The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-25


correspondence Of the New York Evenin,
While passing a few days at Hamil
ton, in Canada, a short time since. i
was the fortune Of your correspondent
to come in contact with a person who
has been engaged for the past ten year.
in smuggling goods from Canada into
the States. Smuggling was his PROBES
sion. and the facilities which he com
manded, combined with the boldnes.
with which he carried on his operations
made him one OF the most notorious
smugglers on the Canadian border
With the spirit Of inquisitiveness which
Is common to members of the press
your correspondent endeavored to Oh
tain some information about the science
OF smuggling, which, although contin.
ually carried on, is shrouded in obscu,
rity and mystery to all except those
Immediately connected with it. He was
very willing to relate some of his ad.
ventures, but all the arts of an inter
viewer could not drain out the manner
in which he operated so successfully.
An account OF the adventures which he
related may not prove uninteresting,
and so your correspondent gives it in
the exact phraseplogy which he used
and which was preserved by the pho
nographic art:
In 1865 l was clerking in New
Windsor, city on the Canada side,
nearly opposite Detroit, where large
amount OF smuggling was carried on.
1t was then estimated that one hundred
thousand dollars worth Of goods were
struggled over the river every day, and
the figures, although they seem very
large, were by no means overestimated.
1t was here that l took my first lessons
in the art of smuggling, and proving a
very apt pupil, soon outstripped all
the others in daring and trickery. l
was in large cloth house, and my first
duties were to collect orders in Detroit
for suits Of clothes, which were made
up in the store and then sent across the
river A suit could thus be obtained
for about half the price charged in the
States. Sunday was a great day for
our business, as the young men from
Detroit would cross over in the ferry to
New Winds and leave their orders,
the clothes to be delivered to them in
Detroit. The detectives were as thick
as blackberries along the shore and on
the boats, always on the lookout. 1t
was my place to carry back the goods
for which | had received the orders, and
my first attempt was successful. You
see that | am not a fleshy man now,
nor was | then; but about every two
weeks / would grow so stout that my
friends would hardly know me. 1t was
in this way that would secrete my
by wrapping them around my
body, and then putting on large suit,
which was made for that purpose, over
them and myself. / have carried as
many as four complete suits over at one
time. When l crossed over to the
States one would imagine that / weighed
over $50 pounds, but returning my ap-
pearance was 30 changed that the scales
would drop at ITO pounds.
We resorted to all kinds Of devices
and tricks to outwit the detectives, and
many of them were exceedingly well
planned. Our store was Immediately
opposite the railroad depot, and we had
all the hands in our pay, that is, we
made them presents for services render
ed to US. When the train arrived the
trunks were put upon the racks and
wheeled to ferry boat few rods off.
All the trunks that had been searched
received the mark of the examiner.
We would fill trunk with the goods
we wished to send to Detroit, and as the
train arrived we would place it on the
truck with the others and give it the
necessary mark. One of our men
would be on the other side Of the river,
ready to claim it when it arrived, and
would send it Immediately to our office
in Detroit, whence the clothes would be
sent to their respective destinations
This was continued for long time, and
it is probably going on now.
"Were you ever caught in any OF
your attemptsY
Only once, but l was too smart for
the detective and escaped imprlson-
ment. 1t was a good one. A detective
had followed me for some time, and |
was not aware of it, as he was from an
other station. was familiar with tie
faces of all the detectives in the vicinity,
and I was never at a loss for means to
escape from their clutches. Well, this
detective came to my store and ordered
a suit of clothes from me, l agreeing TO
smuggle them to Detroit. You see l
had given myself right into his hands
When they were finished l took them
across and met my customer, to whom
I delivered the clothes. He took them
and giving a peculiar smile, said; Il
want YOU. Do not leave the room with,
ont NV orders. You're prisoner.
I never was more surprised in my lite,
and nv courage left me in q moment L
was 80 aStOnlSneu lhat eeo,S
what to do, but determined to put on
a bold front and"cheek" it through. 80
| gave a hearty laugh, and, addressing
the detective told him | knew VINO ne
was, and instead of the goods oei9g
struggled they were made in Detroit ne
replied that,I would have a chance to
prove il at the proper time; | remem
bered that a auick-witted Irishman
who nsed to work for US, kept q store IN
the city and i'll could get him he wOGss
lie me out of it. So told the detec.,Yi
that il he would go with me, l wouio :
D owe it, to which he consented, a'.er !
short parley. On entering the s.Gl e. :
gave the Irishman the wink. ana IL see ess
ing the VIZ Wong, Before the de