Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-09-29
WOMEN WHO SMUGGLE,
TRICKS REsoRTEp TO BY THEM TO
AVOID DISCOVERY.

swindiing the Government Considered an
Act Of No Special Harm-An Absurd
Thing 20 Do--Curious Places Of Conceal
ment-Bribcs.
II takes twenty very jealous and caro-
full women OF keen perception. great force
Of character and considerable nervo to
keep Uncle Sam from fairly being cheated
out Of his eyes by other women. Snug.
Cling is the way the latter do IL. and do
IL well. Women like to smuggle, IL
would seem. They have an elastic con.
science In the matter that really seems TO
tempt them TO what is. Of course, swim.
ding the government, but to themselves
an act of no special harm and of little con-
sequence. OF course there is the genuine
woman smugglcr who knows just what
she is doing Just what trouble she Is liable
to get into and what the result will be. IL
Is business with her, and she considers 1t
nm ordinary business risk. But she is
caught Just as certainly as the other lit
tie woman Is, who doesn't think 1t any
special harm Just to save n little by
tucking away few pairs Of gloves which
only make her log bit p,umper. II they
don't slip down and give her q queer
shaped ankle, or filing her corset with
some rare and dainty lace. that II pur-
chased here would cost n pocketful of
money on account Of the duty.
Women are far more wary than men in
smuggling, and their devicss for bringing
in goods Of duitable nature are many.
1t Is usually the case that the inspectrcss
can tell by the face and contour Of the
person. As O general rule, the woman
lao hou rpnda hid vyill 1ppk TIM
scarcher OF her luggage calmly In tho face,
seldom turning away, and II the searcher
politely informs her that she thinks that
she has dutiable goods on her person, she
will, Of course, be greatly insulted and
Invite n careful examination. She gets 1t
and little trouble in the bargain. The
self assurance that a woman smuggler
has Is OF such great quantity that 1t will
lead her to do the most absurd and fool
hardy deeds, whereas, If she had less,
perhaps sho would not rely 80 much upon
its carrying her through, and would,
therefore, DO more careful. The hustle Is
godsend to the woman who wants To
sinuggle. They arc made largo and
roomy, are of iron framework, and 10 them
may be- safely carried yards Of the most
valuable goods.
The most absurd thing for woman 10
do who has goods hid about her person is
to wear heavy ulster when 1t Is toe
warm for one. She will have TO refuse to
remove 1t when graciously asked II 1t is
not bit warm, and such refusal Of course
results In a necessary investigation on
the part Of the inspectress The manners
Of the woman smugglcr are always very
charming. and therefore 1t is in such O
kindly way that they inform the tired In.
spectress that she is really tired and needs
q little rest, therefore need not examine
their trunks, as they will tell the inspec.
tress what Is in them and save her sc
much extra trouble. But she doesn't looh
ut II In that light, and does inspect the
trunks. much to tho regret Of the owner
These smugglers possess quiet. apdr,c6rS
less air, hut tha, inssTtTress can alway
u.tap rriGm by the way Nhey attempt to 81
down. Their bodies then have stiff
ness that Is hardly In keeping wit
the manner in which they carr
the head and arms, and of course the
aro immediately suspected of havin
goods concealed somewhere about the
skirts. There are many curious places {
conecalment, and it can hardly bo IN
probable that many thousand dollar
worth Of dutiablc goods are brougl
through by smart tricks. For instanc
diamonds and other precious jewels ha,
been brought over fastened in the froI
and in the plumes of tho bonnet. Tn,
arc generally wrapped in black cotton al
securely fastened I'm such a manner tn,
It would be necessary to take the HI
apart to find them, The heel of the sb,
is another queer but secure place whe
Jewels have been carried. The heel
false, having a hollow place in the cente
where. packod in cotton, the gems re
safely. H
Sometimes a woman is found with la
wrapped around her form. Yard aft
yard of 1t is thus securely carried uni
the eve of the inspectress looks with su
picion upon the peculiar shape of Il
wearer and she examines her. In q
bustles have been found toilet bags fill
with all sorts of odds and ends such
silks, gloves, hat frames, yards or rath
hundreds Of yards Of ribbon, stockings al
everything dear to the eye of the femal
To lean woman the curvatures in the
corsets offer a snug resting place (
quite number of dutiable goods tn
can be carried safer there than almo
anywhere else. One woman was foui
with lace curtains pinned under her dres
taking the place Of her usual underskirt
Silk has been found worn in the same ma
ner, and ribbon has been wound arour
the legs aud body until ward upon yard W,
concealed. When q discovery Is made Il
woman smuggler of course attempts
bribe, but tho amount is absurd, alwa,
/ vary ,nn,h e,,,lla, fha, a man ,,,n,,ll q