Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-10-27
SMUGGLING AS AN ART.

Ingenious Schemes which Have De-
ccived Old Customs Omcers.
(From the New York worid.l
Standing on pier near the gangway of
one of the great Atlantic liners, acyclonic
laugh was playing havoc within me while
watching the nervous antics of fair pas
sengers. Her face, neck, wrists and am
ply displayed ankles gave her the suspic-
ion of registering 125 pounds net weight,
while her body, with its bulk of append
ages, would insure a clean bill of lading to
the tune of 210 pounds. 1t is need
less to say that when she had passed
through Uncle Sans inquisitorial alem-
bic she had fallen to her normal condi-
ton.
1t may be incidentally stated here that
any attempt to introduce to these shores
in a single lump, duty free, silk mill, a
glove factory and a complete emporium of
gold and precious stones is slightly over
doing things.
One of the smartest bits of smuggling
know of occurred when one of the largest
and handsomest diamonds in this country
owned at present by one of our leading
families-was brought in duty free. Here
Is tue sCutllts Among StteThRt pas
sengers was a respectable looking workman
with a large Dutch pipe. Just as he ap-
preached Castle Garden he wrapped the
diamond in thin piece of paper, put it in
the bowl of his pipe, then filed it up with
tobacco.
When he landed, and while the inspec-
tor was sitting his few worldly posses
sions, the immigrant was making various
futile attempts to light his pipe, but just
when about to do so he would make some
remark to the inspectors and the match
would 60 out. In short time he was in
an east side hotel, luggage and all, whence
he was soon transferred to one of the city's
aristocratic abodes.
Another equally clever scheme is worked
this way: 4 European gentleman deals
heaxily in fine jewelry of all kinds. His
private partner presumably exports a well
known makers fancy toilet soaps to his
brother, a simple grocer over here. The
exporter" has fine fac-simile single cake
mold with the name, etc, of the maker,
minus one letter in the name. One OF
more of the cakes of soap is split and hol-
lowed ont and filed with Jewels The
cakes are then put into the mold and soon
have the appearance OF new cakes. When
the box of soap arrives at its destination
in America the simple grocer knows by the
absence of the letter in the makers name
which cakes are for him. As soon as pos
sible he hands the contents over to his rel
ative, dealer over here who finds ready
market.
The purser on one of the steamers plying
between San Francisco and China used TO
be the butt of his fellow officers ON account
| of his old fashioned, big saddled, clumsy
| bicycle. He had ridden his old machine,
he said, until it had become n second wife
| to him. Every opportunity he got he
sailed forth on his bicycle, both in China
and over here. He retired wealthy q short
time ago, and then the cat got ont of the
bag. His big, clumsy saddle was hollow,
and every time he rode forth in China he
| returned with the hollow part filed with
| opium, which he carefully hid in the yes-
sci, and every time he rode forth in San
Francisco he in like manner carried part of
his cargo into the city, finding ready
customer.
The latest diamond trick is this: Cut the
buttons off your overcoat, place unset
stones inside the top of the button, cover
with cloth and sew them on afresh. The
| scheme pays for the trouble and goes tri-
umphantly.
| have known a case where q pair of hol-
low heels on lady's shoe contained more
wealth than modern shoe store. The
shoes were worn simply to come ashore
| with.
1t is notorious fact that If you desire g
nice cigar or bottle of bay oil, acquire
the acquaintance of some lady of color
who manipulates the sailors washing.
Uncle Sans inspectors are expert
judges of humanity, and hence it is only
the reckless, unruffied, though simple
looking geniuses who succeed in SNUG
Cling