New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-06
SEIZE IMPORTS
OF MRS. PELTON
Customs Men Send Case
Involving a Deputy Col
leCtOr to u. S. Attorney.

The customs inquiry into importa
tons by Mrs Elizabeth Gordon Pelton,
former wife of Dan r. Hanna, took a
new turn yesterday when her shipment
Of LINGERIE valued at about $1,000 was
seibed by the customs authorities.
BY this action the case leaves the
jurisdiction Of Collector Malone and
is turned over automatically 70 Fran
I. Carstarphen. the assistant United
States attorney. in charge Of customs
violations. After reviewing the evi-
dence prepared by Captain Wheatley,
head OF the special agents. and 4 re-
port Of the proceedings held before the
law division Of the customs service Mr..
Carstarphen will decide whether TO
start a suit against the seized property
or ask for other action.
The case is an unusual one, because
IL involves Daniel O. Sprague. AT act
ing Deputy Collector OF Customs, who
was described by Mrs Pelton as her
"man. Of business 10 was Sprague
who arranged for the handling OF Mrs.
Pelton's impOrtations after her arrival
from Eurone on the Adrlatic in De
cember. 1914, and It Is likely that he
will have 20 appear as witness
against Mrs. Peiton. with whom he had
been friendly for several years
Malone Studies Report.
Collector Malone received the volu-
minous report of Captain Wheatley on
Monday. but explained yesterday that
he had not had time 20 review 10, ana
for that reason was unable 20 make
recommendation on the disposition OF
the case.
than 81 900 is seized by the collector
for a violation Of the revenue laws. a
report Of the seizure. signed by the
selling officers, must be transmitted 10
the United States Attorney Tor action.
II. in his opinion, d forfeiture pro-
ceeding could not be tanned, ne 50
reports TO the Secretary OF the treas
my. II he believes the evidence IN tne
case indicates that q forfeiture pro-
ccoding could be sustained, he al once
institutes such a proceeding IN tne
Federal Court. In this proceeding az
ing under process o. the court, the
United States Marshal takes the prop
erty into his possession. unless the
action is settled. il is tried o. jury
II tho owner Of the seized properly is
successful in the trial the property Il.
delivered 10 him. II not, decree or
forfeiture il entered and the property
Is sold by the United states mafsna1
at public auction.
The evidence that the Collector y
now considering deals with the testl-
monv OF Mrs Pelton herseif ana the
testimony Of Sprague made since MS ar
rival from Liverpool several weeks ago
on tho American liner 81. Paul. Also
tho Wheatlev report contains testl-
nonv Of the customs inspectors who
made the seizure in Sprague's absence
ina. of clerks from the American EX-
moss COMPANY. who landed the I'M
narration Of the seized goods, and the
inspectors at the Appraisers stores
Who examined the Pelton importa-
tons and appraised them.
Mrs. Pelton made no itemized state
ment on her declaration when she ar
rived here. She declared merely that
She was a foreign resident and me
articles brought IN By her IN dozen
pieces Of baggage were her personal
effects only ,
This was regular and embOdies little
in the report OF the Collector
Second Importation Held Up.
The second and last importation OF
Mrs. Pelton came in from Hayre on the
French liner Espsgne on January ~
Of this year. and IL was upon the al
legged irregularities Of its entry that
the inquiry was made into Sprasue's
advisory relations with Mrs. Pelton.,
The investigation revealed that
Sprague had telephoned the American
EXPRESS Company in November. 1872
that Mrs. Pelton was expecting PACK
age which would come manifested as
CARGO. and advised that ne be notified
on Tho company Of its arrival, as ne
intended to have it passed or the org
inal declaration. as had been done
on this occasion the goods were en-
tered on the back Of the dec arstion as
.old and used personal effects but
upon examination they were found 70