New-York tribune., 1915-12-11
GOWNS SMUGGLED
TN GIRLS, IS CHARGE
Continued from page !

us. So we opened our New York place
at l3 West Fifty-siXth street.
eve brought our exclusive designs
and our own workers who do the nice
work. Customs? I'm, no, we did not
declare all our gowns 10 the customs
we did not say we brought them LOT
sale. We brought them just for mod
els That is all. ,-,.. ,od,,
friends in Paris told US they never
declared their gowns-we Fnew u was
naughty. but we didn't think-oh, ter
reeblel We didn't think 1t was crime
Pree-sonl Pree-sonl'
Many Visitors Arrive.
Keen-eyed customs men were re-
snonsible for this sad state of affairs.
l For many weeks they have noticed
prettv French women coming 70 TINS
country - large, matronly looking
French women, petite, coy girls, All
sumptuously gowned, and bringing
with them many trunks filled with
more sumptuous gowns.
| Some Of the dresses the visitors de-
clared occasionally as being broug-t
simply As models, TO be taken away
again. Others they neglected 70 declare
at ell. The strangest part was that all
of the gowns were taken 70 Boue
Snurs. in West Ffity-sixth Street.
Rome Sisters stock Of latest French
models was growing fast. Also thelr
staff Of French workers.
So Boue Seurs and several others
were arreste yesterday on complaint
Of Frank Carstarphcn, Assistant United
States Attorney, charging them with
conspiring TO violate the United states
customs laws and the law against
bringing alien contract labor into this
country.
Others named in the complaints were
George Goldman, bookkeeper at Boue
f Srurs; Jacques" Montegut, who is in
Paris; Nine. Louisan Doe md Louise
Roe. In effect, they are charged with
taking part in a plan to transport
bodily the Paris establishment Of Boue
SGurs, stock and help, to this country
without paying customs and in defiance
Of the labor law.
/ The specific overt act cited was in
connection with the arrival here on the
Nieuw Amsterdam on August p OF
Marie Engel. The charge is that she
was induced to come over from the
, Paris establishment Of BouG Spurs 10
work for them in New York. and that
/ she brought with her for them num-
/ Der of gowns.
American Woman Innocent.
When she arrived at the pier she
I gave the customs men the name of a
wealthy American woman on Riverside
Drive as her friend. Government
agents, however, noticed that she was
met by Goldman and taken. with her
/ baggage, TO Boue Spurs, where she
was put to work as a filter and draper.
/ The gOvernr ent claims that bout
ten womel and girls were brought here
in this way, bringing gowns with them
10 stock u. the sisters place with
mode In some cases the models have
been sold, Mr.. Carstarphen said. In all,
between sixty and a hundred dresses
are said 10 have been smuggled in.
One Of the girls who gave the name
Of the Riverside Drive woman as their
friend even sent her trunks there. but
/ did not 90 there in person. The trunks
were later called for and taken to BOue
/ Seurs.
Government agents are convinced
that the American woman had no part
i'm the alleged plot. but was known TO
boue SHurs from trading with them in
Par her name was given as refer
l.ce by the arriving girls. but she did
not know her name was being used eX-
cept when the trunks were sent to her
house. Then she supposed she was
simply doing a service TO one of the
BOue spurs.
Emory +. Buckner. counsel for the
sisters and their fellow prisoners, in
effect advised them 20 plead guilty.
There is no doubt there have been
. irregularities, partly through folly and
ignorance, and largely as result Of the
bad example set by American women"
Mr. Buckner said. 81 have advised
them to tell all. and they will try to
make what rcparation they can. They
used the gowns simply as samples and
models from which their customers
ordered their dresses. I don't think
that is r very serious crime"
II IL estimated that the government
lost $4,000 in duties through the fail
. ure Drouerlv 10 declare the puoda