New-York tribune., 1909-04-25
INFORM ON SMUGGLERS
IMPORTERS LOST TRADE.
Ga7v E1idence, IN Sef-Defence, to
the Government.


-. .,.,-ns in this city and immigration in
- the United States Attorneys Office is now
,.osition 10 ask for indictments against the
i,e i responsible for the recent attempt to
,,,-ggle into this country five trunks, with con-
&c valued At S52.ooe
-, i,,,-orters acted in self-defence. Competition
= becoming ruinous. and certain concerns traced
-, so.-rca The prices obtained by agents
t,,re5 that they must have evaded the customs.
=, ffria7s say The authorities were informed.
s,s-rs at the docks was increased, and the seiz-
y r,r1s,yei The immigration inspector able
=, .o connect certain persons with the attempt
= 4afraud the government.
Tho government mas been aware for several
..ar- mat Paris gowns and trimmings being
.,,or1ed into this country Seizures made
s.siaralIv. but It was generally impossible
60 the ownership of the goods Several months
. a customs inspector dismissed because
ts 7efels were found baggage that had not been
regularly examined
t5a had a month in which explain, but
.,srle 70 satisfy Mr. Fowler, who then Col
,-+or But the suspected determined to
-,--s that the labels used without his knoTl
soe He went 90 Nova Scotia and obtained evil
ss7,e against an mgration inspector. The latter
,res indicted for smuggling. arrested and held by
,rs-ire Ward IN the United States District Court
,7sr 800 hail for trial That was on March 15.
In about a week the man was parolled by Judge
17,r- and went back into the immigration depart
-csrt Ever since his release he has been in
d
Office
1ulkz- package Of mail arrived at the federal
rliIdirs yesterday. It said to contain reports
from Treasury agents in Paris who have been
racing the taes the gowns and other things in
-ls seized trunks. Il was said also that there
information relating TO the suicide of William E
4,.5-t,-45ca who was one OF the Treasury agents
y Paris He had been active in tracing the agents
f rFe s-lluGElers in the French capital before he
killed himself and the information he gathered
WAS 10 have been sent TO this port. With the ar
rival Of the Paris mail the United States Attorneys
Office was enabled complete its case for the
grand jury
Reputable importers, in addition being gratihed
recause the smugglers may be brought to justice.
are rejoicing over the fact that without special
-,lirg bl the Treasury Department the seized
goo5s may not be sold for year The trunks
which contained the goods were the manifest or
,he sIfre They were put the piers, not claimed.
and hence come lnder the head Of abandoned
goods. Abandoned goods It saId by an attor-
rsr familiar with the federal regulations. cannot
he sold until they have been in the possession OF
the government for year. This attorney also said
that there was ns evidence TO show that there had
been an attempt 10 sTnuggle the goods
The evidence has not been made public, but 1t
was said at the federal building yesterday that
when the grand jury meets this week enough ma
terisl wouId be put before it for half dozen IN
6ctneuts for smuggling II might have been taken
for granted that the goods had been abandoned
because Of the failure Of some commercial deal
which would have made the payment of the duties
7lst so much added loss had it not been for the
1Fer Of settlement maze 10 Collector Loeo- some
action however, 10 determine the status OF the
goods viii be taken a. soon as possible. II they
an e classed as seized articles steps will be taken
u have lie sale as soon after May !, the date.
when the notice Of seizure expires, as the court
VIII allow.
There was q report THAI Austin F. Montanye
SIX importer convicted Of smuggling and released
nd q
m WITH the srnugglers had given the government
incarnation upon which the seizures were MADE
Gus lo.ne official. said yesterday, however that
ne r5r5ncIpal information came from importers
whose trade Was being injured One Of the big
Importers said 10 = reporter for The Tribune yes
terday:
We have lost lot Of trade through these SNUG
gers and il was time they were shown up. or
rcGrse know who they are Women VIII puy
where they can get the best bargains, no matter
how wealthy shey may be When they come TO us
and we show them models from Paris that have
cost us hundreds Of dollars. and they tell US that
lacy can buy from So-and-so and So-and-so gowns
from the same makers and fully as distinctive ana
as well made for nearly half the money We 90
not have to 90 much thinking to have suspicious
Of smuggling. That has been going On Tor years
Il had come to such q pass that something had
&c be done and now II has been done, and l trust
that the government viii take such drastic actlon
that this unfair competition viii be wiped out
Another importer, perhaps the largest IN the
city, zaid that the competition of the snugglers
was ruinuus, hut that his house did not intend 10
make much Of Il. Women who got the advantage
Of the smUgglers' prices, he said, were supposeu
TO keen faith with the Dealers but in many in
stances they told friends. who spread the news OF
the bargains. and in that way our regular Gus
toners would hear Of them They would come 10
and want Us TO give them prices as low anu
when told them that we could not 90 II We
lost the customers The smuggling has dernora!-
ized cur Paris gown trade 10 a large extent ana
! trust that We shall soon see the end Of it.
These importers do no; want the seized goods
sold this spring and viii be glad If they are reIe-
gated to the abandoned list IF sold WITHIN a
month rhc. would enter into competition with the
gowns and costumes they have imported and on
which they have paid 60 per cent duty. The prices