Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
eer That Made Milwaukee Famous.

| ais department came here from San Fran
cisco, where he had served for several
| for several years, and upon his departure
| the employees of his office presented him
with a handsome sword as testimonial
| of friendship and affection. Collector
| Sinister compelled him to pay duty upon
| Major Abercrombie of the I'd Infantry
| brought two swords in his trunk Collector
| Shuster thought he was entitled to only
| one, and, Selling both of them, sent them
over to the chief of ordnance with request
| that that officer designate which MAJOR
| Abercrombie was required to wear under
the army regulations. Full duty was as
| sessed upon the other sword, although
Major Abercrombe explained that he mad
worn 1t while he was a Junior ofhcer, ina I
| he had retained 1t because of a sentimntai
| attachment, and had brought 1t with him
| to the Philippine Islands because he had
| no place to keep 1t In the onNeo states
| When General Wood arrived the inspect
| ors discovered a shotgun among the mill
tary accouterments belonging to his party
and being aware that the army regulations
| dc not recognize that class OF ordnance, l.
! was confisca ted-but was finally recovered
| after much trouble by Captain Langhorne
| General Woods aid de camp, who happen
| ed to be its owner All revolvers and other
| arms all uniforms and parts of uniforms
| brought into the island by officers OF the
| army or navy are seized and assessed lot
| their fun value and the duty is collected
| If the owners refuse TO pay they are con-
| fsca ted.
1t should be said that; Collector Shuster
| Is technically right.
| EVERYTHING bought in Manila costs twice
| as much at home and many necessarles
| of life cannot be obtained there. For eN-
| ample a certain military officer OF hgh
| rank was unable to find pair OF SHOES 10
| fit him. and sent home to shoemaker for a
| pair. They came by mall and the post
| master sent them down to the collector OF
| customs The collector of customs wrote
the general what the latter considered an
| insolent communication, intimating that ne
| was engaged in I, conspiracy with a certain
| shoemaker in the United States to defraud
! the revenues, whereupon the general lost
| his temper and said things he was sorry Tor
| afierWard. Does any reasonable man pre-
tend to believe that great government like
| ours was justified in compelling a loyal,
| faithful soldier to pay $3.50 duty Upon
| those shoes? Yet the collector OF customs
| insisted that his official oath and obliga-
| tons required him to make the assess;nent
| and collect the tax. He says he had no al
| Tentative; the law allowed MIN no oscie-
| ton.
| Attempts at Smuggling.
| Unfortunately there have been several
| attempts at smuggling on the part OF Oh
flcers of the army and navy, which the
| collector of customs cites as a justifica ton
of his vigorous enforcement of the law. L
| told you in one of my first letters from
| Manila about a certain major and quarter
| master who attempted to bring in guam
tity of curios, silks and other valuable ar
tices from Japan in boxes marked gov
| eminent records" and then the Chamber
! lin case occurred. which was lamentaee
| from every point OF view.
Capt Chamberlin of the quartermasters
| department, being sent to Hong Kong In
| charge of transport steamer winch re-
| quired repairs, was given various commis-
| sions by the wives of his felloW-ofhcers, IN
Guiding the wife of the major general com
! manding to purchase long lists OF artl-
| cIes Some of them could not be obtained
| In Manila, others were sold at Hong Kong
| for half the prices charged by local oeai-
| ers and the merchants of Hong Kong Keep
a larger stock and have greater variety.
| There was secret about Capt. Champer-
| lin 8 commissions. They were talked ABOUT
openly by the army women al teas anu
| dinner parties and every other place where
| women meet They told each other what
they had sent for and what they expected
| to pay. 1t never occurred to them that
| they were engaged in conspiracy 70 oe-
| fraud the revenue or that duty would be
| charged on the stockings for the chlidren'
| table napkins and tape, but Collector Shus-
| ter, having heard the gossip, awaited the
| return of the transport.
| When 1t finally arrived he sent inspectors
! aboard, and Capt Chamberlin, unfortu,
nately for himself and all concerned. denied
| having anything dutiable. and Immediately
| hid his packages where he thought no
body could find them 1t was wicked and
| disastrous blunder, for the, customs detect
| ives discovered sailor with grievance
who knew all about II and was willing to
tell. So a search of the Transport was Or
dered, the hiding place was found, the
| goods were seized, Capt. Chamberlin was
| indicted tried by the civil courts, convicted
and fined $500 He accepted martyrdom
| like a gentleman and a soldier, although he
had not the slightest ipecunlary interest IN
| the unlawful transaction fer which he was
punished, and was only trying to oblige his
| friends. If he had not told falsehood TO
| protect them he might have gone free lie
paid his fine, and was transferred to duty
| elsewhere. VIZ .