The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-31
A RISKY AND LOSING GAM.
How Smugglers Try to Import Goods
Without Paying Duty.
From the Dry Goods Economist.

From the Dry Goods Economist.
The seizure room in the New York custom
house is one Of the most interesting depart
ments in the building. 1t is a receptacle of
all smuggled goods, and it contains about as
varied a collection of merchandise as is
carried by the modern dry goods bazar. So
many seizures have recently been made that
Dry Goods Economist reporter visited
the room during the week TO see the results.
He was told that in the last four months
no less than $4,000 worth of dry goods
had passed through the seizure room. Of
this, $4,000 represented the value of
dresses which the N mayer of the Madison
Square Garden attempted TO bring out from
England for their ballet without paying
duty on them. The dresses were turned
over to the owners on payment by them OF
charges amounting to over $1,000. Mems
clothing TO the value of $1,000 was seized
and confiscated during the four months.
The goods which figure most in the seizures
are costumes, silks, laces, kid gloves, furs
and ribbons. OF these silks and 1stumes
aremost prominent, followed by laces, kid
gloves, furs and ribbons in the order given.
Comparatively little smuggling of dry
goods is attempted by dealers.
The individual caught IN the act is usually
thoroughly respectable private citizen,
whose honesty would be vouched for by
every one OF his acquaintance either In
business or social life. Ladies, too, who
like Caesars wife, are above suspicion,
seem to suffer sudden lapse of principle
when tempted to smuggle articles of wear
ing apparel. Recent seizures of clothing,
ETC., from the employees of the steamships
have directed attention to that method Of
smuggling. The treasury officials have
been aware for some time that large
quantities of goods (princiDally cloth
ing) were being landed without paying
duty, and it was strongly suspected that
some Of the sailors on board the steamers
sailing TO this port could account for it, if
they chose. Vigilant watch was kept by
the custom oouse authorities, and the
seizure which they effected. and the conse-
quent punishment of those caught at the
illicit traffic, will probably lead to a de-
cided decrease in this branch of smuggling.
When the sailors are caught smuggling the
ship on which they are employed is usually
fined. This has a good Influence, as the
owners Of the vessel are kept on the alert.
The methods adopted by those who at
| tempt to evade the customs to get the
goods through without being discovered
are numberless. The most ingenious
modes of concealment are used, and in
genious and original they need to be, to
mislead the argus-eyed inspector. False
| bottom trunks, ladies' bustles, double sole
shoes hollow in the inside, are among the
com honest means adopted by the would-be
smuggler, but many show positive genius
in their attempt to secrete the struggled
goods. At the custom house they will
show you ladies' undergarments to which
were attached lace and other light articles
of dry goods merchandise aggregating
hundreds OF dollars in value. Some of the
hiding places used, aud especially those
used by ladies, would produce astonishmen
IN the mind Of any one who has never seen
the seizure room.
There are $50 inspectors attached to the
port of New York, and goodly proportion
Of these are employed in the examination of
the baggage of incoming passengers. Mr.
Wilbur, the special treasury agent attached
to the custom house in this city, also takes
| hand in the prevention of smuggling, and
recently his men have made some i'm portant
| seizures of dry goods and clothing. The
number Of seizures has increased consider
ably of late, but whether this can be taken
| as an evidence Of increased vigilance on
the part of the custom house officials, or an
| increase in smuggling, it is hard to deter
mine. When the amount seized amounts to
$500 or over it is condemned and passed over
to the United States marshal, who orders it
to be sold at auction. Where the amount of
| any single seizure is less than that amount
it is retained in the seizure room until a
sufficient quantity Of goods has accumulated,
and the entire lot is sold at auction, which
| usually happens every six months.