Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1897 — DIAMOND SMUGGLERS [ARTICLE]

DIAMOND SMUGGLERS

CUSTOMS OFFICERS UNEARTH A GIGANTIC PLOT. Men Did the Work with the Clever Aid of Female Confederates—lllicit Trade Practiced Almost Openly—General Trade Reported More Animated. Moke a Rich Haul. Emanuel J. Lasar and his wife Helena were arraigned before a United States commissioner in New York upon a charge of having smuggled SIOO,OOO worth of diamonds into this country. The diamonds were seized by custom house officers and Deputy United States Marshals in the office of Max J. Lasar, a diamond merchant. Emanuel ,T. Lasar is the brother of Max Lasar. The custom hou.se authorities think that they have an equal interest in the jewelry store. Emanuel J. Lasar has made frequent trips to Europe and his wife always accompanied him. “There has been some wholesale smuggling going on,’’ said Collector Bidwell, “by what 1 think is an organized gang. Lasar and his wife, I think, are the most important members of the band.” Some of the leading jewelers insist that half a million dollars’ worth of diamonds has been smuggled into New York within the last six months. The success of the smugglers has emboldened them until it has been for some time an open secret in the trade that diamonds were smuggled ashore from almost every steamship. More Animated Trade. R. G. Dun & Co.’s Weekly Review of Trade says: “The monthly report of failures shows defaulted liabilities of sll,610,195 in November, a go* list $12,700,850 last year. Because of three large failures for $3,250,000, not due to present conditions, the aggregate in November was only $1,100,000 less than last year, and, except for these, would have been smaller than in August, September or October. Failures for the week have been 300 in the United States, against 379 last year, and 28 in Canada, against. 55 last year.” Bradstrcet's says: “General trade throughout the country has presented rather more animation, owing to colder weather and the approaching holidays. While clothing, dry goods; lia<s, shoes and notions, hardware and fancy groceries, have been in a little better demand from both jobbers and at retail in the region tributary to Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, St. Joseph, St. Paul and Kansas City, the to*ideucy of business has been to slacken. Tills is noticeable in iron and steel and in further depression in cotton goods, print cloths having made a new low record in price. The total exports of wheat (flour included as wheat) from both coasts ol' the United States and from Montreal this week aggregate 6,699,900 bushels, 1,300,000 bushels larger than last week. Corn exports show a heavy gain over Inst week, aggregating 4,585,800 bushels, against 2,869,000 bushels last week. Exports of other cereals, such as oats, rye, barley and buckwheat, have also been very large, and the total value of our cereal exports during the week just closed promises to be fully $9,000,000.”