GEM SMUGGLING

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1929, Page 2

GEM SMUGGLING

CUNAIU) STEWARD’S ADMISSION

NEW YORK,. April G. William Ballyn ex-chief ■.‘Steward of the Cumird Liner Berengaria,: appeared as a State •witness in 'ili> : United States,. Federal Court to-day'.ahcl described the' part played' by'iviih ,in' the alleged ;diamond smuggling i ring. Treasury agents assert that the ring has brought £200,000 worth of gems into the country illegally. Jojiu C. Mclntyre an ex-docks policeman, is on trial charged with having acted as a go-between for the European shippers and the American' consignees. Six other persons,.''including Ballyn, are ;indicted. in, the case; .Bajlyn ss.V;id that in/'Noy-Q.rj'rher yI92G lie agreed ' to, suggestion that he should bring'over packages..Tib identified a , map liamctUMtu'end. Grqothius as having first handed him packages for Mclntyre. Later Croothius, whom he knew as King, was replaced by a man named Steel, whose photograph witness identified as Sydney Landau, .son •■of Morris Landau, a New York jeweller. Both father and son are under indictment. Ballyn said he owned a £3,C00 house in Southampton, although his salary as chief steward was only £43 a month. He admitted having brought eight or nine packages to the 1 cit'd States. He did not know who the lnas'cr mind of tile ring was. Mr Bn rend Groothius give evidence as a Government witness in the diamond smuggling trial. Air Groothius declared that the master mind was Morris T.andau, a. New York jeweller, and that he had been the tool of Landau, whom lie regarded as the head of the ring. It is alleged that £3,000.00!) of diamonds were smuggled into the United States. Landau and the other accused were arrested and released on hail.