New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-16
CUSTOMS INSPECTORS
MAKE BIG SEIZURE
Find $4,000 Worth OF JeWelry
on Mr.. and Mrs. M. L.
Morganthau.
HAD DECLARED ONLY $500
Attempt at Smuggling Recalls
That Of Mrs. I. Reynolds
Adriance About Three
Weeks Ago.

NJ L Morganthau. a well known candy
nanufa cturer. who has many retail
stores in this city. was searched last
night on the Cunard liner Mauritania
and valuable jewelry was taken from
his person. His wife and two daughters,
the Misses Agnes ]. and Louise H. Nor
ganthau also were searched and when
the customs officials got through with
the entire family they had seized $40
coo worth of pearls and watches and
some $2.100 worth of wearing apparel.
The members Of the Morganthau
family have been abroad several months
Mauretania. They had much baggage
and made comparatively small declara-
tons In all they declared 500 worth
of wearing apparel. which was carefully
listed on the declaration.
When Mr. Morganthau announced
that his baggage was on the pier ready
for inspection Inspector John Dolan
was assigned to the examination. He
soon found that the Morganthau bag
gage contained many costly gowns not
recorded in the declaration, and he re-
ported il at once to Deputy Surveyors
RaczkieRfcz and Norwood, who were
in charge OF the pier
They ordered careful search of the
trunks. and Dolan and an appraiser
finally reported at II p. m that there
was about $500 worth of dutiable ap-
parel undecIared. RaCzkiewicz ordered
the baggage to the Appraisers Stores for
- oil
ganthau and his wife that they would
have to appear at the Custom House
to-day.
Were About to Leave Pier.
AS they were about 70 leave the pier
Raczkiewicz and Norwood detained them
and asked them TO go aboard the steam
ship. The travellers seemed puzzled. and
asked Raczkiewicz the occasion for the
return to the steamship, and the Deputy
Surveyor replied: Your declarations
have proved irregular. and you must all
su bnlit to a search.
Mrs. Flynn and Mrs. Ellsworth, women
inspectors. were called. and they took
Mrs Morganthau into a room by her
self. Two inspectors meanwhile took
Mr. Morganthau into another room and
searched him. A close watch was kept
on the two daughters, and when the
search Of their mother was finished the
two women inspectors took the young
women into separate rooms and searched
them.
The search Of the daughters revealed
nothing. but in a chamois bag under her
clothing the women searchers found on
Mrs. Morganthau two pearl necklaces.
one was a rope of pearls and the other
was smaller necklace with a diamond
pendant.
When Mr.. Morganthau put on his
clothing after the search he had been
relieved of a pearl necklace and two
gold watches which had not been men
toned in his declaration. These We're
seized. and will be brought to the Gus
tom House to-day as evidence in the
smuggling case the officials have found
against Mr.. and Mrs. Morganthau.
The jewelry. which is valued at
$4,000 is the biggest seizure since Mrs.
I Reynolds Adriance was searched on
the Baltic three weeks ago.
Endured Search with Con1posure.
The attempt at smuggling made by
Mr.. and Mrs Morganthau caused the
customs officials TO hold even their hand
baggage The two Morganthau girls
were greatly disturbed over the humili-
alton Of the search. The parents bore !
it with resignation.
At his home No. ;3S West 73d street |
Mr.. Morganthau had not much to say |
late last night about his encounter with |
the customs inspectors.
I do not want to say anything about |
it." he said Cant il be kept out OF the |
pa pers? Anyway. it will be all straight |
eDed out in the morning. We had de /
clared pretty nearly everything. 1t was /
just a case Of Overefficiency."