The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-06-14
Tricks of a Female Smuggler.
From the New York Times.l

Chief Special Treasury Agent Adams, hav-
ing received information that a certain New
\ ork modistie intended to smuggle a large
quantity of goods from the Germanic, went
to. White Star Pier on Monday, in person, to
watch for her. She did not arrive in that
vessel, but while Captain Adams was wait
ing he saw a well dressed woman pass down
the plank whose. attire aroused his suspicious
and be ordered the inspectress in attendance
to examine her. She wore a silk mantle
whose bottom was tucked In. This having
been pulled down, a large quantity OF valu-
able black lace q foot deep was found to be
tucked on the garment, with stitches eight
inches long. The woman boldly claimed
that the lace was for her own personal use,
and that she had a right to use it and wear it
in any ANN she pleased. There being no
means of disproving her statements she was
released. A mOmentl later two Ovher women
quit the steamer whose apparel also attracted
the Captains attention, and lie gave them in
charge Of the inspectress. One wore a new
silk dress that did not fit her around the
waist by four inches, and the other urder her
ulster, had on a magnificent silk cloak trim
med all over with beads and reaching to the
ground. They abused Captain Adams in the
most vOluble manner, and threatened him
with all sorts of disasters for putting such AL
indignity upon them. At length, when the
elder paused an instant to catch her breath,
the Captain took advantage of the opportnni-
ty to ask whether she would candidly an
swera question or two. Receiving an affirm
tive answer, the following c~olloquy ensucd
care you q dress-maker?"
81 am
"Do you intend to offer those goods YOU are
wearing for sale ?"
II do, if l can get a customer for them,"
tDil Won mt them on with tba iDtaption
OF evading the payment of duties?"
81 did; but | have been instructed that |
have a right to bring IN free OF duty anything
l can wear"
Captain Adams said there was a difference
OF opinion OH that point, and informed the
deputy surveyor present of his discovery. The
women were told that the goods were liable
to seizure, and the women offered to pay the
duties. This was agreed to and an appraiser
was sent for. When the silk cloak was being
removed by the inspectress for examination
she noticed that it was unusually heavy, and
asked the reason. One of the women replied
it was so for purpose of warmth, but on clos
er examination the inspectress discovered ev-
idence of ''takinG," and in a few moments, by
the rupture OF a few stitches, had resolved
the apparently single cloak into two, both
equal in costliness ana beauty. The
paid the amount demanded, which was $120,
without another word.
The Redskins visited the settlers of White
Beaver last night, cleaning them out of near
ly everything in the line of stock. They
were discovered at the stage-station by the
stock-feeder and stage-drlver, who fired on
them as they were getting away, and thereby
managed to get back two of the horses that
they were driving off. There were about six
teen of them. They are supposed to be
Flatheads. We understand that Indians
have made a raid in the vicinity of Saltwater,
cleaning the settlers of that section out of
nearly all their stock. Messrs. Benson, Por-
ter and Pearsons are the principal victims,
they having been cleaned out of every hoof
they owned. Citizens of Saltwater and vi
cinity have applied to General Alexander, Fl.
Ellis, for assistance and protection, and a
company of the Second Cavalry left Ft. Ellis
yesterday for White Beaver to render all the
assistance possible and make every effort to
recover stolen stock. The line has been
down for several days between Ellis and
Saltwater, and the operator at the latter
place started out on foot to repair it, his horse
alse having been stolen.-Csurier.