Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-22
HELD FOR TRIAL.
Second Step in Aroostook
Smuggling Case.
-Four Accused Men Bound Over
For United States Court.
One Of The Greatest Attempts Known 10
Swindle Uncle Sam Unearthed.

ATOOStOOh county were "IIdl6Hcu w
fore United States Commissioner Ham
lin, Wednesday, on the charge Of SNUG
were Raymond Albert, stC.ekeeper and
clerk Of Madawaska; Thomas Daigle,
ferryman between Madawaska and
Edmunston. N. B.; Alexis Albert. stage
driver between Madawlska, Fort Kent
and Van Buren,, ana Eli st. Anent OF
Van Buren,. All waived examination
and were held for Ihci: appearance at
the September term OF the United
States court, at Bath. The two AlbertS
| and Daigle furnished bends: in the sum
of $1,000 each, and st. Anent in the sum
of $500.
| The men We're arrested, Tuesday
morning, by Deputy United States
| Marshals Haskell and Hssty of Port
land, the case having been worked up
by Frank f. Johnson of Boston, speclal
| agent of the treasury department, VINO
| in connection with Deputy Collector W.
f. jerks of Aroostook county, ana
| Charles Bailey, government omcef
from Michigan, have been at work Sc
| curing evidence for some time.
| The charge is fpH' smuggling cloth
! ing and unearths one of the biggest at
tempts to swindle the United States
from lawful revenue ever known in TINS
State. 1t is claimed by the United
| States officers that the firm Of gibbs
! & Co., large clothing firm OF Mon
| treal, has been making attempts 1or
several years to flood this country with
| Canadian clothing, free of duty.
The treasury department has been
| cognizant of the scheme for some time
and it's officers have been on the watch
all along the border from Michigan TO
Maine. Deputy Bailey Of Michigan has
| been successful in stopping the traffic
| in Michigan. In the past year he has
made several arrests including one or
two Pullman car conductors, one OF
whom WIS on q train running to BOS-
ton.
| The vigilance of the government in
Michigan and elsewhere forced the
Canadian merchants, so i. is alleged, to
seek new outlet and last October they
are said to have organized system
| in connection with several prominent
| Maine people whereby their goods
might be sent over the Maine border in
one of the most secluded sections of the
| country. The operations had been UNI
der way less than a month when the
Aroostook officials discovered the plan
and put a stop to it. The arrests, Tues
day, were the elimination of their eff
| forts.
So far 81 can be now seen those par
Elephants in the fraud who live in Can
ada cannot be reached, but the arrests
on the American side and the Vigilant
attitude of the United States authorl-
| ties have probably put an end to any
further attempt to smugSle clothing on
IL large scale into part of the country.
| Deputy Collector jerks says that the
| scheme was clever one and that num-
dreds of men, who were innocent of any
| intention to defraud the government
have l.ought clothing from the Cana
dian finn. Suspicion was lulled by the
fact that the letters soliciting business,
| quoted the price of the clothing AMI
also stated that an additional 10 per
cent. was to be added for duty. Few
| people are aware that there is n double
duty Oil clothing coming into the Unit
cd States There is duty of 60 per
cent. Of the value ana in addition "A
cents per pound, so that the entire duty
really amounts to 100 per cent.
| The arrests, Tuesday. do not as has
| been stated, represent. the first diScov-
| .ry of this great plot to defraud the
| United States government, as the treas
/ ury department has been cOgniZant Of
| the plot for several years and its Off
| Gals have made many arrests in put
ting a stop to it in various parts OF
| the country. Deputy Bailey of Michi-
| gan has made several arrests. including
one or two Pullman car conductors
This weeks developments only bring
to light the fact that the scene of the
operations has been shifted to the
| Maine border.
1t was intimated, Wednesday, that
| further arrests might be made in con-
nection with the case. as il is believed
| that more than the four men already
| arrested were implicated in the snug
Cling.
Fred I.aForest Of Edmunston, who
has been acting as attorney for Levi
w. Pond. was in the courtroom and
acted as interpreter between the court
and some Of the prisoners who speak
| English imperfectly. st. Anent Great
ed some amusement: when he was being
charged by the court on being released
under bail. He listened earnestly ana
anxiously to the usual form and then
looked anxiOusly into Commissioners
Hamlin's face and inquired: "S'pose if
I should die?" He seemed greatly re-
lieyed when told that his bondsmen
would not be held responsible i'm that