Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-15
DENIES THE ACCUSATIONS
COMMANDER wINSLoW PROTESTS
AGAINST PUBLICATIONS.
Declares That He Made No Attempt
to Evade Payment Of Duty for
Stores on His Vessel.

Commander Cameron MGR. Winslow has
written to the Secretary Of the Navy a let
ter protesting against 1.-The sensational and
injurious articles which have been published
in some of the newspapers of the country
concerning alleged smuggling by myself at
the time of my detachment from the u. s.
s. Charleston at San Diego, Cal, June IL
last Capt. Winslow's experience was SIM
liar to that of many other naval officers
returning to their own country after a
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
abroad.
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 num-
Der Of small boxes to facilitate handling
They contained his household effects. such
as blankets. bed and table linen, towels,
pictures. photographs, books and rugs Din
all considerable quantity and purchased in
the United States, and part of the remain
ing stores which he had on the Charleston
as necessary for the cabin mess.
New York Purchases.
Says the officer: II possessed no rare
wines and no large quantity of cigars, nor
did L have single curio. Such wines and
cigars as l had were bought in New York
during the cruise. The greater part had
been on board the ship approximately a
year and were purchased at my expense
for use on board ship as occasion
req, for private and official en-
Tor importation or even for my use
on shore Commander Winslow shows
that SO far from making any effort to con-
ceal the landing of these goods, they were,
as matter of fact, landed at the custom
mouse under the eye of a customs repre-
sentative and sent directly to the railroad
station without any thought that this rem
dutiable.
When he learned, later in the day, and in
directly, to the contrary, Commander
Wlnslow informed the collector of the
nature OF the contents of the boxes, adding
that he did not believe that they were
dutiable, but that If there was the slightest
question he preferred to pay the duty in
full. He says he supplied a complete list
to the collector, and paid duty in any case
where there was a doubt in his own mind
as TO whether the articles were purchased
In New York, or a foreign country the total
amount paid being small
No Friction With officials.
Says Commander Winslow in conclusion:
SO far as l am aware my boxes were not
opened and, Furthermore, there was no
friction or misunderstanding whatever be-
tween the customhouse officials and myself,
nor was there any effort made to conceal
or to avoid payment of duty l was treated
with courtesy by the collector of the port
and his subordinateS. A commanding Of
ficer of a vessel of war must be prepared
to do whatever official entertaining may be
required, and unless the extent of such
tertalning can be fOreto.d. well the
date of the officers detachment from the
ship, he is liable to have stores, for which
he may have no use 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 Of
ficer, particularly as our commanding Of
fcers are not allowed table money for Of
fetal entertaining, is the case in foreign
naviaS.''