Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-14
SWATHED LIKE MUMMY
IN STRUGGLED LACE
VALUABLE SILKS FOUND IN HIS
TRUNK
William T. Hardy Accused Of Attempt
ina Swindle That Last Year
Melted Operators
100000

NEW YORK, Sept. BIN the seizure OF
several trunks filled with Paris gowns,
laces and dress trimmings and the arrest
of n man modiste and his cabin companion
on the Kronprinz Wilhelm when the ship
locked at Hoboken yesterday the Gus
toms officials declared they had scotcned
gigantic smuggling conspiracy.
Deputy Surveyor Bishop, In charge or
the customs inspectors, said he believed
MANY large dressmalSing concerns In New
York were organized to defeat the tarln
regulations, and that last year more than
81 900 900 worth of Paris costumes and ex-
pensive trimmings were brought into this
country without paying duty.
When the ship made fast at ner no
boken pier yesterday William T. Hardy,
dressmaker at So West Thirty-first street.
came ashore with an overcoat thrown
across his arm. His cabin mate, Burton
R. Baldwin, followed
For reasons connected with Hardy's ar
rival from abroad last year, the customs
inspectors were awaiting him. Inspector
Sagel escorted Hardy and Baldwin to the
customs office on the pier and Inspector
A. J. Campbell got busy at once with
their baggage
when Hardy came home from Europe
last year. the inspectors said, he brought
twenty EIGHT Paris gowns. He induced
five passengers TO divide the gowns among
their own trunks and claim them, promis-
ing to reimburse them later out OF MS
profits. He forgot one passenger, and the
story was told to the officials who nave
been looking for the dressmaker ever
since.
A few days ago two trunks came over
on the Lorraine and were left unclaimed
on the pier. They contained Paris gowns.
| This nut the inspectors on the lookout.
| When Hardy was seated In the customs
Office Inspector Sagel examined his over
coat. 1t is said 1t was found to contain
$500 worth of handmade lace
IT didn't declare it," said Hardy. I've
got no defense It's my mistake, that's
all. l ought to have known petter' Ael
1t go at that"
| The INSPECTOR said he would search a
little further before letting 1t go. He
made Hardy strip. Around his body was
wrapped handmade lace like the swath-
| ings of a mummy, all neatly pinned In the
| back.
"Miaht Have Known Better"
."Tut, tutL How careless of mel ex-
claimed Hardy. st might have known
better. We'll. you've got all had now
The inspector said he wasn't so sure
/ and suggested that they adjourn to the
/ baggage room. Here a. search or Har;
| dy's trunks disclosed innumerable new
| shirts. neatly folded and pinned. Under
meath the bosom of the first SHIRT ex-
amined was more lace. Seeing that ne
was caught fairly, Hardy announced:
'There's lace in every one of those
shirts. There's no use of searching them
all now. 1t will keep"
| In BaldWin's trunks were more shirts
and more lace, besides dress trimmings
and expensive imported articles which
modistes use. The lace seized is valued
at $4,000.
All the trunks were sent to the public
stores and Hardy and Baldwin were ar
raigned before United States Commits
sioner Stanton, charged with smuggling.
They were held In $1,000 bail for examina-
| ton.
While this episode was transpiring on
the pier Inspector John Francis went to
Deputy Surveyor Bishop and reported
that a man had just offered him 500 to
pass a trunk without examination. Mr..
Bishop took charge of this case at once.
| Franz Graft, said to be head waiter at
Max Schwartz Little Hungary In East
| Houston street, was second cabin pas
senger on the Kronprinz Wilhelm. He
declared nothing dutiable but Francis
was suspicious and ordered Graft and
his trunk for examination. Then, ac-
cording- to Francis, Samuel Rich, who
is the manager at Little Hungary. said
| to him:
I'm a friend of Marcus Braun, the
former immigration inspector. If you
let that trunk go there's 500 in it for
you"
| When the trunk was opened 1t was
found to contain several thousand dol
lars worth of diamonds, jewelry, leather
goods and fancy articles. Graft was
taken before the commissioner and
charged with smuggling and Rich with
an attempt to bride. They were held In
| $1,000 for examination.
| Before they were led to their cells
! in the Hoboken police headquarters Max
Schwartz. proprietor of the restaurant.
came hustling over and wanted to give
bail. He was told that only New Jersey
real estate or cash would be accepted,
and the prisoners were locked UP. Little
Hungary is the restaurant where Presi-
dent Roosevelt dined when he visited the
lower east side three years ago.
l