Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-31
VERY SLY.
How IL diamond Smuggler Tricked New
York kCustom.House Experts--Plastered
on His Back.

York CustOm.House eExpcrts--Plastered
on His Back.
Captain Bracket, the Inspector of
the Custom House, to whom most
clever detections of contraband enter
prises mus: be attributed nowadays,
has recently added an extremely
amusing story to his repertoire. They
are quite in vogue just at present in
Custom House circles, and this one is
told in his words, as follows: There
arrives regularly six times a year,
from Antwerp, man who is said to
be one of the cleverest diamond
smugglers in the world. His sue
cess has always been peculiarly exas
perating to the customs officials, and
some time ago they went to the
trouble and expense of getting a
Hamburg detective to shadow" him
to find out what gems he bought and
where he carried them while in Eu
rope. Another man was to keep him
company on the steamer and watch
him closely all the voyage over. This
clever smuggler wore a thick, black
beard and whiskers, and it was more
than suspected that he carried his
precious freight concealed in them.
One morning not long ago the au-
thorities Oh this side received dis
patch from their Hamburg agent.
which read: "R. has shaved his
beard. Did not know it until he had
sailed five days. He is on the Ryn-
land. He has got seventy large dia-
monds on his person" AS soon as
the Rhynland was sighted. six GUS
tom house officers steamed down the
bay and intercepted her. Circulating
among the passengers, they looked in
all directions for the now beardless
and shaven man. just as they were
about to give up the search a stran-
ger sought a confidential conversa-
tion with them.
You are custom house officers, ard
You look for Rosenberg with the dia-
mOnds."
I'VE are and we do"
THAT is Rosenberg, and tho dia-
i,onds are sewed in the lining of his
necktie'
In another minute a pale, smooth
faced, fallow gentleman was strug-
CLING in the hands of the officers.
His scarf was unceremoniously taken
from his neck and carefully explored
with sharp penknife Sure enough,
twenty diamonds of various sizes re-
warded the seekers after contraband
goods. His trunk was next rum
maged and every necktie subjected
to equal scrutiny. When the officers
had finished their work no less than
seventy-three diamonds of great lus-
ter had been discovered The poor
fellow wept and wrung his hands as
he saw the captors Of his property
carry off his precious gems. Imper-
fectly comforted by the reflection
that he had been allowed to retain his
liberty, he proceeded to the Metro
politan Hotel, and engaging a room,
almost Immediately took a bath.
When the Custom house officers ar-
rived at headquarters the chief, who
held cablegrAm in his hand. eager
ly inquired:
''Did You get Rosenbergr'
"Yes. sir"
"Where were the stoues?"
"Sewed in the Innings of his neck
ties"
That's rather strange" remarked
the chief.
"Here's Hamburg dispatch which
says, Just learned that r. carried
the diamonds between his back and
and porous plaster"
Here are the diamonds, anyhow"
said the leader of the raid; ''and we
found 'em just as We tell you, in the
lining of his neckties."
The chief looked at the confscated
gems. Then he rang his little bell
and said; "Send me Smith, the
jewel expert, here, if you please"
Mr.. Smith came. examined the dia-
monds, shrugged his shoulders, and
said, laconically, "Paste, but first
class" Three frantic Custom House
officers spent the afternoon tracing
Mr.. Rosenburg. As soon as they had
discovered that he had gone to the
Metropolitan Hotel, they dashed
there as fast as two fresh horses
could carry them. Without a word
of ceremony they burst into his
apartments.
"What do you want?" he inquired,
with well simulated apprehension.
For answer they threw him on his
face and made a frantic exploration
Of that particular portion of his back
which had borne a porous plaster.
Alas. he had taken his bath and the
plaster had vanished, but where it had
been. mixed with the impression of
the little round preparations of plas-
ter, were distinct imprints of seventy
large diamonds. Ever since, no
plaster wearing persons are allowed
to land on that portion of American
soil which is protected by the Custom
House officers of New York.
80, Mary, you are going to leave