The Washington times., 1915-12-11
GOWN SMUGGLERS
WILL ADMIT GUILT
French Girls Come Here With
Costly Apparel for Fashion
able Trade.

NEW YORK. Dec. 1.-THE latest
French styles coupled with much cx-
cited French talk and not a little
French indignation impaired decid-
euiy Parisian atmosphere to United
states Commissioner Clarence 5.
houRhton's court room yesterday
morning when the Baroness Jeanne
Elfelilis. mead of the recently estab-
iisEed New York branch OF Boue
Soeurs, farlslan modistes. and three
othcr persons connected with that con- I.
Germ were arratgned on warrants
charging customs fraud and violations
OF the contract labor law. All viii
confess, their attorney says
According to the warrants drawn by
Assistant United States Attorneys
Frank i. Carstarphen and Harold l..
Harper, the defendants, sent girls en-
with costly gowns and other articles
of apparel which they brought in free
or DUTY by declaring them 10 be part
oi their personal wardrobe.
Gowns Are Seized.
In this way, It is said, between irty
and 100 expensive gowns were brought
in free since last September. The
models, saleswomen, diapers, and fit
ters-ninc in all--who were sent over
here by the Paris house came osten-
sibly TO be set 30 work in the New
!
street which was established by Bar
oness d'Etrcillis only last fall. This.
the Federal authorities hold. was In
violation of the Federal contract labor
law.
The case was brought TO the attention
of the Fedora! authorities BY C9ll2ctov
Dudley Field Malone. after he hal
caused the seizure of some of the Boue
gowns.
baroness d'Etrellis is said to br the
head of the Paris corporation as well as
of the New York branch. With her were
arraigned Nine. Sylv!e Nontegrt, he
licVed to he Baroness dEtreillis' silent
partner. and otherwise known as ETA
MarienStras: Eva Poiret. saleswomch =,
and George Guedal Goldman. booi-
keeper in the New York store.
Al gave bonds.
Emory r. Buckner, attorney for th"
defc ndants, admitted that some viola
tions had been committed but dec.al th
that they were negligible and the res,i;
Bad example" The example, he said.
was furnished by wealthy An erlcan
women who were the firms customers
in Paris.
Accuse German Girl.
Marie Engel. a German girl employed
in the Paris establishment OF Boue
Soeurs for several years. is credited
with supplying the government WIN
| much information upon which INC
| charges against the French dreSsHahei'
were made. Neither OF the Iat'et
speaks English.
I'VE did not know that we were ooini
anything wrong" Nine. d'Etreilhs salu.
| we were simply helping our poor glrit
who are now dependent upon us whhs
| their male relatives are off to the war.
| And they were so happy to come one
! here poor girls. We made no secret OF
, the fact that we were bringing our girls
| from Paris to our New York brancn.
| we would tell our clients how SO many
more girls were coming at sucn ana
| such time
! Nine. Monteguet chimed IN with her
sister: 1t means simply that no one
| should come to America without study
! ing its laws.
! 1T is not charitable, it is shameful
! OF the American officials to do this Ia
us-two poor Frcn nchwomen who know
| nothing OF your laws and who thought
We were doing a good thing"
! Collector of the Port Dudley Field
Malone announced yesterday that he
! had ordered the baggage Of Mrs. Whit
ncy Warren. wife of the architect. WHO
! returned from Europe on November J.
on the French liner ESpagne, TO b'
| seized and forfeited. In addition. ~
collector has ordered the papers 10 nc
sent to the United States district attor'
ney with a Recommendation for them e
| be laid before the grand Jury on tAe
ground that there was an attempt mao'
to defraud the Federal Government oN
| Mrs. Warren and Miss Evelyn Byrt
| Burden. who owned part OF the connS
Gated baggage. but was not passense'
thN steamer ESDaEne.