Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-06
FEMALE SNUG GLERs.
How They Operase-Qucer Hiding
Places for ValuableS-A Keen Fee
male Detective-IEef Mode Of OPP.
Grating.

ana inCSI successful female CUSTOM MOUSE lu-
spectols in the United States, was buried on
thursday last from St Pauls P. E. Church
II boken. The deceased YVES once very well Oh,
AID mixed with the upper ten OF Jersey City
years, was well known and prosperous phys
ietan, and Mrs. Ellis belonged to wealthy Viz
g1nia family. Except Mrs. Ferris. who Is de-
Oldest and had the most experience of all the
lady inspectors. Being detailed to the Bremen,
Fan. bug ard Rotterdam steamers docks, she
went to reside at No. IL Hudson Terrace Hobo
Ken, some ten years ago. large amount OF
millinery work was done In Hoboken some years
ago, and the surplus product brought over to
could sell their goods made up cheaper than the
New York people in the trade could produce the
material, and hence they always found ready
market MAJ Mrs Ellis soon possessed herself OF
the German and French miIliners who resided
in Hoboken and who made frequent trips to
Europe.
THE FIRST FRENCH PANNIERs,
which afterwarG became so fashionable part
OF wOman's dress that appeared In Hobokcl,
were worn by two milliners on their return
from Europe. To Mrs. Ellis keen eyes their Ca
pabiit1es for smuggling were 81 apply immense
Mrs. aforementioned her suspicion to the deputy
appraiser, and the women were detained She
then boldly tackled one OF them, who protested
that 1t conveyed, and. having worked hers ,.f
up to high state of v1rtuous Indignation, p 5-
lively refused to allow herself to be searched.
1 Will give JOu lllluulerS W ucCtuG, SdlI
Mrs. Ellis, deliberately taking out her watch
''and II you don't allow me then to search you
will call in one Of the men, and he will.
perform THE OPERATION,
forcfDly II necessary. Would it be more agree
able to you for man to examine your" she
asked rather sarcasically. The indignant and
pseudo honest mill1ner was cornered. but 1t was
haId struggle for her to give in She talked
everything and everybody connected with the
customs revenue until the three minutes had
expired. "Now," said Mrs. Ellis in decisive
tone, will call In one of the men?" 1t was
not until man had actually entered the room
that the milliner sullenly signi1ed her intention
to submit to the search by Mrs. Ellis. The lat
object Of attack, and she soon began to dimin-
ish Its proportions She pulled out
BELLOWS OF RICH LACE
and rolls Of costly silk piles Of feathers and
the stuf1ing out of that pannier with ven.
geance. She found the other milliner freighted
with somewhat similar cargo, with the addi-
ton OF chatelaine and silk, watch chains and
other jewelry. Mrs. Ellis made the HOboken
milliners familiar to herself, so that she knew
any OF them as soon as she saw them on a
steamer that had just arrived. About this time
she realized very handsomely on the amount Of
goods she thus found on the person, being al
lowed large percentage. At the same time
She ferreted out veritable band of
FEMALE DIAMOND sMUGGLERs,
who had been long almost wholly supplying
the market with costly jewels and gems, and
who had defied all previous efforts to ind them
out. This made her great fayorite with the
position, no matter how often politics might
change the powers that be at the custom
house.
SHE HAD A THRILLING ADVENTURE
with Miss Thompson, the celebrated eccentric
Scotch woman, about whom so much has been
written and published on the World side OF
the Atlantic. Miss ThOmpsonS eccentricities
were as remarkable as she was herself in per-
sonai appearance and manner 1t is but short
time ago that the papers contained accounts OF
how she bought her horse in Edinburgh, and
had set Of solid gold shoes made for her by
the most prominent teweler of that quaint old
city, and had the shoes put on with gold nails
Diamonds were set in the heels OF the shoes.
She was great traveller, and brought hey horse
with her everywhere she went, having lin sew
eral times In this country. Miss Thompson ar
rived here by the Bremen steamer couple of
velvets, satins, &C., in her trunks, ali Of which
were correctly entered in the ships manifest
There was even more entered on the manifest
than she had with her. Miss Ellis noticed
PECULIAR RIDGE ABOUT HER BODY
and suggested that she be searched. The male
inspectors did not think this was necessary as
they had seen her several times before and
knew something of her pecularities. But
Mrs. Ellis persisted and she was directed to
perform the search. She brought Miss Thomp-
son into the female searcher's room and told
her what she was going to do. The hot blood
cidedly informed Mrs. Ellis that she would not
stand 1t, at the same time making thre atening
demonstrating to demolish her Mrs. Ellis was
light little lady, and Miss Thompson was un
usually large and muscular. Mrs. Ellis pro-
ceeded to feel around the suspicious ridge
Miss thompson showed open the window, and
sic lifted her up in her arms and proceeded to
heave her out CT the window. The old Virginia
blood got up in Mrs. Ellis, and she determined
to fight OUT the battle as long as she could be-
fore calling for help. She placed her two hands
against the sides of the window and kicked
back. One well-directed
KICK IN THE ABDOMEN
staggered Miss Thompson back against the op-
posite wall and Mrs. Ellis got free. This thor
Oughly maddened the eccentric Scotch lady.
and she made another dive for Mrs. Ellis. This
time she plnioned her arms down by her side
her head and shoulders out Of the window. MRS.
Ellis saw that things had gone Ear enough, and
shouted murder! help!" with all her might.
Several men rushed In, and none too soon, for
with her feet, and the enraged Miss Thompson
about to give her another heave that would
have sent her head foremost into the river.
After matters Gained down Miss Thompson was
forced TO submit to the search. A number of
meershaum p1pes some OF them well colored,
were taken out Of her bosom, and fancy tobacco
pouches. morocco shot bags, flies for fishing
hooks, stuffed Scotch pheasant and number
of other things, which, placed together, made
up most 1ncongruOus and unique collection,
were extracted from different parts of her dress.
.hioo AohiPooh SAPiOoo0u SiOaO euAiCCy uOJ W
lose them, and she was allowed to pay the duty
and retain them. Mrs. Ellis ever after had a
lively recollection Of Miss Thompson.
couple of weeks ago German resident OF
HobOken returned from Europe on one OF the
Hamburg steamers. His wife went down to
the steamer to meet him. Mrs Ellis noticed
the woman going on board. She had then only
light shawl on her shoulders Ten or fifteen
minutes after she walked Off the steamer enyel-
oped in a magnificent velvet cloak, lined with
ermine. Mrs. Ellis recognized her Immediately
and made her give up the cloak.
ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
seizures made by Mrs. Ellis was that OF a COM
plete silver tea service, which German lady
residing in Hoboken had Distributed around her
person. and with which she attempted to walk
Off the Bremen steamship. The teapot and
coffee urn made good solid stufing for her bus
tie. The spoons and forks made sort of circle
of defense around her garters. The knives
made good strong supports for her corset. The
cream ever she carried In her BOSOM and the
waste bowl was reposing snugly away down In
deep and ample pocket OF an undersktrt.
A PROFESSIONAL FEMALE DIAMOND SMUGGLER.
adopted very ingenious device. Her frequent
trips to Europe attracted attention, and on one
occasion after her arrival here she was Shad-
owed. She was seen making frequent trips to
diamond stores and she was also known to
make large sales The next time she arrived
here from Europe Mrs. Ellis was teleeraphed
for and the woman detained until she arrived
at the dock. The Customs people were con-
WINGED she had diamonds with her, for, in ad-
ditiOn to the suspicion aroused by her former
acts, they had received private Information that
She had made quite extensive purchases OF dia-