The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-15
TIE mONTPELuER sMUGGLERs.

nc truc story VI t1c COllidDdill tidilS-
actions and their detection at Montpelier of
late, has at last come to light, and amounts
i'm substance to the following
Some two months since, Colonel Frank
L. Howe, government agent for New York,
was advised that smuggling was being ex-
tensively carried on from Montreal. So,
about five weeks ago, he sent a special
agent of the treasury department to look
into the affair, who took with him sturdy
Vermontcr and entered the Provinces, pro-
fcsscdly for the purpose of buying dray
horses. BY this means they managed to
mix continually with the people, learn the
import tax on horses, and the chances of
slipping them over the line free of duty.
They made the acquaintance of Jones,
Smith & Co., in one part of Montreal and
Smith, Jones e. Co., in another part. 1t
was soon developed that these parties had
special facilities for getting their sales to
the south side of the line duty free. The
sales consisted of sampes for ladies and
gents wear, and orders for suits had been
taken to large amount. A Springfield
order was captured by the detectives, and
goods were traced TO Bellows Falls, and
then to Montpelier, where they were con-
signed, but the consignor's name was not
given. From knowledge already gained,
the detectives thought best to remain there
and await results. Their operations were
quietly conducted, and even at the hotel
their business was not suspected. Their
suspicious having been confirmed they
arrested Mark French and w. L. Wash
burn on Monday of last week, which az
rest proved to be the right thing. On
French was found letters from Montreal
parties, advising him of the shipment of
the goods, and giving directions about
them The result of their examination has
already been given in the GLOBE.
From the papers seized, as well as from
the disclosures made by the parties arrested,
information of much importance was OBJ
tanned. The operations of the smugglers
are found to be very systematic and their
organization complete. French has been
one of the active men in the party-not,
probably because he is worse man than
others of the ring, but holder man. Other
men in large numbers and moving in
respectable society in each of the places
above named are found to have larger in
terest in the success of operations than he
These goods have generally reached the
states by one and the same route. They
have come from Montreal by railroad to
Bolton, the second township from the line,
opposite to Troy. There they were re-
ceived and brought by team through the
town of Bolton to the south side of the line,
by an obscure way, in the town of Troy.
The course from there has usually been
through the towns of Jay, Lowell and Eden
to Hyde Park. From there they have been
taken sometimes through Stowe to Water
bury station, and at others via MorristOwn,
Gilmore and Worcester to Montpelier. The
work of getting them past the lines, it is
said, has usually been performed by resi-
dent of Bolton.
For how long time these operations
have been going on it cannot be stated but
probably for number of years.
French is man who has had plenty of
time upon his hands for some years to en-
gage in just such business and with success,
and undoubtedly has employed a good share
of his energies and characteristic brass in
smuggling, by the help of other peoples
money, he doing the dirty work. 1t is a
source of much qualification to Vermonters
to know that this system of swindling has
been fcrreted out and, for the present, bro.
ken up.