Salt Lake Telegram | 1906-06-21 | Page 6 | Alleged Fraus on Uncle Sam

ALLEGED FRAUD ON UNCLE SAM Jewels Unmounted in Order to Escape the Higher Customs Duty; Government Will Seek Court Decision. XEW YORK. June 21. The Times says today: "The United States Government, through the Treasury department, has decided to discover by means of a Federal court decision the exact basis ba-sis upon which the duties Imposed on gems and Jewels Imported into thl3 country may be levied. There is a nice point of discrimination In the classification of Imported gems and the customs authorities fix the raie according to the class in which, in their Judgment, an Importation belongs. be-longs. "For Instance, the duty on unmatched, un-matched, unmounted or uncut gems is but 10 per cent, while that on matched or mounted Jewels Is 60 per cent. "The customs authorities, through their agents abroad, as well as from their observations at this port, have been aware for a long time that great quantities . of gems and pearls have found their way into thls country under un-der payment of the 10 per cent duty, when, in their estimation, the higher rate should h'ave been levied. "It Is sald that the test case to he brought by the Government concern sixty pearls of great value, purchased in Paris by William B. Leads as a gift for his wife."