New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-28
Wife of Former Taft Official
May Have to Pay $4,000 Pen
atty and Lose Costly Gowns
and Lingerie Seized.
BREWER IN CUSTOMS NET
Inspectors Skeptical That Fur.
Trimmed Dresses Were Worn
Abroad in Hot Weather by
Wife and Daughter of
st. Louis Man.

former Assistant Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor in the Taft admin
istration. who was indicted by the
grand jury on Friday for smuggling.
appeared before Judge Hough in the
Federal District Court yesterday 10
plead to the indictment.
She was charged with the entry OF
dutlable goods brought into the coun-
try as passengers baggage by fraudu-
lent statements and omissions.
Mrs. Wiborg was accompanied to
court by her husband and her counsel
John B. Stanchheld. With the consent
Of the United States attorney tenn
porary plea Of not guilty was entered.
Mr.. Stanchheld explained that as he
was engaged in the sulzer impeach-
ment case at Albany he would require
time TO consider the complaint. Judge
Houeh gave him until October 13 TO
withdraw his plea, demur or take
whatever action he thought necessary
for the interests OF his client. The
court then released Mrs. Wiborg on
her own recognizance.
Mrs. Wiborg. accompanied by her
three daughters, arrived here on the
Cunarder Mauretania on September D.
Her baggage. which consisted OF twen-
~ rieces. was sent to the public stores
ne the customs officials were confident
that there was much more in the
trunks than the $500 worth recorded
IN the declaration. Subsequent exami-
nation showed that the women brought
in gowns and lingerie appraised at
5000 and subject to a duty of 5000
II convicted OF the charge Mrs. WI
borg may have to pay fine OF so'ooo'
the home value OF the goods brought
in. in addition TO the penalty OF having
them conhscated.
Mrs. Wlborg is n sister Of Mrs. Col
gate Hoyt. sister-in-law OF General
Nelson A. Miles and a niece OF the
llte United States Senator John Sher-
man. Mrs Wiborg and her daughters
were presented at the German court in
1909.
The Wiborgs formerly lived in Gin
cinnati. where Mr. Wiborg was en-
gagged In the manufacture of printing
inks. Later they moved to this city
and have country home at East
hampton. Long Island.
Soon after Mrs. Wiborg left the court
the same deputy surveyors who had ac-
cused her OF smuggling brought an
other case before Surveyor Henry that
they had found in the forenoon on the
arrival Of the Hamburg American liner
Kaiserin Auguste Victoria from Ham
burg.
The traveller involved was Henry
Nicolaus. a brewer. OF st. Louis. who
returned. accompanied by his family
and twelve pieces Of baggage. The
dutiable articles recorded in the dec
laration were valued by Mr.. Nicolaus
at S4O7, but when the inspector started
his examination Of the trunks he found
more foreign articles than were de-
clared
John Raczkiewicz, deputy surveyor IN
charge OF the pier ordered the trunks
sent TO the Appraisers Stores for
further examination. Observing that
Mrs. Nicolaus and her daughter wore
two foreign plush gowns trimmed with
costly fur Raczkiewicz asked the
women why they had not declared
them. They replied that II was not
necessary, as the gowns had been made
in this country and taken abroad. The
deputy surveyor soon found that the
brewer and his family had gone abroad
early in August. and that their itin-
erary lay through countries where the
climate was exceptionally warm at that
season.
IUlS TACT WIS 'dli'u ~ lilt dAt'ItlOu
OF Surveyor Henry when the women
appeared before him in the afternoon,
and on the advice OF counsel they ad-
mitted that the gowns were purchased
abroad. They were subject To seizure.
but as all the wearing apparel the
women had was then in the Appraisers
Stores. the Surveyor permitted the
women TO wear the gowns on condition
that Mr.. Nicolaus deposit with the
cashier the home value OF the gowns,
which was $352 The women wore
tewelry valued at $1,000, but Mrs.
Nicolaus made affidavit that all Of II
had been purchased in this country
The Nicolaus family will appear be-
fore the Surveyor on Monday, when all
the goods brought in will have been
appraised.
The baggage of Mrs. Frederic Neil
son. sister OF the late Frederick Geb-
hard, was sent to the Appraisers
Stores on Friday night upon her arrival
from Havre on the French liner France.
A difference OF opinion relative to the |
value of dutiable articles was the rea-
son for the detention.
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