The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-09-12
TRICKS OF THE SMUGGLER.
Rxs INGENIOUS EFFORTS TO DE-
cEIvE CUSTOMS OFFICERS.

SmuRRlers Who Were Brought 60 Grtet.
"Damond smuggling" said Agent
Bracket, of the custom house, "isnot
so easy as you might suppose. Honest
dealers lend very efficient aid in the
detection of the smugglers. OF course,
the chief object Of smuggling is TO
make money by selling below regular
rates, and this is very difficult to do
without losing the goods. The price
of diamonds is as well known to deal-
ers as the price of any staple article.
The moment any considerable quantity
of diamonds is offered below the regu-
lar price, suspicion is aroused, and the
chances are that the vender will he de-
tanned on some pretense until one of
1ur officers is put on his track.
"It sometimes happens that we are
informed of the coming of a diamond
.smuggler, and are waiting on the pier
for him. Such was the case with the
French thief, Marriotte, who was re-
Gently caught with diamonds worth
$4,000, which he was smuggling in a
satchel. The Jewels will not be for
feited, as the legitimate owner had
nothing to do with the smuggling.
Sometimes the smugglers are detected
by fellow-passengers, who notify the
custom house on the arrival Of the
vessel, and we receive the culprits
with open arms. We have found dia-
monds concealed in cakes of soap,
sewed up in clothing, concealed in the
hair, packed away in letters, slowed in
cravats. In one case q man had a
false boot-heel, which was hollow.
When we unscrewed it we found a
handful of precious stones. There are
some habitual European travellers who
are narrowly watched. A prominent
gentleman was once caught trying to
smuggle diamonds in bladder which
was secreted in cask of wine. The
gauger might have poked around for
ever with his stick and not have found
such q bundle"
Another detective officer said 1t
is common trick of pickpockets to
call out in crowd, Look out for your
valuables.' Every man unconsciously
puts his hand on his property, and
the thieves then know the precise spot
to which they must direct their atten-
tion The placing of the hand over
the watch or the pocket is involuntary.
In like manner the smuggler who has
goods concealed about his person will
be likely to expose himself by his very
anxiety to avoid detection. The eve of
an experienced customs officer will de-
tect at once the involuntary indications
of this guilty fear. L remember one
case where a passenger had his hand
bandaged and his arm in sling My
partner, who hal just been appointed,
was really indignant when he found !
proposed to ascertain what was in the
bandage. He was not little aston
isAed when discovered snugly slowed
away in the folds of the bandage some
valuable stones. had seen enough tC
convince me almost as conclusively as
If the man had said, "Look out fol
me, am trying to smuggle some
thing" The philosophy of it is OBJ
vious. The smuggler knows that
within few moments it will be de
ci1ed whether his illegal venture is tC
succeed or his property be confscated
The more valuable it is, the more OBJ
vious will be his trepidalion. 1t would
require man of steel nerves to avoi(
all the signs that, under such circum
stances, will betray him to the ex
perienced officer.
"One way of smuggling diamonds Il
TO put them in belt like a money
belt, fitting closely to the body. But
the practiced touch of the officer vii
generally detect this by passing thr
hands over the outer clothing In
cases Of strong suspicion there is NJ
hesitancy in stripping men and women
in the search-room, the women, Of
course, being attended by female
searchers. Some very funny storie
are told of the expedients adopted fo
concealing diamonds where they would
not ordinarily be looked for. Few
women, however, have the nerve t,
Withstand search. The men some
times show fight, but not often. Th
officers must, of course, be very cir
cumspect in determining on search
Twenty-dollar gold pieces in a bel
about mans body may be mistaken
for watches, and then the officer get
laughed at but he must take that risk
The questions are: Have you any
thing new and dutiabe about you
person p and Have you more than on
watch p
"Once I picked out man in a 10
of passengers and determined 10 scare
him. My partner laughed at me, as h
had not noticed anything suspicion
about the man. and bet me a Dime
would not find anything. / foun
that under his outer clothing the ma
hal a valuable set of furs, with cuff
coat and muff, and he frankly ad
mitted that he was trying to evade tn
duty. He was glad to buy the good
of the custom house at the appraise
value.
zone way of diamond smuggling
to wrap up the stones in ball of var
oarriad in q 1adv'S nO.kat Rut n,