The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-22
FEMALE sMUGGLERs.
women who Cross the seq for Front :
silks, satins, velvets and the Riches
Fabrics secrsted In the Clothing
OF MatrOns.

OF Matrons.
New York Mercury1
Smuggling among women has become one
OF the accomplishments OF ocean travel, and
notwithstanding the safeguards established
by the customs officers to prevent frauds OF
such a character, 1t Is, nevertheless, carried
on to great extent, as opportunity Offers
The subterfuges, tricks and devices that
are resorted to to defraud the revenue are
innumerable, and every plan that ingenuity
can devise Is put In action. One plan that
has prevailed to considerable extent is the
invoicing Of trunks containing dutiable goods
In the name of some prominent American,
whose luggage, from his high character,
would probably be passed without more
than formal inspection. The late Edward
G. johnson, so well and widely known in
New York, and the proprietor Of United
States bonded warehouse, when about leaving
England some months ago, whittier he had
gone for the benefit Of his health, was
approached on the vessels deck at Liverpool
by couple OF
FINE LOOKING AND sTYLIsHLY DRESSED
WOMEN,
who asked him II he would not allow them
to have their baggage checked In the ships
manifest In his name. HeinQuired the reason
for such request, when they told him that
which, Ii IL were manifested In his name,
would not be questioned. In the course OF
further conversation they finally admitted to
Mr.. johnson, in semi confidential way, that
goods upon which high duties would be ex--
acted when they arrived In New York, and
hence their request that their trunks should
be manifested in h,s name, as they knew that
his luggage would not probably be subjected
to the critical eye OF the customs inspectors.
Mr.. johnson refused the request, whereupon
one Of the women, pulling out a reticule,
offered him $500 greenback II he would
favor them. Upon his declining q second
The matter had passed entirely from his
mind until his arrival home, when he
found that three large trunks had been
sent up to his. office with his own
luggage. The day. following an expressman
drove up and took away the trunks, saying
that they had been sent up by mistake. This
excited the curiosity of Mr.. johnson, and
upon his looking In the ships manifest he
found that three extra trunks had been en-
tered In his name, In all probability by the
two women who had approached him at
Liverpool. They were strangers to him. and
he never heard any thing more from them
after their request. Mr.. johnson said there
was not the slightest doubt In his mind that a
deal OF smuggling was carried on in this way,
and that well-known citizens whose luggage
would not receive more than passing notice,
were made the mediam for the fraud. The
revenue officials are painfully conscious of
the fact, and even acknowledge that, despite
all precautionary measures and notwith-
standing their vigilance. smuggling is carried
on to a considerable extent. In DAYS past
smuggling was performed entirely by men,
but In this country, OF late years,
WOMEN HAVE TAKEN THE NATTER INTO THEIR
OWN HANDS,
And, though long after the government be-
came aware that many dutiable articles hither
from England. France and Germany, in
geniously concealed In feminine apparel, yet
the Difference 30 generously shown the sex on
every hand gave them a sort Of protection.
Indeed, it was not until this species OF fraud
became OF SO grievous and glaring charac-
ter that official action was taken to lessen, II
not to entirely defeat It. To this end the gov
eminent appointed lady examiners, who were
first designated as "specia! aids 10 the reve-
wards changed to that OF "inspectresses.
There are sixsOf these petticoat officials, who
are stationed at the Cunard, French, Bremen.
Hamburg and other lines, to look especially
after cabin passengers, while one exclu-
sively deployed to look after the steerage
passengers Is located at the Office OF a deputy
collector on the Castle Garden dock. This
latter inspectress is Mrs. Jennie Ferris, q
bright. shrewd, handsome and vivacious lady.
VINO mas had ten years, experience In the duty
own sex to ascertain whether they bad dutia-
bic articles concealed about their persons. In
conversation with Mercury reporter yester-
day, Mrs. Ferris said: "Women who are
human ingenuity can suggest to get away
with their goods. have found them with
LACEs PACKED BENEATH THEIR CORsETs.
and silks and veivets secreted In their dress
skirt Innings, In their petticoats, In their
stockings. and even in their most undergar-
ment Not long ago there debarked from |
White Star steamer young woman named
ElizaOeth Braham, whose rotund appearance |
attracted my attention, and when went to |
examine her / found secreted beneath her |
clothing two dress patterns OF very hand |
some gros grain silk. On the steamship |
Schmidt very fine-looking German woman. |
IN whose skirts were very cleverly concealed |
two fine silk dress patterns and a quantity
OF Lyons velvet. Those women who some.
time take the law into their hands are very
rough to deal with. Now and then they give
q good deal OF back talk, and are exceedingly
insolent, and then again they worry them
selves into such a fright that l have no
trouble whatever with them. On the steamer
victoria detected q short time ago two wo-
men, one OF whom was smuggling an elegant |
black silk and the other magnificent nat
tern OF striped silk.
SKIRTS WEIGHING FORTY POUNDS.
mot long since discovered on the steam
ship Herder Mrs and Miss Simpson. mother
and daughter, each Of whose skirts weighed
about forty pounds. Only think Of a woman
carrying such a weight about her hips, So
cleverly were those skirts put together that
1t was nearly half day job to pick them
apart and get every thing out. I found con-
cealed Ia those skirts silk neckties, fine laces.
dress silks, and other articles, enough to
stock small sized store. couldn't remem.
Der all the articles they had These neonIe
were citizens. and the mother had gone over
70 70 bring her daughter away from school.
They were well-to-do people. and when tpot,
found themselves caught they simply paid
duty on the appraised value of the goods and
&c TOOK ,, them away, but then they packed them
i ! a tnelr trunks and not in their skirts. On
the steamer France from Havre / detected
Mrs. Timpson, who had magnificent niece
OF black silk folded and basted In the form ri
an underskirt, and when folded in the original
leases tI you could have seen no difference be-
class dry goods store" Aie'