The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-09
DEFRAUDING THE CUSTOMS.
Livestock Shippers Experience with a
United States Customs Inspector.

livestock Shippers Experience with a
United States Customs Inspector.
Special &c the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON Sept. S.-The fact that some
difficulty has arisen in the way of the recogni
tion of the newly appointed consul to Fort Erie,
Canada calls to mind some facts in regard to
that consulate, and the next one to it on the
northern frontier. Fort Erie is very small
village-perhaps of two or three hundred inhab
tants-situated directly across the Niagara
river from the city of Buffalo. A few miles be-
low opposite the village of Niagara Falls, on the
American side, and at the east end of the sus
pension bridge, is the village of Clifton. At
each of these places United States consulate is
established, and both of them do quite a consid
cradle business with stock dealers and others
who are trading between the United States and
Canada. 1t is an open secret that the consuls
have at various times urderbid each other in
order to gain business, and some years ago it
was learned, or rather limited, at the State De-
partment that the consul at Fort Erie had been in
the habit of charging less for certifying invoices
than the law allowed. This was done in order
to bring business from the Clifton village to his
own. An inspector from the State Department
was sent along the border to inquire into the
mode Of conducting business at the various con-
sulates, and one day he stopped at Clifton.
While in the Office of the consul there drover
from Buffalo entered and said: rs this the
American consull"
1T is"
"Well, how much do you charge for giving me
a certificate on an invoices"
What is the amount of your invoicep was the
answer Of the consul
1.-TWO hundred and forty dollars was the re-
ply
my charge will be s.. so if you make out the
invoice" replied the consul ''or SO if l make it
out myself
The drover was not satisfied with the terms:
and said that he would "be darned" if he would
pay any such figures; that the consul up the
river little way would certify his invoice at
81. 70, and he would go up there. He started
out 10 carry his threat into execution when the
inspector said: Hold on there; what are you
shipping2' II am shipping lambs, he replied.
Then, addressing the consul the inspector said
SAT what figure did he place them in the in
voicel" 1.-TWO dollars and ten cents each, was
the reply.
''That will do," said the Inspector; "you can
60 know that you Gid not buy one of those
lambs for less than 1865" This alarmed the
drover, and he saw that he had got himself into
a scrape. well, what are you going to do" he
suddenly exclaimed.
'Oh. nothing" was the reply "only when
the lambs get across the border they will be
seized for undervauation."
The now thoroughly frightened drover said:
"Can l not compromise this matter in any wayl"
''There is just one way to do it," was the re-
ply. "Pay 81 so for a certifcation. a dollar for
making out an invoice, and invoice the lambs at
80 Go each"
by George" was the exclamation of the
lamb dealer, II am getting out of this mighty
cheap, and am entirely satisfied
He never again tried to cut down the figure
of consul, and, although he is still buying and
selling lambs in Canada for the Buffalo market,