Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-10
THE KEEN HAWKEYES.
A CUSTOMS HOUSE INSPECTOR
TALKS OF SMuGGLERS.

A CUSTOMS HOUSE INSPECTOR
TALKS OF SMuGGLERS.
Queer People Who Consider Evading the
Duty tho Correct Thing-A Man Who
Had Scores of Diansnds Stuck to His
Back by . Porous Plaster.
A decade or more has o. B. Curtis kept a
vigilant eye on passengers landing at night
from the Windsor ferry, not 50 anxioualy
scanning their faces as their general appear
ance.
Ir. Curtis Is the oldest inspector In point
amusing and novel sights during his long
ing as he lounged on his seat in the United
States customs Office last evening.
"If it were known how easily such fraud
is detected, J" said Mr.. Curtis, mighty few,
even among the professionals, would take the
risks Not all persons regard this evasion of
the law as a moral offense, and in the eyes of
many a certain glamor appears to surround
every article that has run the blockade"
DIAMOND SMUGGLERS
"What smugglers chiefly engage your al
tentiong"
well, you may divide smugglers into
several groups. Those who illegally attempt
to import diamonds, cigars, opium, articles
Of clothing and bric-a-brac. In the matter
of diamonds you would be surprised at the
ingenuity displayed in order to avoid dis
covery. It is often the case that we are in
debted to honest dealers for the information
upon which we proceed. This is specially
true where the gems are struggled in con-
siderable quantities for sale. Being a staple
article their price is well known, and any at
tempt to undersen the market at once arouses
suspicion.
Several years ago we suspected a man
was smuggling diamonds from Canada. We
called him into the Office as soon as he left
the ferry boat, examined the Innings of his
clothing and bis person. from the rim of his
hat to his toe nails, every place of conceal
ment we could think of, but to no purpose
We therefore came to the conclusion that we
were misinforned and on the wrong scent
He went out Of the Office nonchalantly suck
ing an orange, which he had laid down while
being inspected. A keen eyed lady detective
attached to the depar tment whispered to one
Of our officers: Suppose you try that orange.
1t was done, and the man turned white with
rage and disappointment when In it was
found a small handful Of the precious gems
In five minutes moro va would have lost him.
Another time handsomely dressed man
got off a ferry boat, who seemed to be I'M
usually nervoua A moment more and he
was struggling In tho hands Of the officers
and desperately clutching ct the lapels Of his
coat. It's no use,' the officers remarked;
we know what you have and where 1t is.
Better give it up and save trouble Appar-
emily crushed by the discovery, the man
quietly assisted in opening seams and pro-
duced the diamonds from various portions of
his clothing Your shoes, pleased This
rather staggered him, but he submitted with
good grace, and one Of the heels being I'M
screwed, another lot, though smaller and less
valuable than the first, were found there
The diamonds were examined, and pro-
nounced to be splendid article of paste
worth about twenty-five cent each This
did not satisfy US. and the man was stripped
to the skin. A huge piece of sticking plaster
was on his back, which was removed, and
under it was concealed scores of genuine
diamonds 1t is not often that a ruse is so
adroitly planned and practiced."
wOMANs INGENUITY.
do you find women smugglers as adroit as
the menW
'-Oh, yes, even more 50; but it Is rare that
they escape the vigilance OF the searchers of
their own sex, who, if they suspect wrong,
are merciless in their examination. Queer
stories are told Of the places in which contra
band goods have been found, aud you would
be astonished at the number and bulk Of arti-
Giles woman can stow away about her. She
viii conceal things in cakes Of soap, in her
back hair, In the belt or necktie she wears, in
tucks and bands, in the hollow of bracelets,
in balls of worsted with which she seems to
great heavensi Some Of them have held
enough contraband goods to stock a shop
She will leave Detroit as petite and graceful
body as one would want to see, and when
she arrives back again from Windsor be as
big as SEQ FOUNDER. She emphatically trav-
els on her shape, and if it were not for our fe-
male inspectors might also travel on her face,
for no man dares to doubt or argue with a
pretty woman, especially If she resorts to her
usual weapon-teerS
las rule the fair sex with their winning
ways obtain many favors, but when you rec
ogni1e one of the number who goes back and
forth from Canada three or four times a
month, always returning with several trunks
filed with gimcracks half made up and only
waiting to be ripped apart in some milliners
establishment to become worth many thou
sands of dollars, you know that she is some
body's agent, who is employed to evade the
law and share the spoils that belong to Uncle
Sam"
Sometimes you make mistakes in e1amin-
ing persons, don't youl"
'Of course it doesn't do to suspect every
one of being a smuggler, and man must be
careful lest he make a serious mistake. l re-
member a case in which belt around gen.
tieman's waist appeared as ii it were stuffed
with gold watches, although the contrary
was disclosed When an examination was
made they turned out to be so gold pieces
and other coins, and the officer got laughed
at for his pains Detroit News
Interesting Experiments.
Take tumbler filed to the brin with al
cohol, and by patiently crowding in a little