The Opelousas courier., 1883-09-15
N INGENIOUS sMUGaLER.
How Soaae New York CustOni-H Ouse Ofi
GERS Were Thvarted.

Th.re arrives in New York regu-
larry, six times year, from Antwerp,
a gentleman who is said to be n OF
the cleverest diamond, smugglers IN
the world. His success has always
been peculiarly exasperating to the
customs officials, and some time ago
they went to the trouble and expense
of getting a Hamburg detective to
"shadew" him, find out what gems he
bought, and where he carried them
when in Europe. 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 those
! luxuriant decorations of his visage.
One bright morning not long ago the
eager authorities on this side received
a cable dispatch from their Hamburg
agent. which read as follows:
O"R. has shaved beard. Did not
know it until he had sailed five days.
Is on the Rhnyland. Got seventy large
diamonds on person."
AS soon as the Rhynland was sighted
six ambitious custom-house officers
steamed down the bay and intercepted
her. Circulating among the passengers,
they looked in all directions for the
now beardless and shaven smuggler.
Just as they were about to give up the
search a passenger sought a confiden-
tial conversation with them.
"You are custom-house officers, and
you look for Rosenberg with the
diamonds?'
"We are, and we do"
"That is R., and the diamonds are
sewed in the lining of his necktie.'
In another minute a pale, smooth
faced sallow gentleman was struggling
in the hands of the officers. His scarf
was unceremoniously taken from his
neck and carefully explored with a
sharp penknife. Sure enough, twenty
diamonds of various sizes rewarded
the seekers of c%ontraband goods. His
trunk was next rummaged and every
necktie subjected to equal scrutiny.
| When the officers had finished their
work no less than seyenty-three dia-
monds of great luster had been dis
covered.
The poor fellow wept and wrung his
hands as he saw the captors of his
property Jump into a cab when they
reached the dock and carry off his
precious gems. Imperfectly comforte1
by the reflection that he had been al
lowed to retain his liberty, he slowly
and sadly proceeded to the Metropolitan
hotel and, engaging a room, almost
Immediately took a bath.
When the custom-house officers ar
rived at headquarters the chief, who
held a cablegram in his hand, eagerly
inquired:
"Did you get RI"
Eyes, sir"
"WRere were the stones?"
"Sewed in the lining of his neck
ties"
"That's rather strange" remarked
the chief. "Here's a Hamburg dis
patch which says: Just learned that
r. carried diamonds between back and
porous plaster"
"Here are the diamonds, anyhow"
said the leader of the raid, and we
found EN- just as we tell you, in the
Innings of his neckties."
The chief looked long and silently at
the confiscated gems. Then he rang
his little bell.
"Send MI. Smith, the jewel expert,
here, if you please"
MI. Smith, the jewel expert, came,
examined the diamonds, twirled his
mustache, shrugged his shoulders, and
said laconically:
pastel but first-class.
Three frantic custom-house officers
spent the afternoon tracing r. AS
soon as they 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 apart
ments.
"What do y.u Want?" he inquired,
with we'll simu 'ated 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.
lsAIas | he had taken his bath, and the
plaster had vanished, but where it had
been, mixed with the impression of
the little reun1 preparations of the
plaster, were the distinct imprints OF
seventy large diamonds.
Ever since, no plaster-wearing per-
sons are allowed to land on that por-
ton of American soil which is pro-
tected, by the .custom-house officers of
/ Mnm York