The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-03-18
two WOMEN SEARCHEDN Vain
NO DIAMOND NECkLiCE FOCND
on MOTHER on DAuGHTER.
Forced 10 Rem0ve Even Tier stockings.
Says Mrs. Iluii. wife Of = southern
Banker-Ilunt Through Their Trunks
ibid show They'd ndcr, aiued Gowns

Banker-Ilunt Through Their Trunks
did show They'd ndcr, aiued Gowns
Mrs. Joseph Hull. wife OF the president
Of the Merchants National Bank OF
Savannah and reputed to be the wealthiest
man i'm Georgia. arrived Yesterday by the
C,inarder Lustania with her daughter,
Miss Elizabeth Lamar Hull and Miss
Nina W. Hull. bringing twenty pieces OF
baggage Mr. Hull and his son Daniel.
n cotton merchant of this city. were on
the pier to meet the travellers.
The party was much surprised to learn
that Mrs. Hull was suspected by Special
Agent Isaac Wilson of bringing IN a
diamond necklace that she had not de-
clared The trunks Of all the women
were searched thoroughly by customs
inspectors under Agent Wilson and five
trunks were finally ordered TO the public
stores because they contained articles
OF clothing that had been undervalued
several hundred dollars in the declara-
tions of Mrs Hull and Miss Elizabeth
Lamar Hull Miss Nina W. Hull. who
recently recovered from typhoid fever.
was exempted from intent to undervaIue
as her estimate OF the foreign cost OF her
goods practically tailed with that of the
appraisers
After the FIVE trunks had been ordered
sent away Mrs. Hull was asked by Special
Agent Wilson if she had diamond neck
lace and she declared that she knew
nothing about any necklace Wilson there
upon ordered a woman inspector to take
Mrs Hull and her daughter Elizabeth
into a stateroom and search them thor
ouehly. Mrs. Hull said later. with tears,
that she had been compelled TO remove
even her stockings. The search brought
forth nothing dutiable. Miss Nina. who
was still weak from illness. was permitted
to leave the pier unsearched.
Mrs. Hull and Miss Elizabeth Hull were
requested to appear before Surveyor
Henry and explain. The son employed
Lawyer T.. p. Wilson OF lH Broadway to
accompany Mrs Hull and Miss Elizabeth
TO the Custom House The hearing was
in the private room of Solicitor Mark P.
Andrews. who cross-examined Mrs. Hull
and her daughter. They admitted they
had undervalued the gowns. but that
they had no intention OF defrauding the
customs.
The report of the appraisers showed that
Mrs. Hulls declaration was $3.50 out OF
the way and that OF her daughter $i20.
These facts we're communicated to Col
lector Loeb and he ordered the goods
formally seized. Then Lawyer Wilson
and Mrs. Hull and her daughter expressed
desire to pay whatever might be neces-
sary to get the dresses and trunks from
the public stores. They were told that
the Government would be satisfied with
the home value OF the goods or the foreign
value plus the duty amounting to about
SsOO. This was satisfactory to the lawyer
and his clients and they left. Mrs. Hull
tremulous, promising to pay to-day and
take out the goods.
On the pier while agtated over the
treatment of his mother Daniel Hull de-
clared that he would bring suit against
the parties responsible for having his
mother searched. II was said at the Gus
tom House that there never had been such
a sui. brought within the memory OF the
officials now on the Collectors and Sur
veyors forces and there was a distinct
impression in the law division that there
would be no such suit by Mrs. Hull. 1t
was pointed out that section 3063 Of the
Revised Statutes gives ample warrant
for personal search. The section runs
thus:
The Secretary of the Treasury may from
time to time prescribe regulations for the
search OF persons and baggage and for the
employment Of female inspectors for the
exam nation and search Of persons OF their
own sex. and all persons coming into the
ni'ed States from foreign countries shall
be liable 10 detention and search by au-
thori2ed officers and agents OF the Govern
ment under such regulations
II was intimated at the Custom House
that there might not have been a personal
search Of Mrs. Hull il il had not been found
that she had undervalued her pure chases
abroad. but that anyhow the Government
had the right on information" that it
had received from Paris TO look for Il
diamond necklace bought there.
Daniel Hull said at the Albemarle that
his mother and sisters were not used to
travelling by sea aud that on Thursday
his father had sent wireless message
to his mother aud his sisters to be very
cautious and particular in making their
declarations. Mr.. Hull doubted the story
that the Government had received a tip
from Paris, saying
MY sister Elizabeth had diamond
necklace. bought five years ago in Savan-
nah. A customs inspector at Savannah
heard OF this and got the mistaken idea
that she had bought it in Paris and was
bringing it with her on this trip OF
course she had no such jewels"
A Georgia family supposedly friendly
TO the Hulls actuatcd by social jealousy
is said to have been responsible for send
ing the tip from Savannah,