Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-19
A REMARKABLE SNUG CLING
STHEHE

| The low prices of silks, laces, velvets, kid
gloves, and alpacas in some Of our large cities
during the past year have occasioned consid-
| cradle surprise among leading importers, who
have been at a loss to discover the sources from
which goods were obtained at such apparent
ly ruinous rates. Kid gloves have been re-
tailed at 81 pair which generally cost at
which leading importers could not place in
stock at that figure The rumor that band
of smugglers have been carrying on business
upon large scale has been circulated, but
the men engaged in the traffic and their plan
of operation have hitherto eluded detection.
1t is now alleged that a wealthy clique has
been engaged for a year in running goods into
the United States from the British Provinces.
Their mode of operation is said to be as fol-
lows: The goods are bought in Europe, are
shipped to Halifax, n. S., St. John, n. b., or
Montreal. The light Canadian duties are paid
and the goods released from bonds. The mer-
chandise is then divided into small lots and
taken to st. Stephens, n. B., in trunks, St.
stephen is directly opposite Calais, Me-, and
separated from it by the ST. Croix river. Two
bridges afford communication betw cen the two
towns. Between Calais and Bangor is a 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 occasional
ly overhaul the stage and examine the bag
gage. As the chances OF getting away with
the struggled goods out of Calais are small,
the L. S. Customs authorities do not examine
baggage coming across the bridge from st.
Stephen into Calais; but, should the parties
owning it continue their trip into the United
States by stage via Bangor, or by steamer via |
Portland, the baggage is examined, and if no !
dutiable goods are found, a pass is pasted |
upon the trunk, and the Customs officers at |
Portland or Bangor do not examine it. The
band of smugglers, it is said, taking advan
tage Of this system, bring trunk filled with |
ordinary baggage into Calais, and, having had |
it examined and pass pasted upon it, substitute |
another trunk, filled with costly dutiable |
goods, and, having transferred the pass, con-
tinue the journey into the States without fear
of detection. A different person is employed |
each time, so as not to awaken suspicion on |
the part of the examining officers.
When the goods are safely In the United |
States they are sent to different cities and sold
at figure considerably below the ruling |
prices. Large quantities, it is claimed, have
been sold in Boston, Springfield Hartford, to
a certain extent, on account of the danger |
arising from the great numbers of Customs |
detectives here. 1t is estimated that several |
hundred thousand dollars worth Of goods |
have been brought in through this channel
during the last year. These goods are near
ly all bought in Europe, by different men in
Montreal, ST. John and Halifax, and the
smugglers have thus covered their tracks in |
an adrot manner, Howard in Halifax, and
Duffres, it is asserted, have thus contributed
to the kid glove, silk, and velvet trade.
Many other Dominion dealers might be men
toned as connected with this business.
Richard Story, well known in Gloucester and
Boston, is alleged to be at the head of this
smuggling scheme, and as he has been in the
Provinces rather extensively for the past year,
and sometimes, it is alleged under assumed
names, the theory seems plausible. An enor-
nous profit must have been realized by the
men engaged in this gigantic smuggling
scheme, even at the low prices at which they
have sold many of their wares. 49, Tribune.