The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-14
Officers Swoop Down on
Aristocratic Place Of
Duveen Brothers.
THEIR STORE is
UNDER SEIZURE
Famous Handlers Of Arts and
Antiquities Are Charged With
Defrauding Government Out
of More Than Million Dol
lars-False Consular In
voices Used.

New york, october 13.-The entire
Fifth Avenue establishment OF DuVeen
Brothers, known the world over as
dealers In arts and antiquities, was
seized by Federal officers late this
afternoon and Benjamin j. Duveen, the
only member of the firm In the city,
was arrested, charged with conspiracy
to defraud the government out OF Gus
toms duties. Late tonight Henry j.
Duveen was arrested on the Cunard
liner Iusitanta when the vessel reached
quarantine He was hurried to the
Federal building for arraignment.
Henry A. Wise. United States dis
trict attorney, in asking for extra
ordinarily heavy bail when Benjamin
puveen was arraigned, said that the
frauds would reach more than slo0o,-
900. and that all Of the brothers were
implicated. Bail was fixed at s5o,ooo,
which was promptly given and Duveen
was released.
Duycen Arrested.
Special agents Of the Department OF
| Justice. armed with warrants, con-
ducted the raid on the aristocratic es-
Establishment. After placing Duyeen
/ under arrest search for undervalued
| articles was begun, and more than a
/ van load Of suspicious" goods was
found. 1t was then decided to place
! The entire establishment under seizure
and leave the customs inspectors In
charge of 1T for the night. Duveen
surrendered the keys Of the safe and
| desks and was taken to the Federal
/ building.
/ When the prisoner was taken before
United states Commissioner Shields
District Attorney Wise asking for
l f,,yl p1ayp Cd "a "a
i the most important one the govern
ment has thus far had to deal with
i in connection with Importation frauds
HE suggested that s100,000 would be
= the proper amount of bail. He as.
.tsured the commissioner that he was II
possession of evidence concerning
4 series of revenue frauds 'aggregatinl
more than sl,O00.000 which had beer
! Esystematically carried on by the five
brothers and another man mentioned
in the complaint.
The commissioner decided, however
! to set the bail at $4,000.
; Mr.. Wise tonight said that infor
, nation was recently placed In hi
. hands, tending to show that the Du
I yeens had for years been defraudins
t the government out of customs dutie
on works OF art and antique furnitur
imported from abroad by means o
= false consular invoices. The record
{ at the custom house were hurriedl
!, overhauled and the records seemed t
r substantiate the charges.
a Great secrecy Observed:
y Collector Loeb detailed Edwin T
Norwood, acting deputy surveyor G
4, the port, and two customs inspector
: to assist in the investigation. whic
5 was conducted with the creates
}. secrecy.
h Mr.. Wise declined to give out tn
! name of his informant tonight. H
: said that while the complaint wa
/ based on the illegal entry of thre
d vases, the government is In possessio
It OF evidence of great many fraudr
y lent importations. He added that tn
consular invoice gave the value Of tn
three vases as s1,107, while their valu
i; was s2s.O0O.
a, The firm Of Duveen Brothers is con
v posed of Henry j., Joel T., Louis
y Benjamin j. and Joseph j. Duveel
!, They have establishments In New Yor
London and Paris.