A German maid employed by Supreme Court Justice Edgar J. Lauer was fired after refusing service to guests who made insulting remarks about Hitler at a dinner party. After being fired she went to Customs and detailed how clothes and jewelry was being smuggled into the United States without paying custom duties on them. Besides Mrs. Lauer, she advised that Jack Benny and George Burns were also having items smuggled into the United States. George Burns was fined $10,750 for items smuggled into the United States. Even though his wife, Gracie Allen, was involved, only Mr. Burns was fined. Jack Benny was also fined, but his wife, Mary Livingston, was not fined. George Burns was born January 20, 1896, in New York City and died March 9, 1996, in California.