New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-12
coUNTERFEITs OF NOTED BRANDS
OF CIGARS.

to be seized were where they were alleged
to be. This information could be obtained
only by getting inside. This was no easy
task, for the door was never opened In the
daytime II was always locked. Evidently
10 work was done there by daylight. The
watch was continued throughout the night.
The watchers were rewarded at last by dis
covering that work was done there in the
evening hours, but still they were unable to
get inside A keen-witted Irishman rose
TO the occasion.
"Tll get IN there" said he.
In the mean time the surveillance OF
the silent tenement house had led to the
discovery through shipments seen leaving
the place that the business was being con-
Quoted as an adjunct to a perfectly legiti-
mate business going on at No. - Mac
dougal street.
The Irishman finally had his opportunity.
One night about o'clock the door opened.
The Irishman was ION the fob" Pretend
ing to be drunk, he staggered across the
pavement and into the open door.
What do you want here?" some one de-
manded.
"Ish lookin' for John Smish. the baker"
He isn't here"
Nevertheless the Irishman persisted in
maudlin fashion in pushing in 70 see for
himself. His real character unsupported,
ne finally saw the cans he had come 10 see.
Action soon followed. The compounder
Of the oil turned states evidence and the
manufacturers OF the counterfeit cans
pleaded guilty and received the maximum
penalty.
Last week another case involving an irni-
tation OF Italian liquors made up with wood
alcohol which. II is stated by public Of
fc!als, resulted in the death OF at least two
persons and the temporary binding OF
others, came up in the federal court. The
story told is something Ike this:
A year ago the investigators of the Trade
mark Protective Company discovered some
exceedingly good counterfeits OF a number
OF well known Italian liquors on sale. The
counterfeits, compounded with grain alco-
hol. were so good that the agents for the
genuine article would not say that II was
not what It purported 10 be. Samples were
sent to the home Offices in Italy The
makers were so uncertain about II that
they would not commit themselves. The
counterfciters were traced 10 store in
Cornelis street. The Investigators ver. SO
tons regarding the counterfeit that they
made seizure. They proved their case
and the producer was fined in court
A DIFFICULT ARREST.
For time he remained qu;escent. but re-
Gently. thov say. he again became active
lie revived the brands he had produced be-
fore. but unfortunately for him. according
Ia he h..
alcohol instead Of grain alcohol The in
vestigators received information that he
was in business again and that he was
selling chiefly outside the city. in such
places as Port Chester, Greenwich. SIAM
ford and the towns along the Hudson as
far north as Kingston. The discovery Of
tho fresh operations was made in Port
Chester. where a sale had been made The
order was traced To New York and the
shipment was followed back 10 Port Ches-
ter. II VAS found that the goods were
shipped from a basement by the "I.ucca
COMPANY" Somehow the manufacturer
got wind Of the preparations being made 70
seize his goods and shipped part Of them
to Hoboken, apparently I'm the hope Of
saving them, This being an interstats
shipment the federal authorities took cog
nizance of H. and the goods IN both cities
were seized and analysed. An arrest was
made.
An Italian girl living in the Italian sec
ton drank some of the connection. She
died. A gang OF Italian laborers In Viz
gina bought two cases. and all drank of II.
One died. and two others were blinded.
The two blinded men decided 10 return TO
their homes in Italy, and on their way
through New York were sought out by the
federal authorities as witnesses.
Arrests of cOunterfeiters are not al
ways accomplished without violence. An
Italian named Francesca a year or more
ago had a distlery in the Italian quarter
in the Greenwich Village section. Here he
made limitations of Italian liquors and dis
posed OF them through agents. After the
case had been worked up francesca evaded
capture for time but he was finally seen
on a streetcar by one OF the detectives OF
the Trademark Protective Company. He
attempted to arrest Francesca. and the lat
ter as perhaps might be expected, objected.
His objection was so violent that the result
was a wrestling match. which was con-
cluded only when the two contestants were
hailed to a night court. There the detective
told his story. and Francesca was placed
under lock and key. The latter is now
serving a term at the Elmira Reformatory.
The imitation OF the bottles Is not 50 fire.
ouent as one would suppose, for many
liquors are put up in bottles Of stock de-
signs. Each kind Of liquor, apparently. has
its own design OF container. 1t IL only
when the manufacturer of the genuine uses
specially blown bottles bearing a trade
ms rk hloNn in the glass that the counter
foaters have difficulty liz making limitations.
The moral is: Be your own connoisseuR
or be satisfied with American products