The Washington times., 1910-06-07
FIRST CASE CALLED .
IN CUSTOMS COURT
New Judicial Body Begins
Active Existence This
Morning.

Whether certain paints known as
bronze and scarlet lakes" should be
assessed at 3 cents per round or 80 per
cent al vaiorem by the customs authoTi-
ties OF this country. IS the grave Ques-
tion with which the United States
customs court began its history this
morning at 1880 o'clock.
For the frs. time in this country a
court OF dnal appeal in customs cases
only. authorized under the PAYNE tar
if law. Is sitting. The tribunal met Tor
the first time his morning in the make
shift court room hurricdly fitted ND on
the third floor Of the National Savings
and Trust Cor Uanv building. Fifteenth
street and New York avenue northwest.
a fun bench was present and without
further preliminary the court began its
business Of &c ring I'D the docket. Two
hundred and 'wenty-eight cases await
the decision o. the five Judges and new
cases are berg lied every day.
Organization.
There was little or no formaIity
about the organization Of the court
this morning Ali Of the judges were
present when Assistant Clerk Charles
NJ Aver, acting as Crier and marshal,
announced TO a ToOmful Of attorneys
and court attaches that the bench was
sitting ard ready for business.
on the rOll-call Chief Judge Robert
NJ Montgomery and Associates Judges
William H. Hunt. James F. Smith,
Orion NJ Barber, and Marion De Nries
answered 70 their names The judges
were all CARRIED in black silk gowns
and sat behind a long table draped in
10 ~ AaeE
has been purchased for them not yet
having been installed.
The courtroom Is a rOomy hall fin
ished in mahogany with red velvet
hangings. Behind the judges bench
and over their heads is a reproduction
Of the seal of the United States in
gold, set against the red Gangings.
The furniture OF the room, with the
exception Of the chairs for spectators
and attorneys, was all Of the cheap
tended for the court having yet been
received from the contractors.
First Case Called.
Assistant Attorney General D. Frank
Lloyd called up the case of the Uaited
States appellant against @. Siegle &
Co., appellee, Immediately on the con-
venipg Of the court, and the presenta-
ton of the Government case was i'm
mediatCIy commenced. Siegle & Co
are importers Of paints and received
certain shipments Of bronze and scar
let lakes from Holland in the sum-
mer OF 1905. on which they were re-
CURED TO pay 80 per cent ad valorem
duty. They protested that they should
have been assessed but . cents per
pound and their protest was sus-
tanned by the board of general ap-
pra isers and later in the United States
circuit court for the southern district
Of New York. Appeal was taken 70
the United states circuit court OF ap-
peals and later this was transferred
20 the customs court.
The customs court is designed to do
away with the delays and secure some
uniformity Of action arising from an
pcals made from the decisions of the
boards Of general appraisers in va
riouS parts of the country regarding
interpretations of the tariff law Pro-
tests or appeals from the decisions Of
collectors Of customs are made to the
boards of general appraisers in ports
where they happen TO be and from
their decision il has heretofore been
the custom 70 take the cases to the
United States courts.
Resultant Delays.
This resulted sometimes in DELAYS Of
four or FIVE years in getting final -deci-
stons from the United States Supreme
Court on such appeals that were carried
successfully through the various stages
Of legal procedure Under the PAYNE
tariff law the United States customs
court viii have final Jurisdiction in all
customs cases there being n. appeaI
except on the question of constitutional
ity-a very remote contingency.
There are five judges of the court Sc
lected from among the legal lights Of
the country who are believed TO he ex-
cept1Onally familiar with customs cases.
There was some little regret expressed
at the meeting Of the court today be-
cause of the absence Of Marshal John
r. Elder. who IS very in at his hone
here. Marshal Elder has been in charge
Of the preparation of the court rooms
and judges chambers.
Three floors Of the National Savings
and Trust COmpany's building have been
rented for the court. The third floor is
occupied by the clerks offices and court
room, and the fourth and fifth floors by,
the JUICES chambers. Each member 81
the court has two roomy offices that viii
be handsomely furnished when the fllr-
nituTe arrives. It is expected that with
IN the course of the next week or tv-o