The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-06-08
CUSTOM HOUSE sNIUGGLEA as.

CUsroM HOUSE sMUGGLEA.$.s
Very young infants and small chill
dren are used as Instruments + :: = .ug
Cling On ore occasion an immigrant
family, ,uan aud wife and two nearly
growu-ur daughters, presented them.
selves. lhey were very affablo and
easy .heir manners, and without
muo:- s.uble to them, were pronounced
"all right" and while the proper pro-
ceedings were.iu progress for their dis
missal one Of the officers saw a hand
some little boy standing alone, and
struck by his attractive appearance, and
not knowing to whom he belonged, he
spoke to the child, and attempted to
"sky lark" with him. The officer was
surprised to find the child could not
bend his body; on examination it was
found that his clothing was quilted
With valuable articles Of silk manufac.
ture and silver spoons. The little fell
low belonged to the family the mem.
bers Of which had just been pronounced
Gall right"
A gentlemanly looking but poorly
clad passenger, from his intelligent ex.
preston Of face and agreeable manners
was treated with marked consideration.
The officers were so easily satisfied that
they took no special notice of small
lsp~oloth, much WORD, which was hang
ing on his arm. A detective, at the
time "off duty" noticed a carriage wait.
icg for some person, and asked tho
driver for whom it vas intended, and
Jehu pointed to the passenger who was
approaching with the hap cloth, as u,u
al, on his arm. There was something
apparently inconsistent in having
carriage for such a man. A suspicion
being excited, the officer seized the lap
cloth. On q critical examination it was
found to be lined or padded with Brus-
sells lace, that sold At public auction for
eleven thousand dollars.
The fool smuggler is illustrated BY a
man, said to be from the western part
Of the State Of New York, who got a
diamond worth sixteen thousand dol
hrs safely through without paying the
duties. This gem he sold for its full
value, and subsequently "brsgged of
bis smartuess." The fact came to the
knowledge Of the Government, and the
proceeds Of the sale we're condscated.
Al smugglers, women are more sue
eessful than man. The complications
of their dress favor the business. The
modern "ohignon" was for a time a
most excellent depository for struggled
goods. A woman is remembered who
was SO successful that she was constant
y crossing the ocean for tho purpose,
and in few years acquired handsome
competency. 1t is strange metamor.
phosis that these adventures sometimes
UNDERGO when caught in their work.
Some years since very pretty woman,
remarkable 4or full bust, broad hips,
and plethoric person generally, present.
ed herself for examination. She was
very polite and sffable, and came very
near escaping detection. But the female
detective then employed at Castle Gal
den no sooner put her eyes on the
rotund figure Of the "object" under ill.,
spection than she invited the "party"
to private interview. 1t was incred-
ible what change was soon effected
Suffice it to say that the apparently
well-fed and portly dame of few mo-
ments before, stripped Of innumerable
dry.goods, stepped into public gaze ro.
duced to wonderfully thin and rather
skeletoniled individual. As there is no
penalty for smuggling on the person
except forfeiture, she went sorrowfully
away. Our laws are even more merci-
full than this j.; for all goods thus seized
can be redeemed, though con6scated
by the payment Of an honestly made
appraisement.- Harper's Magazine.