United States v. A Lot of Silk Goods & Other Merchandise

This is an information in rem praying for the forfeiture to the United States of a lot of silk goods and other merchandise, seized by customs officers at Honolulu and now held by the collector for that port, for alleged violations of the customs revenue laws. The claim of forfeiture is based on three alleged grounds: (1) That “lately before the time of the said seizure” the said merchandise, being dutiable, was “fraudulently and knowingly imported and attempted to be brought into the said United States contrary to law, that is to say, without the payment of . . . *116duties,” — i.e., a violation…