The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-09-25
FEMALE sMUGGLERs.
How the Business is Managed Between
Detroit and Windsor.
From the Detroit Free Press.
Going to and fro on the rp01llar fa,r-x


ed at the clumsiness of feminine
fashiOns-the prevalence of ultra large
hoops-the ungraceful drapery of
shawls-and the bulkineSS of the tour
nure in cOntradistinctiOn to the sheath
ike slimness of apparel which has so
long been the prevailing style 1t is
noticeable, too, that these very respect
able ladies are of all ages, single and
married, some very handsome, others
quite ordinary in appearance. They
seem to shun observance and sit in re-
mote corners. They have, too,
flushed, disheveled look, as if they might
be refugees from the fever district.
Sometimes they are shadOwed by a plain,
respectable looking woman past the
boundary of youth, who seems to take a
great interest in them. Each restless
matron or maiden passes under her sur
veIilance, though unaware of the fact
until the landing is reached, and sud
den tap upon the shoulder is followed by
a low-spoken % Come with me- as in
eXOrable a command as the edict of
fate. Who are the much-beclOthed VIC
TINS? They are one and all smuggIers-
excellent people, belonging to the best
! Canadian or American families. but as
intent on defrauding the Government
out of its tariff as if the object were the
most meritorious in the world. Women
are natural smugglers. They enjoy the
perils as well as the profits of outwitting
| a Government detective. There is a
smack of Outlawry about the business
/ that Is delightfully."- romantic, and not
the least bit wicked-so the dear crea-
lures argue. The woman who confrOnts
them with the fact that they have smug-
/ gled goods about them, is a Government
/ detective, several of whom are EMPLOYED
| to watch the ladies and compel them
- to render unto Caesar that which is
/ Cesar's. )" representative of the Free
Press had a recent opportunity of a mo-
ment's chat with Miss Harriet Thomp-
son, the new employee of the Canadian
/ Government, who is only interested in
goods passing from Detroit to Wind
sOr.
g Have you been long in the business,
Miss ThOmpsOn?" was asked by way of
prelude.
s. About two months only; it is en-
tirely new to me, but I think under
stand it thoroughly now''
s. About how many do you average on
your daily trips?''
d" 1 do not make daily trips-some-
times l am at Chatham-or at Sarnia.
and I have an office where ladies are
searched. 1t is my business to assist
them to disrObe- gently, if they will,
but fOrcibly if they resist. It is not a
| pleasant business 1 assure you, but l
have my duty to perform. Some of the
ladies are very nice. The younger ones
will cry and wiring their hands, and
sometimes faint; they hate to give up
| the goods and are so ashamed at being
caught
" Where you find smuggled goods do
you keep them?'
"No, we compel the smugglers, if we
can, to tell what they paid for them.
They can then keep the goods by paving
us what they originally cost. We ap-
praise them ourselves if they give false
prices. Sometimes the Detroit firms
make out bills of lower value, or furnish
the parties with bill-heads which thev
fill up to suit themselves. These we eS-
innate at our own figures and release
the parties on payment
% What class of goods do the smug-
glers give the largest preference to?''
g White and gray cOttOns, heavy col
ored drillings, fancy knitted goods and
that class. The duty on such is about
twenty-five per cent. The goods are
bulky and hard to handle; that is why
they are so easily detected. The ladies
pin whole pieces of cotton about them,
sometimes folded in their shawls or dis
/ posed about their skirts, and it makes
their movements very awkward.
brought one young lady in here the other
day who wore very large hustle COM
posed entirely of American laces. She
cried and pleaded, but had to pay us the
value of the whole lOt.''
''How is it about the Canada side; do
the Detroit ladies smuggle from here?''
81 Oh! L have nothing to do with that
If iS fOT. VOI1T. fNny-a1DTo1onf 70 otfor,J f.,
that. But our goods are principally
laces, kid gloves, ribbons and small arti-
cles that are easily secreted. A lady can
wear pair of gloves and carry
a new umbrella in her hand
and swathe herself in laces, and
no one will be the wiser. The French
women are said to be expert in
/ carrying plated straw across without
detection. l could tell you some funny
stories of shrinkage in dry-goOds of la
dies who came in here plump and who
went away very much attenuated One
stout lady inventOried one piece of white
cotton, four pairs of embroidered hose,
seven yards of black cashmere, one doz-
en- pocket handkerchiefs and pair of
children's shoes, besides Innings, but
tons and trimmings. She was nearly
dead with the weight of the things, but
when we took her into the Office she
gave us a sight of trouble. I was obliged
to take the things almost by main force
until she saw there was no help for it,
and it cost her pretty severely in the
end
Will they not recognize YOU as be-
ing in the employ of the Government if
you frequent the boats?''
a. No; they never see me watching
them; besides, there is nothing about
me to attract attention. l am not in
uniform, nor do ever seem to be watch
ing.''
. How is it about the male passen-
gers? Do they never struggle?''
'' Yes; but the custOm-hOuse officials
can be much more peremptOry with
them. They are not in my line; it is
only the ladies / am commissioned to
watch.''
g Is the situation lucrativeP"
'' 1t pays very well. have a regular
salary and commission on all revenue
derived from my work. 1t is an ungra-
cious business, but perfectly respecta-
BILE. If ladies are surprised to see a
woman fill such an office, it surprises
me as much to find them engaged in
smuggling and breaking the laws of the
country
GENERAL j. L. GEDDEs, writing in
, the Io1CG AgTtculturdI College Quarterly,
says, with much truth-what perhaps