New-York tribune., 1910-04-13
FIND JEWELS.
Were Concealed in Trunk of Pas
SengerS from South America.
VERBAL EXPLOSION LATER
Baggage Goes to Public Stores,
in Spite of Running Fire of
Spanish Vehemence.


Curious persons at the Panama Line
pier. at West 27th street, who asked
yesterday for the names of two pas
sengers whose verbal explosions accom-
panied by excited gestures made them
the centre Of an interested throng. found
it hard at first to believe there was not
a poor attempt at humor when the GUS
toms inspectors said:
They are Mr.. and Mrs. Rangel. of
Panama"
By any other name the interest would
have been as keen Even if their six
trunks had not been seized by the Gus
toms authorities and sent TO the public
stores, Mr.. Rangel would have drawn a
crowd and held it. when he removed his
coat and vest and begged. with a foreign
vehemence in his accent. that they, too,
be put to the radium test.
Mr.. Rangel did not say: Search me.
search my wife" He only said. Search
me-" 1t was embarrassing to him, no
doubt, when the customs officials de-
olined his rather imperative invitation
and, searching Mrs. Rangel instead,
found several jewels. These were also
sent to the public stores. Mrs. Rangel
then assisted her husband. who had been
attracting and satisfying the attention
Of the multitude by his operate and
acrobatic accomplishments.
"Carramba, Carrambai" she shouted,
adding, in Spanish. statistics Of her hus
bands wealth in cash on deposit and in
farms in South America. She also men,
toned houses round about
Mr.. and Mrs r. NJ Rangel arrived
from Cristobal on the steamship AL
lianca, Of the Panama Line, yesterday.
They did not know that beyond the
Statue OF Liberty they would find John
p. O'Connor. acting Deputy Surveyor.
ready TO go out of his way just on their
account. They did not know that Mr..
O'Connor had been thinking about them
for several weeks. They did not know
Mr.. O'Connor. but he had heard about
Mr.. and Mrs Rangel through a friend
in Panama. This friend had heard of
them. IT is said. through the captain of
vessel on which they had sailed along
the western coast of South America.
The captain. it seems, had. although they
had first class tickets. classed MIR. and
Mrs Rangel as stowaways, because of
some mix-up over the passage papers.
Mir. O'Connor had heard from Panama
that an attempt at a $4,000 diamond
smuggle might be made.
Mr. and Mrs Rangel made declaration
TO the erect that they wanted some Of
their goods To go through to France in
bond. Among the pieces of baggage not
so declared was a trunk filed with
clothes. Customs Inspector Donovan was
assigned TO the task Of examining that
trunk.
Donovan had not proceeded far when
he found a cross set I'm rubies. Mr.. Ran
gel said later that he had bought il from
the Archbishop of Quito. At the time II
the discovery MI Rangel who WAS born
in Venezuela. seemed incapable OF ex-
planning anything The cross was found
laid away among the clothing. and quick
ly several other pieces Of jewelry came
To light from the same snug recess. Ran
gel gave public utterance 10 his private
opinion Of the customs officials. in which
Mrs. Rangel. as soon as she could be re-
leased from the hands Of a woman in
spector. Joined. not wisely. but with fine
eject.
O'Connor heard that the Rangels tried
70 sell jewels to the passengers. but pas
sengers from Panama. as a rule are poor
picking for a jewelry broker, and no ex-
ccption to this rule was found on the
hllianca The Rangels denied that they
tried t. do any such thing. Their son,
y no accompanied them, was too young to
care what happened. Mrs. Ransel said
that she came from France.
The Raugels explained that they
bought Jewels. especially altar furnish
ings. Of which they were extremely fond
from churches nearly everywhere they
travelled. Mr.. Rangel said most of il he
bought for his personal use-that is. be-
cause he liked things of the sort and
could afford them. He said he had gone
through New York With the same kind Of
luggage perhaps "A dozen times and never
was 50 harassed before. The customs
officials contend that in falling to place
the baggage in bond to its destination i'm
France. Rangel could easily dispose Of
il by sale in this country.
StlI snuvAing Indignation the lsaueels
LEFT the pier for the Hotel Lafayette
There viii be hearing of their case this
morning before Deputy Surveyor Smyth
AZ tho custom House