Evening star., 1909-05-29
FALSE BOTTOM TRUNK
Rich Apparel Hidden in.Secret
\ Compartment.
NOT DECLARED BY OWNER
Mrs. sChesbrough's Head Not, Right,
Hints Her Husband.
NECKLACE TAKEN TOaCANADA
Worth $4,000 and Taken Over
Border to Await Change tin Tariff
Rate on Jewelry.
NOT DECLARED BY OWNER
NECKLACE TAKEN TosCANADA

NEW YORK, May 29.-The latest case
of irregular declaration OF dutiable bag
gage which is attracting much attention
In the Custom house is that of Mrs. Ma
tilda Chesbrough. wife of a wealthy ship
ping man of Boston, who arrived here on
the Kaiser Wilhelm II.
In addition to $1,000 in valuable gowns
and furs. imitation jewelry and linen in
the false bottom of a trunk, bills were
found calling for two pearl necklaces, one
of which is now in the custom house safe
and the other. according to the explana-
ton of the womans husband, Fremont
Chesbrough of Boston, in Toronto.
Husband Offers Explanation.
Fremont Chesbrough. together with a
customs broker from the Wells-Fargo
Express Company, appeared before
Deputy Surveyor Smythe and Deputy
Surveyor Alexander Mckeon yesterday to
explain the presence of SO many dutiable
goods in his wife's trunk and to tell about
the necklaces.
The Chesbrough haul is the richest the
custom house has made in some time.
When Mrs. Chesbrough, who is little
on the Kaiser Wilhelm II Tuesday she
had several trunks and had declared a
total of but 54S francs, or about 500, in
dutiable merchandise and personal be-
longings.
Customs Inspector j. B. Kiernan re-
ceived the assignment to go through
her trunks. He soon found that in one
high-class French travelling trunk, bear
ing a bright crimson morocco label.
showing the prosperity of the trunk
board. was six inches higher than it
s'Hn'p fnspeesor to k!ernan summoned d putty
Surveyor Mckeon, and they found on
removing the false bottom that the
space underneath was packed tightly
jewelry. Asked for an explanation, Mrs.
Chesbroush was confused.
Somebody packed the trunk for me
and told me 1t would be all right" she
Trunk Is Seized.
Deputy Surveyor Mckeon Immediately
ordered the trunk taken to the appraisers
stores, where a thorough examination
was made. Mrs. Chesbrough took .
train for Boston.
At the seizure room in the appraisers
stores two sealskin sacks. two sealskin
muffs and two seal boas to match were
dug out, in EDITION to half dozen exqui-
site silk gowns, laces, handkerchiefs.
gloves, seryiettes and a lot of jewelry
which was a very good imitation of genu-
inc gold and precious stones. The jeweiry
was fashioned in Italy.
Commingled with the goods were a
number OF bills of merchandising. One bill
called for a necklace that cost $1,000
francs. or about $4,000.
Mr.. Chesbrough came from Boston and
voluntarily appeared before Deputy Sur
veyor Smythe. He explained that the
$4,000 necklace had been bought at a bar
gain sale in Nice. 1t wSs formerly. he
said, the property of an Italian noble
woman.
Mr.. Cl.-sbrough said that the pearl
necklace in question was now in storage
in Toronto, Canada. whittier he had sent
1t pending the passage OF the new tarin
bill, by the provisions of which the duty
on mounted pearls may be reduced from
30 per cent to only 10 per cent
Deputy Surveyor Smythe told him he
would have to produce documentary proof
that the necklace was in Canada.
Second Necklace Is Cheap One.
AS another bill of purchase called for a
second necklace, bought by his wife
abroad, Mr. Chesbrough accounted for
this one by producing it from his pocket.
1t proved to be a very good imitation of a
real pearl necklace. On the string are
two rows Of small pearls OF the size O.
peas worth $500. This was taken from
Chesbrough and locked in the custom
house strong box.
Mr.. Chesbrough said he did not think
his wife was quite right in her head, and
intimated that she did not know what she
was about Mrs Chesbrnlgh had a fall
some time ago. he said, and injured her
head