San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-12-06
WOMEN WHO SMUGGLE.
TRICKS ResoRTED TO ev THEM TO
AVOID DISCOVERY. fQtti
swsndiins the Government Considsrsa m
Act Of No Special Hsrrn--An Absurd
Thing to Do-Curious Places Of Conessa'

Act OF No Special Hsrm--Anl Absurd
Thing TO Do-curious Places Of conesa,,
II takes twenty very xealous and caro-
ful women of keen perception. great force
of character and considerable nerve 70
keep Uncle bam from fairly being cheated
out of his eyes by other women Snug
Cling Is the way the latter do II, and do
Il we'll. Women like to smuggle, II
would seem. They have an elastic CON-
science In the matter that really seems TO
tempt them TO what Ia. Of course, swim
ding the government. but to themeelves
an act Of no special harm and OF little con-
sequence. OF course there is the genuine
woman smuggler who knows just what
she Is doing, Just what trouble she is liable
to get into and what the result will BE-. II
Is business with her, and she considers II
an ordinary business risk. But she u
caught lust a. certainly ~ the other 1T
Ito woman is, who doesn't think 1t any
special harm just to save little by
tucling away few pairs Of gloves which
only make her leg bit plumper. II they
don't slip down and give her queer
shaped ankle. or filing her corset With
somo rare and dainty lace. that II pur.
| chased hero would cost O pocketful OF
money ON account Of the duty. at .l
Women are far more wary than men In
smuggling, and their devices for bringing
In goods OF duitAble nature are many.
| II Is usually the case that tho inspectress
can tell by the face and contour Of the
person. As q general rulo, the woman
who has goods hid away will look the
searcher OF her luggage calmly In the 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. bo greatly insulted and
Invite careful examination. She gets II
and little trouble IN the bargain. Tho
self assurance that woman smuggier
has is Of such great quantity that " WIZ
lead her to do the most absurd and fool
perhaps she would not rely 30 much upon
It's carrying her through, and would.
therefore,, be more careful. The hustle IL
q godsend to the woman who wants TO
smuggle They are made large and
roomy are Of iron framework, and In them
may be safely carried yards OF the most
valuable goods. .,3.. .l ei
The most absurd thing for woman to
do who hos goods hid about her person is
to wear O heavy ulster when 1t is too
warm for one She will have to refuse to
remove II when graciously asked II 1t Ia
not bit warm, and such refusal Of course
results In O necessary investigation ON
the part Of the inspectrcss. The manners
of the woman smuggler are always very
charming, and therefore 1t Is In such
kindly way that they inform tho tired In
spectress that she is really tired and needs
Iittlo rest, therefore need not examine
their trunks. as they will tell tho inspec-
tress what Is In them and save her so
much extra trouble. But she doesn't look
at 1t In that light. and does inspect the
trunks. much to the regret OF the owner.
These smugglers possess quiet and care
less air, but the lnspectress can always
tell them by tho way they attempt to Sit
down. Their bodies then have sti1-
ness that Is hardly In keeping with
the manner In which they carry
the head and arms, and Of course they
are immediately suspected Of having
goods concealed somewhere about their
skirts. There are many curious places OF
concealment, and II can hardly be I'm.
probable that many thousand dollars
worth Of dutiable goods are brought
through by smart tricks. For instance.
diamonds and other precious Jewels have
been brought over fastened In the front
and in the plumes Of the bonnet. They
are generally wrapped In black cotton and
securely fastened In such O manner that
It would be necessary to take the hat
apart to find them. The heel of the shoe
Is another queer but secure place where
Jewels have been carried. The heel II
false, having hollow place in the center,
where, packed In cotton. the gems rest
safely.
Sometimes o woman is found with lace
wrapped around her form. Yard after
ward of It Is thus securely carried until
the eye Of the inspectress locke with sus-
picion upon the peculiar shape OF the
wearer and she examines her. In the
busties have been found toilet bags filed
with all sorts OF odds and ends, such as
silks, gloves, hat frames, yards or rather
hundreds Of yards Of ribbon, stockings and
, everything dear TO the eye Of the female.
To lean woman the curystures In their
corsets offer o snug resting place for
, quite O number Of dutiable goods that
can be carried safer there than almost
anywhere else. One woman was found
with lace curtains pinned under her dress.
taking the place of her usual underskirts.
Silk has been found worn In the same man
ner, and ribbon has been wound around
the legs and body until yard upon yard was
concealed. When discovery Is made the
woman smuggler Of course attempts Q
bribe, bus the amount is absurd, always
very much smaller than man would for
minute think Of Offering. woman
will offer the inspectress 81 and consider
1t big amount. Ten dollars would break
them all up. mans bribe Is hardly
ever less than $40, and frequently as high
} as $50. Tho women inspectors viii ac-
: cept no such favors, however. When
woman Is suspected the inspcctress In
} forms the suspect Of the necessity OF un-
1 dergoinR inspection, and she Is requested
to 20 10 her stateroom- Then she is or
: dered TO remove her outer garments, then
the hustle, and. IL the inspectress con,
, siders It necessary TO 60 further, she re-
| moves the remainder OF her clothing.
r II Is said that q good deal Of solid In
formation regarding smugglers Is fur
nished by many dressmakers- During the
} season these dressmskers send their fore
women abroad TO purchase goods They
keep their eyes open. know all the women
! who 20 abroad TO buy goods In the hope OF
, evadlng duty on them, and send the m
l formation strzight 20 New York Another
| source Of information Is the stewards and
steEardesses on the big steamship hnes-
They receive . percentage on al goods
4 seized. and they win most reDorselessly
diselose the names Of passengers Who ara
; smuggiers They almost always know
New York Star.
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