The Audubon Societies 



325 



numbers, and every possible agency was 

 employed to discover how this was being 

 done. More than three years elapsed, how- 

 ever, before success crowned the efforts 

 of our diligent officials. 



When discovered, the case proved to 

 be such a large and important one, that it 

 is believed the readers of Bird-Lore will 

 be interested in learning something about 

 it. The statement of facts furnished by 

 U. S. District Attorney Harold Harper, 

 and U. S. Customs Roundsman J. C. 

 Rothschild, and authorized by the Cus- 

 toms Office, is as follows: 



On November 26, 1916, the U. S. 

 Kroonland arrived at Pier 59, North 

 River, New York City. Immediately after 

 the ship docked, at 2 p.m., Angelo Tar- 

 taglino. Chief Steward of the ship, came 

 up to the gate and J. C. Rothschild, U. S. 

 Customs Roundsman, questioned him, 

 asking if he had any contraband. He said, 

 "No." Rothschild asked him to open his 



coat. He put his hand down in the man's 

 trousers and found a wide cloth life-belt 

 which he said he was wearing because he 

 was sick. Rothschild took him into the 

 Customs House on the pier, searched him, 

 and found that the "life-belt" contained 

 150 Bird-of-Paradise plumes. Thereupon 

 Tartaglino confessed that he had seven 

 more belts aboard ship. These were seized 

 and found to contain 950 Paradise plumes 

 and 849 Goura plumes. 



On December 15, 1916 Tartaglino 

 pleaded guilty to smuggling plumage and 

 was sent to Trenton prison for eleven 

 months and fifteen days, and paid a fine 

 of $500. 



While the case against Tartaglino was 

 pending, he was admitted to bail, this be- 

 ing furnished by the chef at Shanley's 

 Cafe. Thinking that perhaps Tartaglino 

 was really an agent for some New York 

 house, and that this chef must be a go- 

 between, the chef was watched, with the 



$150,000 WORTH OF SMUGGLED WILD-BIRD PLUMAGE 



In the Seizure-room of the New York Customs Of&ce, August i, 1919. Photographed for the National 



Association of Audubon Societies 



