Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-17

Commander Winslow.
ure of Commander Winslows goods is the
beginning of great naval scandal. and
that they will be able to show that naval
officers assigned to shore duty are accus-
toned to lay in quantities of champagnes.
wines, cigars and other dutiabe goods of
a like character
Chief Customs Officer Barnes was -sus-
plcious when he saw the great cases COM
ing ashore from the Charleston and asked
Commander WinslOw what the boxes
tanned Commander Winslow. according to
Barnes swore that the cases contained
household goods, all consigned to Com
mander Winslow's cottage in Catherine
stree, Newport, r. |.
Total of 2,1OO Pounds.
Not satisfied with the explanation, the
customs officers watched the cases until
they were put aboard freight car, billed
east by the Sante Fe railroad. The cases
We're seized and opened, and. according to
Chief Freight Agent C. NJ. Barber of the
railroad company, were found to contain
twenty-nine cases of champagne. two cases.
weighing 10 pounds each said to contain
notions. but really containing cur!os. and
also several cases of cigars, a total of 2.1UU
pounds. The goods were removed to the
custom house, where the local appraiser
decided all were dutiabe and fixed the duty
at 500.
Because of the high rank of Commander
Winslow the customs officials We're in doubt
how to proceed in the and wired all
the facts to Washington. The Treasury De-
partment wired that WinsloW should be
Immediately released and that he pay the
duty of 500. Commander WinSlow appear
ed much relieved when told that the Treas
ury Department had ordered him simply to
pay the duty.
The customs officials made thorough in
VeStiSation of the matter again yesterday
and they say they can see reason for
regretting anything they have done in the
matter.
y~;II inl
ing made out in the name of Commander
Wnslow and checked up by his orderly.
chief Yeoman Walter H. Ward, of the
cruiser Charleston, fixes the owership on
the naval officer The chief freight agent
insists. that the bill Of lading is correct in
every detail.
May Have to Explain.
1t is likely that in addition to the SNUG
Cling charge Commander Winslow may
have to explain why he was shipping al
most ton of champagne and cigars under
the guise of household goods. Even here
champagne, wine and cigars are not regard
ed as household goods
Chief Customs Officer Barnes. who
responsible for the seizure, declined to dis
cuss the case in any way. declaring that
he had received instructions from Washing
ton not TO say anything.
Before leaving Commander Winslow re-
fused to say whether he was going to New
port or to Washington, where he had been
assigned to the bureau of navigation, hav-
ing completed his tour of sea duty.
Customs officers say that naval officers
have been accustomed to smuSgle in lux
uries which are dutiabe at Bremerton,
Wash and Portland, Ore. and that eff
forts are to be made to put a stop to 1t.
1t is asserted that many of the warships
| return to the United States practically filled
with dutiabe stuff upon which not cent of
| duty is ever paid.
| Mr. Martinez head of the Southern Cali
! fornia Development Company in San Diego.
| acknowledged today that he handled the
articles alleged to be SmuSSted for Com
mander Winslow as customs broker, and
| exhibited his own invoice made out for
| Winslow.
| 1t was fair assumption. according to the
| higher officials of the Navy Department
| today. that the greater portion of the goods
! which Capt. Winslow had landed frcm the
| Charleston at San Diego and which he
| claimed were household effects may have
| been taken by him aboard the ship before
she left the United States. He started out
| year ago in command of the Charleston
| with Secretary Root. bound for the Rio
| Janeiro conference, and naval officers say
| 1t was very probable he took aboard with
| him a generous supply of drinkables and
!! cigars They say he has not been in a
| port during his en--re trip around Cape
| Horn where he would be apt to purchase
! champagne or where he would select a
| large quantity of cigars. AS for the curios
| which he has brought with him, the sug-
! gestion is made that they may have been
| such as he took aboard ship with him. fol-
| lowing a practice which naval officers fire.
| quently do of furnishing the cabins in which
they expect to make their home for a period
| of from one to two years, and taking with
them rugs, pictures and curios. Under GER
| tain conditions, it is said. naval officers and
| members of their families may bring in
| goods which have been in their possession
| for some time and which may very prop
erly be considered household or personal
| effects. No report of the incident has
| reached the Navy Department. according
| to the statements made by the officials to-
| day