The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-09

New York. Sept. S.-The French liner
La Savoie brought in to-day the biggest
consignment OF undeclsred trunks. called
in the vernacular Of the customs officials
''sleepers.' ever shipped from Havre by
dressmalsers banded together to cheat
Uncle Sam out OF his customs duties.
Thirty of the trunks were taken to the.
public stores seizure rooms for closer
examination than could be given to them
on the pier. It is estimated that between
$4,000 and $4,000 Of dutiasle material is
/ in those trunks.
The roundup Of the dressmakers caused
considerable confusion on the pier. and
at one time there were exchanges or
strong language between inspectors and
the Somen whose goods had been seized.
tall and extremely plump young woman.
who calls herself Nine. Hughes, had in
! her possession a large quantity Of goods.
which she did not declare aboard the
ship, including one trunk, which she ad-
mitted did not belong 20 her. This was
one of the thirty that went to the seizure
room.
Mamade Hughes Accused.
She protested so vigorously against per
sonal search that Col John N. Bishop,
the deputy surveyor in charge OF ths
/ searching force. decided that some II her
Plumpness was fictitious and he ordered
an inspectress to take her back aboard
the snip and find out what she had under
her dress Madame Hughes said, at .he
bottom of the gangplank with show
! Of heat, that on her honor as a lady she
had nothing under her clothing except
that which belonged there. When si.a
got TO the top OF the gangplank. how
ever. her indignation simmered. She
wilted completely and said: 4 nay as
well confess. I'm loaded down.
The inspectress unwound from Nine.
Hughes person about $500 worth OF lace
and dressmskers' material She had gone
up the gangplank. as Col. Bishop re-
marked, looking ike a load OF hay. Size
came down resembling a bean pole.
Nine Hughes double put the other
suspected dressmakers in a state of con-
sternation, and they went away without
making any effort, as Il is suspected they
have frequently made In the past, 70 set
the "sleepers" Off the pier. The way
they did this was by attaching labels
certifying that the trunks have been in
spected- Any expressman then might
take the trunks past the Inspector In
charge Of the gate. His duty was merely
10 see that the label Of inspection was
on the baggage.
Possession OF Labels Mystil1es.
Col. Bishop does not know how the
smugglers obtained possession OF the
labels, but he suspects that they might
have taken them from the other trunks.
from which they had been inseeurely at
tached. or might have stolen them.
Another dressmaker who got into seri-
Gus difficulty was Nine. Kilgannon. She
failed TO enumerate a number Of trunks
which contained gowns and other dress
makers materials. There We're no for
eign labels on the gowns. although they
appeared to be brand new, and Nine
Kilgannon said they were Of domestic
manufacture. But she was in such
hurry to get away that the acting deputy
collectors. Ike Harris and Rasezkiewicz,
decided to have her detained.
In the confusion. which was greater
than has ever occurred upon the French
line pier. she escaped them and two IN
s2ectors who knew her were sent out
into West street after her She had
gotten into q cab and was driving away
/ when the inspectors gave chase. following
her about block at top speed before they
got the cabman to stop. She was brought
back to the ship and subjected to per-
sonaI search and all the labels that had
been cut from the gowns in her trunk
were found concealed in her clothing.
= All her trunks were seized.
Maid Under Suspicion.
Nile Dautren, who is said to be the
maid of wealthy New York woman,
had declared only a small amount OF
personal effects. but had In her posses
sion also a large swell canvas covered
trunk, filed TO the top with Partisan
gowns and dress goods The end OF the
trunk, which usually has the owners
initials ON il, was completely concealed
with hotel pastors. The inspectors re-
[ moved these pastors and found initials,
) which indicated that the trunk belonged
TO another person than Mile. Dautren.
The young woman was met at the pier
by a Holland House porter. and Il was
suspected that that would have been the
destination of the trunk if It had been
sneaked through.
Col Bishop got a tip from a reputable
manufacturer in this city telling him thar
there was a band of smuggiers coming
on the Savoie and giving the names Of
more than half dozen of them This
tip confirmed previous Investigations OF
the surveyors officers made both here
and abroad. which showed the existence
= of a conspiracy among the dressmakers
: OF most of the big Eastern cities. includ-
3 ing Philadelphia and Boston.