Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-08-22
SOCIETY WOMAN
A SMUCCLER
Mrs. slack" Gardner Faces Ar
rest For Cheating Customs.
HAS BEEN IN TROUBLE BEFORE

Valuable Objects Of Art, Tapestries.
Paintings, statuary and Rare Pieces
OF Armor, Purchased Abroad, We're
Sent to This Country AS "Household
Goods"-Was Made to Pay a Fine
of S7o,ooo-Goods Were Shipped to
This Country Through a Friend In
Chicago.
Chicago. Aug. 20.-Mrs. Emily Rock
well Crane Chadbourne. daughter OF
Richard T. Crane and the former wife
of Thomas l.. ChadbOurne. and Mrs.
Jack" Gardner the eccentric Boston
widow. an owner OF a remarkable col
lection OF art objects. face trial for
the alleged smuggling OF valuable
works OF art through the United States
customs office.
United States custom officials here
have seized tapestries. paintings. stat
uary and rare pieces of armor. valued
at $50 900. the property OF Mrs. Gard
ner. which was brought abroad for
Mrs. Gardenr's palace in Back Bay
Fens
The goods the customs officials al
lege. we're brought into this country
as the household goods" of Mrs EN-
ily Rockwell Crane Chadbourne. OF
this city. friend of Mrs. Gardner. on
which Mrs Chadbourne. the govern
ment officials say. placed a valuation
of $4,000.
Mrs. Chadbourne and Mrs. Gardner
have long been close friends Last
month Mrs Chadbourne returned from
trip abroad Besides her many
trunks. she brought with her on the
steamer several large cases which
were marked household goods" val.
ued at $4,000 She made declara'
ton on landing in New York that the
goods were her personal property. that
they aad been in use for less than
year abroad. and that they were not
dutiabe.
Meantime special agents OF the
treasury department in Paris tipped
off" the shipment and. although the
New York customs officials were un
able TO act quickly enough to stop the
"household goods" In that city. Gus
toms officials in Chicago had better
luck
The cases were examined here and
instead Of $4,000 worth OF pots and
pans. bedsteads, chairs and other
things sS0n00 worth Of tapestries
marbles. oil paintings. armor, porce
lains and other things of like ilk
We're exposed to view.
Heroic efforts were made 10 settle
the case without publicity and as
cheaply as possible. The government
authorities were incensed AT the at
tempted fraud and when the apprais
ers fixed value of $4,000 on the
$4,000 worth OF household goods"
they Immediately assessed the legiti'
mate duties (which amounted to $780,
OO0l and then clapped on a 80 per
cent penalty on the gross value Of the
goods.
This made nice little sum of S70
600 which somebody had TO put up
II took some days 70 get this money
but finally check for the amount was
handed to the customs authorities.
The goods we're thereupon declared
forfeited to the government. and II
Mrs Gardner wishes to get them she
must pay the government $4,000
their real value-for them; otherwise
they will be sold at auction.
This is not Mrs. Gardner's first IN
pleasant experience with customs Off
Gals in regard to her art museum. a
few years ago she had trouble over
the entry OF articles for the opening
of the Isabella Stuart Gardner mu
scum on the Boston Fenway.
After putting up bond of 100000
to cover any possible duties. Mrs
Gardner was allowed 10 bring in guam
titles Of art treasures. She contended
that the goods should come in free as
is permitted in the case Of articles for
museums TO which the public has ac-