The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1921-01-31
DIAMONDS valued
AT $4,000 SAID TO
Be UNDECLARED
Collector Newton Has Two
Cases Under Inquiry-GemS
Taken From Aquitania.

The case Of Miss Juliette De Coppet
of No. SA West S5th Street in whose
baggage approximately $4,000 worth
Of undeclared jewelry was found
after her arrival on the Aquitania
yesterday, is the second to be IN
earthed on that vessel Byron r.
Newton, Collector OF the Port, will
take up not only her case to-day, but
that Of Harry Binder, n second cabin
passenger in whose underUlothing
cut diamonds valued at about $4,000
were said to have been found after
he had denied possession OF them.
Miss de Coppet, who is a daughter
of the late Edward J. de Coppet, was
permitted TO go home, where she said
later she had had trouble with customs
inspectors about jewelry, but that
her brother, Andre, was the only one
who could talk about It, He could
not be reached. A woman who said
she was Mrs. Andre de Coppet said
a mistake had been made, but II
would be adjusted to-day, when Miss
dc Coppet explained to Collector
Newton.
Miss de Coppet shared n stateroom
on the Aqutania with Nine. Mar
celia Sembrich, opera singer. The
stateroom was in Nine. Sembrich's
name.
The discovery OF the jewelry was
made after the passengers had left
their staterooms, and the baggage
had been taken to the pier. 1t came
about only by chance. Thomas NJ.
Hyatt, an inspector, was walking
through g corridor when he came to
the open door Of u luxurious room
and in il he found an empty jewelry
box bearing the name of a Paris firm,
Hyatt reported his discovery to his
superiors, and the baggage belonging
10 Nine. Sembrich and Miss de Cop
pet was searched on the pier. Moth
ing was found in Nine. Sembrich's
In Miss de Coppet's baggage, how
ever, the officials said, they found a
piece of jewelry, set with diamonds,
which had not been declared. and
which fitted the box found in the
waste basket as If the box had been
made for it,
Miss Tie Coppet's father died in 1916
at the age Of sixty one, leaving an
estate of S1,476,5S5 to his son, Andre.
Mr.. De Coppct was senior member Of
the stool, Exchange house Of De Cop
pet & DOremus.
The discovery Of the diamonds in
through mysterious telephone call
which reached the Custom House
at midnight Saturday. 4 woman,
who refused TO give her name, told
Joseph Cea, the night operator. that
there was a man named Binder COM
ing on the Aquitania with Struggled
diamonds and then abruptly rang off.
Cca Immediately tolephoned to In
spoctor Walsh, so he and Inspectors
Kelly and Babcock were awaiting the
passenger.
Binder, who lives at No. 367 Pearl
Street, Brooklyn, and has an electric
fixture business at NoA 100 Myrtle
Avenue, was questioned about SNUG
glcd goods as soon as he landed. He
denied having anything dutIable and
his baggage was searched. Nothing
was found and he was ordered back
on the ship for an inspection Of his
clothing.
After he had been stripped, still de-
nying that he had brought diamonds
over, the stones, seven of them, rang
ing from one TO four karats TO a total
OF twelve, valued at about $4,000, were
found bedded in absorbent cotton and
sewcd in his undertaking.
Binder admitted buying the stones
in Poland, where he had gone to
bring 70 this country his fathcr-in-
Law and mother in-law and their
four children. lie said that food
conditions were such in Poland that
diamonds could be bought for almost
a song AS Binders father died last
night he was permitted to 50 home.