The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-25
NEW LEGAL KNOTS IN |
CLARK'S TABLECL0TH
Dowagcr Queens School May
Not Get Pay If Ex-senator
Refuses IL.
ALL DENY FRAUD INTENT
Cour.c of Customs Officials Is
Called Arbitrary and
Erratic.
ALL DENY FRAUD INTENT

Til, suit filed by the United States
pi.tric, Attorney for the forfeiture of q
Venetian lace tablecloth made by the ex-
,er, lace makers of the Burano School, q
quasi public institution under the pat
,onage of the Dowager Queen Of Italy,
and shipped here to ex-senator William
A CLARK for use on the immense dining
room table in his Fifth avenue mansion,
brough, to light yesterday many inter-
ss,ing facts concerning the case.
one feature Of the customs dispute over
the tablecioth is that the lace school,
which shipped the tablecloth hero nearly
u year ago, may have to wait year
longer for the $500 francs for which the
tablecoth was sold az the school. and
the chances are that the cloth will never
be delivered to Senator Clark. II he does
take it after the annoyance to which he
mas been subjected the Governments con-
tention that 1T is entitled to collect S5,92s,
because of AN alleged attempt to evade
the duty. may result in the Burano lace
school receiving nothing
An important question to be decided 10
whether the price mt which the cloth Was
sold At the school and at which any per-
son may buy such a tablecloth is not the
market value OF the cloth rather than the
price senator Clark agreed to pay to q.
Camerino, the agent OF the school, at
whose shop, 81 Avenue de rOpera, Paris.
Senator Clark ordered the cloth.
Intent to Defraud Denied,
Maurice Leon of so Wall street, coun.
sel for Camerino and the lace school,
made public yesterday correspondence
and testimony given TO the Treasury De-
partnent agents by Senator Clark to sus-
tain his contention that neither Camerino
nor the Burano School had sought to de-
fraud the Government in shipping the
;ablecloth directly from Venice to New
York rather than via Paris, In which
case additional duties would have been
levied in France.
Mr.. Leon also declared that Assistant
United States Attorney Pratt filed the libel
after he had been assured by both testi-
mony and documents that the importation
had been made in good faith and with no
Intention TO defraud the Government
through differentiation.
Senator Clark testified during the in
Qury that when he discussed the ship
nent OF the cloth with CaInerino in Paris
nothing was said about shipping il d.
recuy from Venice instead OF from Paris
II presume they shipped direct from
the place OF manufacture on account OF
cheaper transportation or some additional
duty eXacted on the lace II IL were
shipped irst to Paris said Mr.. Clark.
senator Clark testified that he believed
the cloth was reproduction Of something
In the Vatican. but he knew nothing as
20 who made the design.
The design which was submitted to me
was a mere sketch and not worked out in
Detail" he said.
In letter written by Mr.. Leon TO
United States Attorney Marshall after the
cloth was seized in Senator's Clarks home
h said that when Camerino directed the
echool TO ship the cloth direct from Venice
20 Al g. Pritchard q Co. Custom House
brokers In New York. there was no oc-
oasion for the Burano School to inQui. e
as to the ultimate destination of the cloth
or even to inquire as TO whether II had
been sold.
He wrote that on the other hand since
the consular declaration was made in
Venice Camerlno was not responsible for
It's form. and the school declared the cloth
a. its true value without making a state
rent concerning the ultimate purchaser.
~ which II knew nothing The cloth was
seized after a special Treasury agent dis
covered that Senator Clark was the pur-
chaser and the cloth. which was appraised
originally at $500 francs. has been reap
praised at foreign value OF $3.7O5. to
which has been added the duty Of so per
cont, making a total OF s5.92S which the
Treasury Department demands before sur
rendering the lace.