Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-13
SMUGGLERS,
Ingenious Devices Resorted to by fhePro-
fessionals -Brilliants in Boot-Heels-
Gems in Bread.

Gems in Bread.
Dealers in precious stones, custom
house officials and detectives are all
mysterious beings. They dislike to
talk, but the word smuggle often sets
their tongues wagging.
Il will relate an experience myself
and three assistants once had with an
expert diamond smuggler some time
since" said a gray-haired customs
man, "and then you'll see both how
easy and difficult it is to smuggle."
The story was told in q graphic
manner, as follows: Three large dia-
mond dealers in Chicago employed a
young Frenchman, who was consider
ed an expert at smuggling to procurefor
them $40, 900 OF the finest water gems.
In some way the heavy purchase be
came known to detective in Paris who
cabled to the officers here to watch
for the smugglers. The purchase con-
sisted of l07 fine stones, and the de-
tective in Paris had a straight tip"
from a shoemaker that the French
mans high heels contained the gems.
He arrived and was politely conduct
ed to a private examination room.
Of came the boots and the French
man grew pale as pearl. The heels
were sounded, and in moment later
one thickness of leather was taken off.
Out rolled a piece of tissue paper and
fifty. eight fine white stones. The
Frenchman appeared crazy. He
famed, sw9re and almost wept. In
the other heel the remaining gems,
forty-nine in number, were found. The
Frenchman put on his boots, and
seemingly dazed, walked away.
He was "cute un." The 'tgems"
were the finest ''Parisian," worth $40
a peck, and the real article was suuyly
encased in his big box toes. He paid
his shoemaker ahandsomer price than
the sharp detective. Those gems are
in Chicago now, and the bogus ones
adorn hundred shirt fronts in the
custom house.
Women! Yes, they are the best
smugglers of all; any custom house Of
ficer will confirm this fact. They have
more ingenuity than men and more in
nocence wherewith to look the exam
liner calmly in the eye. How many
ladies who go regularly abroad and
pay their expenses smuggling is not
| and never will be known. They are
many nevertheless.
SOME OF THE CUTE DoDGEs PLAYED.
One of the cutest lodges ever played
on the tariff enforcers is related OF q
young and pretty lady who lived, and
probably still lives in Boston. She had
! gone to Berlin on a visit during her
trip abroad, and while there saw four
beautiful diamonds. Her means
would just allow her to purchase them
and pay her way home. In her dilem-
ma she conceived a plan. Four large
cavities were bored into her four
largest teeth, the gems covered over
and she departed. The duties would
| have cost her 1910, but she smiled on
the officer who made the examina-
ton and passed innocently from the
wharf.
Large quantities ofdiamonds, pearls
and rubies are frequently baked in
| bread, sold with an understanding to
the steward, who sees that they are
so dry and hard at the end of the
voyage that he must give it to along
shoreman who has alarge and hungry
family. As 'longshoremen don't feed
their families on precious stones, the
bread is broken and its contents
placed in little channels skin bag
and carried to the honest dealer in
gems.
When the gems are hidden in trunks
false bottoms are never resorted to.
The dodge is too old and transparent,
A regular line of small augur-cells is
made in the sides and bottom. These
are filled with the gems and q new
paper inside cover pasted neatly over.
Woe to the smuggler who happens to
have one OF those cells cracked open.
The eagle eye of the Law is always look
ing.
''Only one professional smuggler III
q hundred is ever caught. They make
it a study, science and business. They
pass right under our noses and in front
OF our eyes with hidden fortunes. Ac-
cident or information from the other
side is our only means of hauling 'em
in" So said an officer who considers
himself one of the sharpest in the SER
vice. Lady examiners in the employ
of the custom house are equally as
cute as the smugglers sometimes, and
are frequently the captors Of
big government hauls. She knows
where in a woman's apparel is the
most likely place to find smuggled
goods. They are sometimes mistaken
however, as well as the men. Not
very long ago German woman was
reported to arrive on acertain steam
sr with fortune in jewels on her per-
SON. She came and was duly exam
med. The scrutiny 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 cab and the hat
she wore was decked with fortune in
gems. They were covered with wax
and represented bunch of grapes.
These the official ladies 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 to Uncie Sam
are frequently as bright.