Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-15
OFFICER SAYS GOODS
NOT SUBJECT TO DUTY
SIMPLY HAS TO ENTERTAIN
VISITORS
Claims Wines and Delicacies Were
BOUGHT In the United States and
Were Not Subject to Gus
toms Duties
BY Associated. Press.

By Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, July 14.-As a matter
of justice to himself as we'll as to other
naval officers similarly situated Com
mander Cameron MGR. WinSlow has
written to the secretary of the navy
letter protesting against 1.-The sensational
and injurious articles which have been
published in some of the newspapers
concerning alleged smuggling by myself
at the time of my detachment from the
United States steamship Charleston at
San Diego, Cal, June II. ;"
Captain Winslow's experience was SIM
liar to that of many other naval officers
returning to their own country after
long cruise in foreign waters, IN that he
was charged with having sought to evade
the payment of duties on large quantities
of expensive, wines and thousands of high
grade cigars and other table luxuries,
as we'll as on curios of great value Sc
cured abroad.
Captain Winslow Explains
The facts are very different, according
to the statement made to the department
by Commander Winslow. He said his
personal property was necessarily packed
in a number of small boxes to facilitate
handling. They contained his household
effecter such as blankets, bed and table
linen, towels, pictures, photographs
books and rugs, in all a considerable
quantity, and purchased in the United
States, and a part of the remaining
stores which he had on the Charleston
as necessary for the cabin mess. Says
the officer:
"I possessed no rare wines and no large
quantity of cigars, nor did 1 have sin
gle curio. Such wines and cigars as
had were bought in New York and dur
ing the cruise the greater part had been
on board the ship approximately year.
and were purchased at my expense for
use on board the ship as occasion re-
quired for private and official entertain
ing, principally official, and not for i'm
portation or even for my own use on
shore.
Commander Winslow shows that so far
from making any effort to conceal the
landing of these goods, they were, as a
matter of fact, landed at the custom
house under the eyes of a custom repre-
sentative, and sent directly to railway
station, without any thought that this
remnant of cabin supplies would be con-
sidered dutiable. When he learned later
in the day and indireo ly, to the con-
trary Commander Winf ow informed the
collector Of the nature T the contents of
the boxes, adding that he did not think
they were dutiable, but If there was the
slightest question he preferred to pay the
duty In full.
sion: so far as I am aware my bSxes
were opened, and Furthermore there was
no friction or misunderstanding whatever
between the custom house officials and
myself, nor was there any effort made to
conceal or avoid payment of duty. 1 was
treated with courtesy by the collector of
the port and his subordinates. A COM
manding officer of a vessel of war must
be prepared to do whatever official en-
tertainng may be required and unless
the extent of such entertaining can be
foretold. as well as the date of the Off
GERS detachment from the ship, he Is
liable to have stores for which he may
have no use on shore left on his hands.
If the law exacts payment of duty on
such things, it would seem to entail an
unnecessary financial hardship on the
officer, particularly as our commanding
officers are not allowed table money for
official entertaining, as is the case in for
eign navies,"