The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-30
DIAMONDS NOT UNDERVALUED.
CONSIGNMENT TO IRVING BAUM
TO BE DELIVERED TO-DAY.

stOnes Had Been Held Under Suspicion Fol-
owing Gen. MindiI's Dismissal Gen
erai Appraiser McCIeIIand Decides
the Invoice Figures We're Correct.
Several shipments Of polished diamonds
which have been held up at the Appraisers
Stores pending an investigation as to
their value are to be delivered to-day
TO Irving Baum. an importer. the Treasury
Department having been defeated in an
EFFORT TO prove differentiation in the in
voices. Several importers OF the Maiden
"a district have been called in the last
week to testify as TO the worth OF the stones
before General Appraiser McClelland, who
has decided that the invoice figures were
correct.
The advances which the appraiser of
the port has failed TO sustain were unusu-
ally heavy, averaging about 20 per cent.
II the general appraiser had agreed with
the appraiser all the diamonds would have
been forfeited to the Government, this
being the rule when the invoice figures are
increased more than 80 per cent. Among
the customs employees and the importers
the present case is said to be due TO the
agitation which began last summer when
Eduard Van Dam Of this city was obliged
pay dDOub B<VpVJU III pcEdltlcS " ~
valuations. The Var Dam incident led to
the dismissal OF George W. Mindil, the chief
examiner, the stones having been advanced
while he was on his vacation, on the advice
of his assistant, William B.. Treadwell.
Mr.. Baum's diamonds we're marked up
by Mr.. Mindil the day before he relin-
quished his duties. No such large advances
as in these two cases have been made be-
fore on diamond imports in years. As i'm
porters frequently get shipments of dia-
monds costing from $50 900 to upward of
500 900. they are disturbed by reports that
under present conditions delays in de-
liveriee OF the stones might be more common
than heretofore. Delay in delivery means
loss in trade and interest on their money,
the importers say, because they are obliged
TO pay cash for the diamonds before they
leave Europe. At the Appraisers Stores
it was said hat there would he no more
delay than in the past for importers whose
invoices are accurate.
Several candidates for Gen. Mindil's
place have been trying to get indorse-
ments. There are two examiners now in
the jewelry department who were Gen.
Mindils assistants. Mr.. Treadwell and
Frederick Rosenberg. Until recently they
gave their attention mostly to jewelry
and precious stones outside of diamonds.
Appraiser Fowler has assigned MIR. Tread
we'll to pass On diamonds, which was the
work of Gen. Mindil. He has also ordered
that after diamonds are passed by Mr..
Treadwell they shall also be appraised by
Mr.. Rosenberg. The reason given is that
with imports amounting to S3S 900. 900 there
is too much responsibility in intrusting the
examination entirely to one man.
A campaign is being started by Gen. Min
dis friends % convince the authorities at
Washington that he did not get a square, deal
They say that il was not just to accuse him
of winking at differentiation because one
invoice with figures too low arrived in his
absence. II has been said that the Treasury
Department officials did not like the action
of the Diamond Importers Association,
which sent TO Washington a telegram ex-
pressive of the importers confidence in the
former examiner, then under charges.
This weighed against him, according TO re-
port, the officials holding that his popularity
with importers was not in his favor.
Objections to one of the present examiners
are likely 10 be urged by Gen. Mindil's
friends. it is said, because a brother is EN-
ployed in one of the large Jewelry houses.