Morris tribune., 1883-10-03
FLYING DIAMONDS.
Ingenious Method of Diamond Srug.
Slers to Evade the Customs
Officials.

Oe0ENsBURG, N. ", Oct 2.-Capt Dono
hue the customs officer at this point has jus
unearthed the most extensive scheme O
smuggling that has ever been brought to th'
notice of the government authorities
The discovery was purely accidental
but the thorough manner in which
! the details of the case were
afterward ferreted out reflects great credit OF
| the federal officers. On Wednesday after
noon, Sept. 5, j. II. Clavering a young
farmer, living near Rensselaer, Falls, some
eighteen miles from this city, brought into
| Captain Donohue's office a small package OF
| diamonds secured in quill He also brought
with him a pigeon filed with bird
shot. The diamonds and the pigeon
he laid upon the captains desk, and he
explained that he had shot the bird that
morning. On examining his prize tue young
man found attached to the left leg small
roll, securely tied with silk. Investigation
showed this to be the large part of turkeys
feather, filed with gliStening stones. These
he believed were diamonds, and, hastily put
ting up his plow and team, he hurried to
town, told bis story to the chief of police, and
was directed to the customs officer.
After fruitleSS efforts in other directions
Capt. O'Donohue placed watch on all trains
leaving tor Canada, and on the esd inst. his
watchfulness was rewarded by the finding of
a wicker basket containing four of the hon.
Ing pigeons. The basket was addressed to B.
+. Harmon, kempville, Canada, and the
carges upon it were prepaid. Two detectives
were dispatched on the train carrying the
basket, with instructions to follow up Har-
mon, learn the nature of his business, and
secure evidence against him, but tho Snug
glerS had become alarmed and fed
A vigilant search by trained wo0dsmen
was next ordered. William Cowan. by the
nlerest accident, as he admits came upon the
hiding place for which he had been searching
He had padded down the Oswegatchie river
in boat, and about the middle OF Dekalb
county struck marshy ditch that led
toward Beaver creek Polling his way
through the tangled weeds and grasses, and
wading part of the distance, his patience was
rewarded by the rustic Of wings and a soft
coOlng. Parting the reeds, he saw
within number Of pigeons. He
FELT his task to I've practically ac-
c0mplished and, wading to firmer ground,
soon came upon three dove cOtes securely
fastened in the branches of as many dead
trees. A rude log cabin il the center of the
clearing was the only sign Of human Labta-
'ion. Thorough investigation of the promises
convinced Cowan that the smugglers ha-i
taken alarm from the failure of the captured
pigeons to return Returning to this place,
Cowan laid the result of his work before Capt.
Donohue, and that official determined
to lay the matter before the secretary of the
treasury at Washington, and a statement
embodying the facts as herein given was pre-
pared for Transmission to Secretary Folger
1t is believed here that the frauds have beei1
carried on for the past two years, as the
pigeons, in order to be thoroughly trained
to return home, must be raised on the
premises The scheme, as understood
here, was to dispatch about once every
week or ten days covey Of twelve or
fifteen pigeons loaded with diamonds The
precious stones were accurately described and
record of their shipment and reception
carefully kept. 1t is estimated that the total
amount smuggled is between 100000 and
$780, and the loss to the government at 10
per cent. of this amount-the present duty on
diamonds.