it appeared that they
had omitted to make the necessary
declarations, because they could not
remember every item and its price,
and that they stood ready to pay what
ever duties might be found due. They
complained that their clothing was
thrown upon the dirty dock and soiled
and ruined.