New-York tribune., 1910-12-22
DUvEEN PURCHASES IN
GOVERNMENTS CUSTODY
P. A. B. Widener. of Philadelphia.
and Benjamin Altman Return
Objects of Art.
OTHERS EXPECTED TO DO so
Nine Actions for Forfeiture
Begun-More Will Follow,
Total Involved Being
100000.

P A. B. Widener, the traction ma gnate
of Philadelphia. and Benjamin Altman,
the New York merchant, have handed
over to the customs authorities art
objects smuggled over by Duveen
Eros. according to the tatements of the
government agents Other smuggled
articles will be sought for in the homes
of wealthy patrons of the international
art dealers
This information was obtained at the
offices of Henry A. Wise, United States
Attorney. when it was announced that
nine libels had been filed against Duveen
Bros. for the forfeiture Of rare art OBJ
jects, either smuggled or undervalued by
the firm. Among the customers of Du-
veen Bros. in this country were John
D. Rockefeller, J. P. Morgan, Mrs. Coils
P. Huntington. Charles P. Taft, Henry
c. Fricl1 and George J. Gould. It was
said some, of the art objects sold to
these customers were snuggled over, and
they will be called on to hand them over
to the government.
Purchasers May Sue Firm.
we will go after smuggled goods. no
matter where they are" explained Will
lam L. Wemple. Assistant United States
Attorney, who has charge of the prosecu-
tlon in the Duveen case. There Is no
intimation that those in whose posses
sion these valuable articles are found had
any knowledge they We're smuggled. but
the government will confiscate them, and
the purchasers have their recourse
against the firm from whom they were
purchased. AS soon as the attention OF
Messrs. Widener and Altman was called
to the fact that articles in their pos
session had been smuggled. they sent
them to the customs authorities. It is
expected that the other patrons of the
firm will follow the example thus set
The government will not seek to re-
cover from innocent purchasers articles
that have been undervalued, but only
those that have been slnuggled. In the
case of goods entered at figures lower
than the real value, the government will
seek to recover the withheld duties and
the value of the articles as we'll from
DuYeen Bros
More liheis Expected.
The total value of the goods which
the government asks the court to declare
forfeited at the present time VIII
amount to 100000. Nine libeis in for
fei.ure were fled yesterday, and four
more will be entered to-day. The nine
complaints entered yesterday covered
goods OF which the foreign value, in
England or France was S4O4.915 10, the
duty S75.s45 2S, making the home value
$50. 160 Al Claims on the goods by any
person who has any proprietary rights
in them must be filed by January TO-
Among the articles mentioned In the
various schedules were: A settee and ten
arm chairs, S14.532; old Italian bronze
figures, SIS, 556: old Italian bronze group,
1923: Limoges enamel coupe, S10,05O;
two square China vases. 81, ,263, and S13,-
223; one sofa and eight chairs, S42, 1877 55:
large sofa, S11,942: ten tapestry chairs,
Sic, 135, besides a number of cabinets
containing Wedgwood ware and chess
men
In the four libeIs to be fled to-day will
be scheduled a lot of valuable rugs which
are held at the Appraisers stores for
rInderyaluation.