The daily gazette., 1879-07-31
FIRST EDITION.
From the PHI ila. Times.
TIE DMU00LING DODGE.

THE BOGUS TAR IN THE ROLE OF
PEDDLER OF sMUGaLED GOODS.
Among the many swindling games
practiced on credulous people Of Phila-
delphia none are, perhaps, more skillful-
ly managed than that Of the smugglers'
game. Frank, honest-iaccd, sailOr-like
lads will go around the city, wearing a
blue coat and vest, navy cap and sailor
trousers, with an imitation india rubber
bag slung across their shoulders. Any
body, to look at them, would take them
for sailors, They invariably have the
sailors ruddy cheeks, brOnzed COM
plexion, and are up to the ways Of sea-
ia ing life,tO anextent that would deceive
the sharpest of old salts and make the
observer swear at q glance that they
were genuine ,ilors.
They may be found at certain seasons
In every part Of the city. Always the
imitation rubber bag Is slung over their
shoulders and always Its destination ap-
pears to be the back streets and alleys,
usually occupied by poor laboring
classes. As the rubber bag gets into
such localities 1t will be noticed that the
ways of its carrier become cautious and
mysterious He will enter house and
with few preliminary words Of greet
ing in the most approved nautical style
he will tell his story. He is freshly
discharged sailor, just arrived from
Havre or some other foreign port, and
(here his manner becomes more cautious
and mysterious and his voice, perhaps,
sinks almost to whisper) he has some
very fine goods which he has ma aged to
smuggle over and will sell them for one
fourth their market value. Then he
draws out shawl, perhaps, that looks
brilliant and beautiful-just such colors
as are apt to take the heart of femi-
nine customers. This shawl is worth
$40 on the counter of any Philadelphia
dry goods house, but he will sell it for
fifteen. lie turns 1t over and praises its
merits. He shakes II out before admir-
ing eyes and foundles it and pulls at it,
and tries its texture, and holds it up to
the light and makes a panorama of its
colors, and talks about its enduring quail
ity, and tells stories about the aristocrat-
and astOnishes his listeners with an ac-
count of the immense demand for them,
and dwells upon the delicate and diff
cult process of their manufacture, and
tells more lies in the brief time he is in
one house than genuine sailor, with all
his faults, will tell IN five years. But his
listeners, who are now tho oughly work.
ed up on the subject of imported saawls,
sorrowfully inform him that they have
no more than five dollars in the house.
The sailor hesitates. He is not disposed
10 be hard. He wouldn't be a sailor il
he was not free-hearted and obliging.
He wouldn't deserve to have the ruddy
cheeks and manly form and regular sail
or outfit If he shonored a noble occil-
patton by an ignoble disposition. He
will take the five dollars and trust his
patron for the remaining ten. They can
pay him that remainder in instalments,
He expects to be in the city for time
anyhow, and so since it is them he will
accommodate them and wait for the rest
of his money. His delighted customers,
with higher opinion than ever of the
sailor, take him at his word. They pay
over the five dollars, take the shawl and
ment must be paid.
SECRECY sECRECY!
There Is another point to be settled
before the sailor has pocketed the money.
1t is perhaps unnecessary for him to in
form his kind-hearted customers that II
it was known he was smuggler It nigh;
go hard with them. He is willing tO
give them a good bargain, but he must
request them to keep as quiet as the grave
about this transaction. Arrest and i'm.
prisonment would be the result If he was
found out. He isn't naturally bad al
heart, but he has his living to make, and
| II he can now and then turn a penny
outside his hard-earnsd wages, who il
the worse for it? This kind Of talk in.
spires his customers with still higher
regard for him. Other people smuggle,
and why should not the honest sailol
take q hand at 1t If the chance occurs
Besides, this kind of operation Is tor theil
own individual benefit. 1t isn't tor then
to discourage it. So far from it, they al
the more sympathize with the manly
sailor, and after buying q shawl ant
.ome fancy handkerch' efs off him, a'ways
paying a certain sum, which he demand
as the first instalment, they recommend
him to some of their ultimate friends
Sometimes they are good enough, aftel
making purchase themselves, to put OF
their bonnets and go with him to thei
friends. 1t is needless to say the sailor''
story is believed and his display of good
cIinches all bis representations. Shawls
bandkerchiefs, watches and jewelry ar,
often included 10 the contents ofthe imi
tatiop rubber bag. The sailors stock o
knowledge of the manufacture and gen
uipeness OF these goods is simply won
derful. His manners are admirably
calculated to reach the hearts of his lad!
customers. He finds little difficulty IL
getting rid of his goods. His acconmo
dating disposition In reference to waiting
for the balance of his money is a power
ful help toward closing bargain, and h
wins his way in a manner that is sur
prising.
POOR PEOPLE NOT THE ONLY VICTIMS
The honest sailor does not confine hi
Establishments in this direction to tn
moor working class altogether. Ther
Is another guIlible class with which h
is generally successful. These are maj
ried men, whose knowledge OF fabrics
nightly limited, but whose fealty an
Affection for their wives are unquestioned
They are approached by the homes
sailor. who flaunts fancy shawl in thei
faces and extols it to the skies. II
makes them believe 1t is just the thin
tn delight a wife's heart. He tells theI
the story of how he came by it, and gain
their good will his good-natured apo!c
, pies for smuggling, and particularly b
!, | Fl. ofyars tn sell NJ at One-Seyenth or one