The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-05
LITTAUERS JUST
ESCAPE PRISON
EX-COngressman and Brother
Get six MOnths-Sen-
tence Suspended.
EACH rs FINED $1,000
L. s. Judge Scathingly Re-
Dukes Lucius for Disre-
gard of Oath.
RICH SMCGGLERS WARNED
No More.Love Taps for Wealthy
Amateurs Says II. Snow
den Marshall.
RICH SMCGGLERS WARNED

When Judge Edwin s. Thomas sem
fenced Congressman Lucius y. Littauer
and his brother William Llt;auor TO prison
terms Of six months each AZ we'll as filming
them $1,000 each yesterday. the spec
tators In the United States District Court
sasped IN arnazement at tho idea OF ama-
teur Nnugglcrs getting anything moro
than a fine.
AT last" some one murmured, but
allowed tho rest OF his exclamation to 90
unfinished becslis. the Judge announced
that the brothers VINO had pleaded guilty
to smuggling Il diamond tiara. would be
released on suspended sentence for five
years.
The nominal sen:cnce. however, was the
ssverest ever given Ia smuggling case
in this district. AS TO whether or not II
deprives the Littauers of their rights of
citizenship Is yet to be determined. There
Ia a prevailing opinion among Federal au-
thoriues that II does.
Judges Remarks Scathinx.
The memorandum which the Judge read
before passing sentence vas scathing in
its references to Lucius Littauer.
II am informed that in this jurisdiction
II has not been customary TO infict Il Jail
penalty" said the Judge. at Is not for
mo to say whether this Is a wise policy or
not. but am necessarily bound To- take 1t
into consideration and 1t is on account OF
this policy that l dispose of this feature
Of the case"
The Judge said that he inflicted n Jail
sentence with notifications that If the
practice OF smuggling continued undated
there would be no opportunity for fur
Their asking the courts not to infict a jail
penalty ON account of wealth. social prom
incncc and the high standing OF those
hereafter presented for similar violations"
Judge Thomas made II clear that he
was allowing the Littauers TO 20 free only
on the consideration that their plea OF
guilty had saved the Government the ex-
pense OF trial; that they made full res,i-
tuition of their civil liability by paying
$4,000 to the Government AMI that Lu-
cius Littauer, according to the statement.
o, reputable physician, is afflicted with
diabetes.
Lucius Greatly Affected.
Lucius Littauer, VINO was making an
siparen; effort to nerve himself for the
ordeal of sentence, WINGED v!sibly when
-A1 Judge referred to his ten years az a
Representative in Congress from the State
OF New York in the following words:
For an eN-Congressman so far TO for
get his oath. which he has taken upon five
different occasions. to support and defend
TIE Constitution and the laws Of the
United states. knowing as he must have
known all about the tariff. duties and
declarations provided by law in such a
case. TO 10 all this | say seems incom-
prehensiblc as we'll as reprehensible.
1T is pointed out that both defend
ants are we'll educated. philanthropic and
IN other respects men of standing and
reputation. II there is to be any distinc-
lion between smugglers however. /.
should be TO tho advantage of the ignorant
man who cannot distinguish the fne
shades between right and wrong
According TO the indictments against
the Littauers. William bought the tiara
IN Venice and gave IT TO his brother in the
Black Forest of Germany. and the latter
brought u here without declaring it,
Their excuse was that they thought the
tiara was an antique and free of duty.
Judge Thomas declared the very fact
that they concealed II was evidence of
intent to defraud.
Army Contract scandal Recalled.
This is not the frst time that the name
OF Lucus Littauer has figured in Il scan
dial. In 1903 1t was brought out at the
bankruptcy proceedings against Edmund
l.. Lyon, an army contractor. that Lit
fauer. who was then in Congress. had Sc
cured for him a contract for supplying
the army and the Marine Corps with
Eauntlets. gloves. pajamas and other ar
ticles OF clothing. and that the Congress-
mans firm, Littauer Bros, nanufac-
7urers of gloves AT Gloversville. y. v
was In reality supplying the gauntlets
For time there were rumors of action
TO be taken by Congress.
The sentence imposed upon tho Lit.
tauers recalls the fact that few Jail SEN
fences have been imposed by the Federal
judiciary in this district on smugglers
OF the tourist class and that these have
never been more than five days. Occa
sonally merchant who smuggles for
commercial purposes is sent to Jail for
a month or more. but prominent Snug
glers of the amateur class arc usually
let Off with fine.
This was true in the case OF Mrs, Frank
Wiborg, wife o. Il Cincinnati fnanciei
well known in Republican political circles
After pleading guilty to IA charge OF
smuggling she was fined $3.50 by Judg,
Huut on October 20. 1919.
ON October .. 1910, Mrs. Ada +. g
Adrianco pleaded guilty to smuggling g
necklace and was fined $4,000. On the
same day the same judge fined Meng.
MorBcrthau, candy manufacturer. $4,000
fur smuggling.
ON october 3. 1911, Nathan Allen, q
wealthy Wisconsin lumbcrman. was nneC
$1,000 by Judge Charles Hough FOR
2J,Ugsling jcwelry valued al several hun,
d,cd thousand dollars which he gave tc
NIrs Helen Dwelle jenkins John r. Col!
l.ns, president OF the Southern Coal Com
many of Memphis, concerned in the sams
scandal, was fined $4,000.
Roberta Corwin mn Jailed.
After each one OF these sentences tn,
Judges promised that the next offendsi
brought before them would be sent to TAIL
Finals this threat was made good ant