New-York tribune., 1872-03-14
A REMARKABLE SMUGGLING SCHEME.

The low prices of silks, laces. velvets, kid
gloves and apacas in -four large cities during the
past year have Occasioned considerable surprise among
leading importers who have been at loss to discover
the from which goods obtained at such APP
parenty runous rates Kid gloves have been retailed
NJ 81 pair which generally cost at wholesale 81 90
Silks retailed at s. which leading importers could
not place in stock at that figure The rumor that band
OF smuggers has been carrying business upon largo
scale has been circulated but the engaged In tho
traffic and their plan OF operation have hitherto eluded
detectcnaIt II Is row alleged that wealthy clique has
been engaged for year in running goods the United
States from the British Provinces Their mode OF opera
on Ia said to he as foows The goods bought In Europe
shipped TO Halifax, y. g.. st. John, NJ B., Mon
tTea The light Canadian duties paid and the goods
released from bond. The merchandise ia then divided
into small lots and taken to St. Stephen b. In trunks.
ST. stephen IS directly opposite Calais, Me, and sep
arated from II by the So. Croix River. Two bridges
afford communication between the towns. Between
Calais and Bangor is wide strip of barren country,
across which stage conveys passengers and
baggage for about forty miles. United States
Customs officers are stationed upon the route,
and occasionally overhaul tho stage and examine
the baggage. AS the chances OF getting away with
emuggcd goods ont OF Calais small the IT, g. Customs
authorities do not examine baggage coming across the
bridges from ST. stephen into Calais but should the
ties owning it continue their trip into the United states
baggage Il examined, and II no dutiable goods arc
found pass is pasted upon the trunk and the Customs
officers at Portland Bangor do not again examine 1t.
The band of smnggcrs 1t is said taking advantage OF
this system, bring trunk filed with ordinary baggage
into Calais and having had it examined and pass pasted
upon IT, substitute another trunk filed with costly duti-
able goods and having transferred the pass continue
the journey into the States without fear Of detection
different person is employed each time, so as not 70
awaken suspicion the part OF the examining officers
When the goods safely in the United states they
10 different cities and sold at figure consider
ably below the ruling prices. Large quantities, IL is
claimed have been sold IN Boston Springfield Hartford,
New-Haven, and Chicago. NewS0rk has been LETT out
to certain extent, account OF the danger arising
is estnated that several hundred thousand dollars
mel during tie last year. These goods nearly all
bought in Europe, by different IN business In Mon
trca 81. Johns and Halifax and the smuggers have
thus covered their tracks in adroit manner.
Howard in Halifax aud DufIres, 1t Is asserted,
have thus contributed to TIE kid glove, SIR,
and velvet trade. Many other Dominion dealers might
he mentioned connected with this business Richard
Story well known In Gloucester and Boston, Is alleged
the head Of This smuggling scheme. and as ne
in the Provinces rather extensively for the past
year. and sometimes, it is further alleged under as
sumcd names, the theory seems plausible. An enor-
nous profit must have been realized by the men en-
aged in this gigantic smuggling scheme, even at me
low prices at which they have sold many OF their wares