New-York tribune., 1915-12-11
Papers in Gowns Seizure
Case Sent to District
Attorney.
SAY MODEL DRESSES
SMUGGLED MODISTES
U. S. Agents Accuse Boue SGurS
of Importing Alien Labor as
Well as Escaping Duties.

Mrs. Whitney Warren, recently re-
turned from an errarld OF mercy to
French battlefeIds, fOas accused By
Dudley Field Malone yesterday OF
trying to bring IN go,ons ,Citho,tt
paying the proper duty on them.
/ The case has been sent to the Fed
I eral prosecutor for Investigation.
Already charged NTH defraudiHg
the government, the Baroness Jeanne
D'EtreiUis, head of the Ne3V York
branch of the BOu6 SOeurs, 1Cas ar
/ roigned before Commissioner Hough-
ton. 1t is alleged that she got dress
makers into NeaO York IN UioLdtion
of the alien labor laC, using their
Smuggled fnery IN her basiness.
Mrs. Whitney Warren, New York So
ciety leader, prominent in raising
funds for the relief of French war
victims and wife of the we'll known
Z
terday by Dudley Field Malone, Col
lector of the Port. with attempting to
defraud the government on her return
from France on November 10 by fail
ing to declare gowns and other wearing
apparel, whose foreign value was more
than $4,000. Mr.. Malone announced
that he had sent the papers in the
case to the United States District At
torney with the recommendation that
he facts be laid before the grand jury.
The total amount claimed by the
government is $13,3S9. This includes
tn forfeiture value of the alleged un-
declared goods and the duty due on
them.
Mrs. Warren returned on the French
Line steamship Espagne. Customs in
spectors who examined her trunks at
the pier reported finding undeclared
articles of such value that il was de-
cided to hold the trunks at the APP
praiser's Stores. Collector Malone in
vestigated the case personally and
early this week ordered a reappraisal,
on which he based his decision.
Some of the gowns were brought over
for Miss Evelyn Byrd Burden, who was
interrogated at the final hearing IN the
Collectors office yesterday morning.
Mrs. Warren and Miss Burden are rep
resented by James f. Curtis, formerly
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr.. Malone's statement follows:
after a hearing and personal in
vestigation, / have reached the con-
clusjon that the undeclared articles in
the baggage of Mrs. Whitney Warren,
brought in for herself and Miss Evelyn
Byrd Burden on the steamer Espagne
November IS, 1915, should be seized
and forfeited, and | have accordingly
directed that such seizure be made.
Furthermore, ] believe that in this
case there was an attempt TO deiraud
the government, and. therefore, shall
send all the papers in the case 70 the
United States District Attorney, with
the recommendation that the tacts De
laid before the grand jury
II was stateu at the Custom House
that Mrs. Warren gave the foreign
velue of the goods she was bringing in
as 81 800. The duty on these was 5000,
but, according to the valuation at the
Appraisers Stores, Mrs. Warren decla-
ration failed to mention number OF
gowns whose foreign valuation IS
SOFAS. On these the duty was S3,O74
Mr.. Warren returned from Europe
last Monday. He and Mrs. Warren took
a six weeks trip through the devastat-
ed regions of France, in which Mrs.
Warren Investigated the distribution
Of the money sent by the Secours Ma
tionale Fund, of which she is treasurer.
Neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Warren could be
found At their apartment, Carlton
House, Forty-seyenth Street and Madi-
son Avenue, yesterday 1t was said they
had left the city for Long Island, where
they will spend the week end. Through
Mr.. Warren's secretary both declined to
make any statement.