New-York tribune., 1911-03-18
FAIL TO GET NECKLACE
Mrs. Joseph Hull and Daughter
Searched by Customs Officials.
GOODS WORTH $470 SEIZED
Savannah Bank President Says
Tip Was Due to Jealousy
Threatens to Bring Suit.

Mrs Joseph Hull tho wife of wealthy
banker Of Savannah. Ga and her daush'e'
1,uzaheth were subjected 10 = most NOR
cueh search hv customs officials YESTERDAY
on their arrival from France, on the steam
.,in Uusitsnia Not satisfied with the
search Of twenty pieces Of baggage. Special
Agen, Wilson. Of the Treasury Department.
ordered a personal search Of Mrs. Iiull ana
Miss Elizabeth Hull because tho depart
ment received a tip from Savannah tha'
the family was attempting to smueele into
the country A necklace purchased abroad IN
2 mysterious manner.
Miss Nina Hull. who returned With hei
-,o,ber and sister. is convalescing from an
attack Of typhoid fever. SO she escaped per
sonal search and was permitted to so TO
the Hotel Albemarle. where her brother
was staying
The search interrupted family reunion
that was taking place on the pier Joseph
Hull came to town to meet his wife and
daughters. who had been I'm Europe since
October last lie was accompanied to the
,ier bv his son, Daniel Hull. rich cotton
merchant Of this city. They both protested
.mphatically against the action of the in
spectors. and both threatened to sue the
.NtnNlllltS lbi illf iii''iSi'''iN' -
women Of the Hull family were subjected.
Daniel Hull said the whole affair was
1nstigated by a Georgia family which was
Jealous of the Hulls because of their social
standing and wealth. He ascribed the tip
to the Treasury Department 10 this source
end said the motive OF the informants was
10 bring disgrace on the Hull family.
The search Of the customs officials was
concerned
There arose however. a disagreement be-
tween the inspectors and the two women
searched as to the valuation of gowns and
other wearing apparel Five Of the nine
trunks were seized and sent to the APP
praiser's Stores.
Mrs Hull and her daughter Elizabeth
were requested 10 appear before surveyor
Henry at the Custom House to explain
1lieir failure to declare all dutiable goods
brought in by them. They were examined
rigidly ty Surveyor Henry and Mark +.
Andrews. solicitor to the Collector. Both
maintained they had believed It was only
necessary 10 name the articles included in
their declarations, which in the case of
Mrs. Hull was about 500 while Miss Eliza
beth he'd declared s1is worth of articles.
This explanation did not appear salts
factory 10 O.tttol l<lttf ~ NIi'ii ~ w.
submitted and he approved the order 10
seize all the goods which Mrs HUI ana
her daughter had failed To declare. The
articles seized from Mrs. Hull represented
value Of about $50, while those OF Miss
Elizabeth Hull were appraised at about $l2o
AfterNard IL was arranged that the
women might recover these articles 10y the
rav1nent of their home value and tho duty,
hon II
The payment Of the home value constituted
r fine for the failure To make 4 proper
declaration.
I, was said at tho Custom House that the
Information that the Hull family would at
tempt to bring over valuable necklace
.amc from customs authorities in Sayan-
iah. who received the tip from residents
o. that city. The threats Of the Hun fam
.Iy 10 bring suit against the customs of
Gals Tor the personal search Of the women
Was taken quite lightly at the Custom
House II was said that no such suit mad
ever heen brought and that the law gave
the officials ull power to order such search.
Daniel Hull said at the hotel that ms
sister Elizabeth was the only one who had
previously been abroad, and that his father,
anxious tha; they should not get into
trouble. sent a wireless message on Thurs
dav warning his wife and daughters 10 de
clare everything My sister Elizabeth has
diamond necklace which sh" purchased
nvo wears ago I'm savannah nc said 1T
must have been this necklace that the ottl-
cisls were informed had been bought IN
Paris
Joseph IuU is the president of the
Prairie Pebble Phosphate Company, chair
inan of thc board Of directors Of the Savan-
nah Trust COMPANY, president Of tho Mer-
chants National Esnk, and has other large
interests in Savannah. lle j. also a d.
rector in thc Central Railway of Georgia.
Ho IS considered tho wcalthies; man IN
Savannah ano o. wcn known ir the South.