Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-04-01
SMUGGLERS' TRICKS.

! sMUGGLERS' TRICKS.
Dealers iii precious stones, custom-house
officials ard detectives are all mysterious
beings. Taey dislike to talk, but the word
smugsle oftea sets their tongues a.waggng.
II will relate an experience myself and
three assistants once had with an expert di-
amond smuggler some time since," said a
gray haired customs man, ''and then you'll
see botn how easy and difficult it is to
smuggle"
The story was told in a graphic manner,
rs follows: Three large diamond dealers in
Chicago employed a young Frenchman, who
was considered AL expert at smuggling, to
procure for them $l2, ,0UG worth of the finest
first water gems. In some way the heavy
purchase became known to detective in
Paris, who cabled to the officers here 10
watch for the smugger. The purchase con-
sisted Of 107 fiue stones, and the detective
in Paris had straight tip" from shoe
maker that the Frenchman's high heels con-
tanned the gems.
He arrived and was politely conducted to
private examination room. Off came the
boots and the Frenchman grew pale as
pearl The heels were sounded, and in a
minute later one thickness of leather was
taken off, Out rolled 81 piece of tissue paper
and tiity-eight fine white stones. The
Frenchman appeared crazy. He tuned,
swore and almost wept. In the other heel
the remaining gems, forty in number,
were found The Frenchman put on his
boots, and seemingly dazed, walked away.
He was ''cute 'un." The gems" were
tkI n
the real article was suugly encased in his
big box toes. He paid his shoemaker n
haudsomer price than the sharp detectives.
These gems are in Chicago now, and the
bogus ones adorn hundred shirt fronts in
the custom house.
Women! Yes they are the best SNUG
gers Of ail ; any custom house officer will
confirm this fact They have more ingenui-
ty than men and more innocence wherewith
10 look the examiner calmly in the eye.
How many ladies who 60 regularly abroad
and pay their expenses by smuggling is not
and never will be known They are many,
nevertheless
One of the cutest lodges ever played on
The tariff enforcers is related of young and
pretty lady who lived and probably still
lives in Boston. She had gone to Berlin on
visit during her trip abroad and while
there saw four beautiful! diamonds. Her
means would just allow hsr to purchase
them and pay he. way home. In her dlem-
ms she conceived plan. Four large cavi-
Ties wt"e bored into her four largest teeth,
the gem. covered over and she departed.
The ,iu.i-< woi;,h have cost her 5000, but she
s:ui!c,; un thc o!l:',r ": :.n made the exami
natian AID pa-.,i iGnoctnlly from the
wharf.
La!ga 0uaniic. Of diamonds pearls and
rubies a:c !!eguvntly l,aked i'll bread, sold
with an unaer sia.,iiOg TO the steward, who
sees tha; thec are SO dry and hard at the
end of t.le voyage that he must give it to q
'iongsn snolcmap who has n large aud hungry
family a. 'iongsh0remen don't feed their
families on precious stones the bread is
broken and is contents placed in little
chamo;s skin bags aud carried to the honest
dealer il gems.
When the geWs are hidden in trunks
false bottoms are never resorted to. The
dodge is too old aud transparent. a regu
lar line Vi snail auger.cells are made in the
sides and bottom. These are filled with the
gems and :, new paper inside cover pasted
neatly over Woe to the smuggler who hap
pens 20 have Que oi those cells cracked
opeu The eagle eye Of the Jaw is always
looking.
"Oniy one professional smuggler in a
hundred is ever caught. They make it a
study, science and business. They pass
RIG BIT under our noses and in front of our
eyes wish hidden fortunes. Accident or in
formation from the other side are our only
meapA Of hauling 'em in."
So said All officer who considers himself
ore of thc sharpest in the service.
Lady examiners in :hs employ of the Gus
tom house are enrslly as cute as the SNUG
glers sometimes, aud are frequently the cap.
tors OF biz government hauls. She knows
where in n woman's apparel is the most like
IS place 10 find smugglet goods. They are
sometimes mistaken, however as well as the
meu Not very long ago "a German woman
was reported TO arrive or II certain steamer
with n fortune in jewels on her person. She
came and was duly examined. The scruti.
ny she underwent was so severe that the
lady custom house officials apologized over
and over again.
The foreigner smiled and said that she did
not blame them for doing their duty, and
supposed some malicious person had sent
the dispatch to annoy her. She entered a
cab and the hat she wore was decked with a
fortune in gems. They were covered with
wax and represented q bunch of grapes.
These the official ladies had admired when
they examined the hat-lining and cover.
The ways and devices for smuggling are
almost as numerous as the stars. and the
Jewels brought to America without paying
tribute 10 Uncle Sam arc frequently as
bright .--Ne,v York Journal