New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-22
M0DiSTES NABBED
MILLION A YEAR LOST
IN CUSTOMS.
Arrests Made Here and IN
Chicago Expected TO End
Sleeper Trunk" Gamf

Simultaneous arrests IN New York and
Chicago by United States marshsls an
indictments found hv the federal srsrd
lury Of this district marked the nr.c.f-
cal beginning ~ the governments cru
ssde 70 stop the leak in the Custom
House here. by which for the las, I'VE
Years. II Is estimated. Uncle sam has
lost about 100000 8 year on the
sleeper trunk method Of smuggling
Eleven men and women. nodistes ms
oressmakers Of New York. and two in
chicago, were taken into custody late
yesterday. charged with conspiracy 70
ocfraud the government ~ customs du-
ties and the names % SIX others. pre-
NlOusly indicted. were formally connected
vim the eleven arrested yesterday on
ths same indictmentNof conspiracy.
Catherine SchWarz and Nav Weber.
alias Nine. whitney, We're the two Chi
caCo modistes. 81 whose arrest United
States District Attorney Henry A. Wise
Vas apprised by telegram from his as
sistsnt Abel J. Smith. who left for that
city on Monday with = certified copy az
the indictment
Two ~ the modistes arraigned here
yesterday are IN business on Fifth ave
uue. and al concerned in the case cater
90 the most exclusive circles ~ New
York. Chicago and Boston
In Is understood that on the same in
dictment on which the arrests OF vester-
cav were made ten additional arrests
we're expected. all for conspiracy 10 de-
r--f-k
1a0S
PLANNED BY CUSTOMS MEN
The general scheme II the .sleeper
sunk" method ~ smuggling. as n ar
pears from the present conspiracy IN
dicrmsnt. was planned and executed for
ne first few years by dismissed Gus
toms service employee 81 New York. who
took Up his abode in Paris. He died
there several months ago. but not before
10 had perfected and established what IS
believed 20 be the most gigantic snug
cling system ever discovered az this port
With rms man as the brains 81 the
system IN Paris and experienced men
handling the trunks on this side OF the
Atlantic. they were shipped in the name
NJ q passenger who had sailed OF a
previous steamer. These names were
resdily obtained from the passenger
lists, and the trunks came over without
trouble as leftover baggage"
on this side they We're taken IN charge
~ men detailed for that work by the
head of the system. and swung over on
fhe night 81 the vessels arrival ~ der
rex OF rope trolley 70 an adjoining pier.
from which. as no customs officials
would he on the adjoining pier, they
could be expressed openly 70 the dealer
vho Vas ~ handle each particular ship
uent
some idea 81 the size ~ the operation
nav bs gained from the records IN the
Case BY which from the report 81 an
uroerling -he rope trolley method last
March the s-hene was disclosed ~ The
tlortties
Ir the i've trunks found then $4,000
worth cf Partisan rinery was discovered.
which the seizure sale department OF the
custom House had no difhoulty IN sell
fnE ar auction for approximately SIS. 600
The amount Of charges due on the
goods IN those trunks Appropriated S1e-
so
The government Investigators est
mated thar IN me i've Years the under
ground express" was working upward
~ Two hundred trunks year were
oroUght into the country. causing a loss
20 the government or an average 81
81 10000 n duties each year.
u rs Un6ersrood that the rnodistes and
r-essmskers who prohted by the scheme
paid tribute n the men who originated
RE ices 20 the extent % something like
rslf ~ re amount OF duty saved
rEADs ALL OVER COUNTRY.
since March last. when the FIRST clews
Re- INTO the hands OF the local Custom
Eouse. government investigators have
searched ever hotel register IN Paris,
end the leads or this side OF the At
isrtio. it Is said, have carried them 20 q
oozen ~ the larger cities from the At
Izrfc - rhe Pacific