Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-29
ARTFUL DODGES.

ARTFUL DODGES.
The truth of the aphorism that
Crime does not pay. j. 50 generally
recognized and ~ frequently made evil
dent. that one i, almost tempted to
wonder at the existence Of criminals mt
all For although it is sometimes said
that the clever rugucs are those whoare
never found out, vet il may safely he
asserted that career of crime general
~ leads To detection and punishment.
whether the cvil-ducr be- skillful i'm eva
sion Ofthe law or not; and since wrong
ful act successfully executed is almost
certain To encourage its perpetrator toa
repetition Of IL when an Opportunity
arises, one may assume that malprac-
tices are more likely Co become habit
ual. and Ia entail their Just reward
through the carrlcssncss bred Of immu-
nifty. IN the case Of clever knaycs than
at clumsy ones. Nevertheless. there
seems tO be- some terrible fascination
with certain class Of people in dishon-
Csty for It's own sake.
The ingenuity displayed in some of
the instruments displayed by coiners and
burglars. often invoking the applica-
ton Of elaborate scientific principles.
and the patient industry and pcrsevcr-
ancc with which ncfariuus schemes are
maturcd and carried out. are qualities
which, In their legitimate exercise.
would realize for their possessor an in
como beyond any gains that his unlaw-
ful cndcavOrs can bring. even were
these devoid II risk and not liable to
e..
clipping-machinc by means Of which the
body Ot sovereign Is separated from
the "millcd' rim which cncirccs il. "A
thin slice cut out II the center, leaving
the two faces intact. the loss supplied by
mn amalgum, AMI the coin then dexter
uusly put together again 80 that neither
the weight nor the ring II IL j. great
~ altered One would imagine that the
amount IT gold thus obtained would
hardly cover the working expenses: ut
best. the profit must Yield much lower
percentage ON the invested capital than
what u would return in honest business.
u Il surprising. also, Ia note
what charm small frauds have
Tor people not usually included
IN the criminal GLASSES; anil nowhere I,
this rNrmplilicd To- greater extent than
In the passion for petty smuggling
which seems inherent IN the breast 0f
travelling humanity. Men who would
scuru to make an impcrfcctly oblherat-
eel postagc-stamp 10 duty n second
time. AMI whose integrity in all other
affairs IT life is unimpcachablc, will
plot and plan all sorts of cunning de-
vices by which they cheat Her Males
tvs Custom House. and will even spend
morn In tips to Cludc the vigilance
uf the officers In running" cigars and
spirits which they do not want. than
they would have To- pay for legal duty.
Possibly the laws drlay-or the delay
which 10 occasions NAV afford some
cause II not excuse, for This; the weary
waiting AMI vcNatiou 1T soul attending
the baggagC-Scarch being the most dis
agreeable incident Of VOYAGE.
Marvellous are the dodgcs which have
been rcsOrtcd to in this connection.
Stuffed animals in glass cases have eN-
hibitcd. ON dissection bv inmisitive
tidc-waitCrs. u beautiful adaptation of
the taNidcrmist's art to the tobacco
merchants interests; weakened black
and tan terriers have been envclopcd
with yards Of rich, delicate lace. wound
round their bodies. aud. provided with a
shaggy outer skin. have. in the puse Of
fat pOodlcs, been carried ashore i'm the
arms Of their allcCtiunatc owners.
Ladies' chignons and Spanish onions
have formed rcccptaclcs for gold watch
e. and precious stones. a list Of all the
things which have been "holowcd OUT
with intent to deceive would make n
catalogue as long rs one Of Mcssrs.
Christie Il Manson's. We often meet
with haScr metals Colorcd or plated To
counterfeit gold; but for the purpose Of
cvading import duty. solid gold vases
and other ornaments have been brunled
over and packed carclcssly amongst
straw IN rough crates. l.kc iron pots and
kettles. Occasionally, through some
mishap. these brOnzcd articles appear To
have gone astray. incorporating through
society In their humble character for q
considerable time before their real value
has been discovered. and meeting
with many curious adventures. A
similar method 1T cOncCalmcnt, how
ever. was practiccd with regard to gold
plate In oldcn times. when The sackine
IT monastcrics. and high-handcd coniis-
cation Of wealth in all quarters. were in
vogue.
Tobacco. manufactured or in the
shape ~ cigars. and spirituous perfumes
are more frequently brought to light
from strange hiding-placcs by the cx-
else searches than any other forbidden
fruit; and the wOuld-be smugglcr must
have all his wits about him NOWADAYS
o. effect his object. Falsc-bottumcd
boxes are quite out 81 date; though n
cage Of iuuoccnt-looking pigeons from
Antwerp proved ON examination the
other day o. be- thickly carpctcd with
cakes 1T tobacco. over which quantity
of gravel and corn, appropriate To the
fcathcrvd occupants. had been strcwn.
Mr.. Frank auckland used To relate
an anCcdote If n traveller coming from
America who passed some hundreds
1T cigars successfully through the Liv-
crpoOl Custom House by placing live
raitlcSnakc In the chest To mount guard
over them. Evasion of the law in this
particular has brought It's own punish
mcnt more than once: for men who
have padded themselves with tobacco
undcrncah their clothing have died
from absorption Of the nicotine. Spirits
arc rarely smugglcd by stratagem. ow-
ing To their low value In comparison
with bulk and weight. and the difficulty
Of siining the characteristic bubbling
"clink II liquid when shaken; and
the ast-guard preventive service has
well NTH demolished the old trade Of
lending large quantities from boats.
Certain lars or kegs. labeled "Spcci-
m, with grrat car'-To the Curator
Of The British Museum have turned