Evening star., 1928-11-21
GEM-RUNN|NG CURB
CALLED HARD TASK
Persons Ordinarily Beyond
Suspicion Now in Game,
U. S. Prosecutor Says.
BY LEMUEL r. PARTON.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. November 81. - Uncle
Sam Is fighting losing fight against
jewel smugglerS. The arrest Of the
singing waiter, the handsome police
man, the respectable jeweler and his
attractive daughter is just one more
instance of the virtual impossibility of
keeping anything so small as diamond
out of a country so vast as America.
"It just can't be done," Alvin Mex.
Sylvester, assistant United States at
torney, said today. Mr.. Sylvester is
prosecuting the case against the four
alleged jewel smugglers, one of whom
was caught on the steamship Beren-
garia with consignment of diamonds
valued at about $4,000.
''The most vigilant police work in the
world is made ineffective by the in
Vulnerable ways of concealing a Jewell"
Mr.. Sylvester continued Before the
Smugglers began bribing steamship en-
ployes they resorted to many clever
schemes in concealing the gems on their
persons, or in some article which they
brought in. The use of members of
ship crews made this unnecessary, and
probably these elaborate devices are
used less than formerly, but it still is
all 700 easy 10 get them III.
Tariff Cut Is Urged.
Considering the advantage which a
smuggler has in beating the 20 per
cent duty and the pressure of countless
OF millions of dollars worth of Jewels
on this market, it is easy to see that
possibly nothing but the reduction of
tariff, which the American jewelers.
Protective Association is now discussing.
will solve the problem"
About year ago Florent Lamont
was reported to have been trapped with
consignment Of diamonds in the heel
and toe of his shoe as he landed in
New York. It was revealed then that
there was an international diamond
smuggling conspiracy, centering in
Amsterdam, whose shipments might
reach as much as $10,0O0,000 annually.
There were hints that Lamonts arrest
might lead to the heart of the con-
Spiracy and stop the growing illicit traf-
nc. Lamont pleaded guilty and was
given sentence of six months. It is
again announced that the international
smuggling ring centers in Amsterdam
ana the present case has all the old
familiar outlines, with the exception of
the fact that the estimated annual
dealings Of the Smugglers are now put
at from $35,000,000 to $50,000,000, in
stead of $10,000,000.
THE evidence is that this is an
american instead Of a European plot
In It's origin and central operation I"
said Mr.. Sylvester, although its work.
ing headquarters are in Amsterdam
Apparently it is an alliance of Ameri-
can dealers (who, on receiving the gems.
get the greater portion of the profitl
who originated the scheme and who
maintained it. We have reason to be-
lieve that the latest arrests will lead
to ramifications of the plot, showing
That the purported conspirators are
organized TO keep a steady flow Of dia-
monds coming in.
The American Government has a
large staff of agents in Europe watch
ing the sources of jewel supply and
tracing every consignment as closely as
possible. This work accomplishes a
great deal, but one has only to imagine
what he would do If he had to bring In
a few diamonds in order to see the all
but hopeless difficulties which the Gov
ernment agents~have to meet.
Small Profits to Aides.
"It IS not easy to understand how
SmugglerS are able to obtain their allies
SAA OAAN AOoStC cAAA CLc41OAC WIlG1l YOU TAKE
into account the profits of the latter,
William Ballyn, the steward, and John
Mcintyre, the policeman, according to
our evidence, got only $500 between
them-McIntyre 5000 and Ballyn $l00-
for bringing in this last lot of $50,OOO
worth Of diamonds. In the last two
years Ballyn is alleged to have delivered
about 10 or IL consignments and his
takings have been only about $1,000.
The consignee himself, working on that
margin left by evading the tariff, hasn't
any too much room to work In when
you consider the danger and the over
head in his business"
Morris Landau, for whom, according
to the Federal authorities, Ballyn had
brought the diamonds to America, is
a Maiden lane jeweler, owning a re-
spectacle and conservative business.
His daughter, also arrested, had been
far beyond any inputation of illegal
traffic. His son, it Is charged, acted as
European agent In the smuggling. In
this connection the Federal investiga-
tors note that smuggling Is taking on a
new aspect with the disappearance of
the known professional smugglers and
The entry of persons ordinarily beyond
suspicion, making the problem of the
customs officers much more difficult.
(Copyright, 1929