The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-28
POLLING SMUGGIERS
NAILS FROM ABROAD EXAMINED BY
CUSTOMS OFFICERS.

The mails offer such an obvious tempta-
ton to would be znugglers that it is often
asked whas steps the government authori-
ties take for preventing the use Of them
for the importation of goods free Of duty.
As matter Of fact, not few people have
an idea that they can get ahead OF the Gus
toms officials by sending dutiable articles
from abroad through the mails, but when
they act on this belief they in virtually
every instance are dieab3sed OF this mis-
taken impression. Ts naks this lesson
the more effective, the government, when
ever the intent to smuggle is clear, con-
fscates the articles, although, when the
goods are sent into this country through
an evident ignorance of the law, the simple
payment OF the duty is all that is necessary
to secure possession Of them.
To understand fully Uncle Sans plan
| for getting his just dues one should follow
the mails from the time they leave the big
transatlantic liner to the time they reach
their destinations When an incoming
vessel is first sighted word is sent to the
postoffice. II the ship reaches quarantine
4 before sunset, in time to be inspected by
the health officer or his assistants. the
mails are not landed until the ship reaches
her pier. Then the pouches, hundreds in
number, are hurried ashore Those for in
land points are dispatched by the various
railroads, while letters, newspapers, par
cells. etc., for New York city and its vicin-
ity are sent to the general postofice.
GETTING THE MAILS ASHORE.
If. however, the ship reaches quarantine
at night and is compelled to remain there
until after sunrise, tugs in the service of
the postofhce come up to 1t and take of
the mails. The pouches for other places
are forwarded by the earliest trains, while
those for this city, as in the other case, are
sent to the postofioe here as quickly as
possible. Nearly all the parcels that seem
to contain books or other dutiable goods
pass through the New York postOffice, even
If they are directed to distant points in
the United States. This is the only class
OF mail matter for places from this city
which suffers delay here
In the mean time three inspectors of the
postothce customs bureau have been sent
for at their homes, that is, if the mails ar
rive when the men are not at their work,
and no matter what the hour or the wealth
er the three hasten to the postotfice. When
the pouches arrive there they are opened
in the presence Of the customs inspectors.
Every letter or parcel that looks as if it
might contain books, etchings, Autographs,
jewelry or other dutiable goods is picked
out of the heaps OF mail matter and
stamped. Ii, for instance, the parcel is
made up of silk handkerchiefs which can
be seen through holes in the wrapping pa
per it is stamped Subject to duty" If
the package is securely wrapped so that
its contents are invisible, "Supposed to
contain goods subject to duty" is stamped
on it. The employees OF the postoffice who
handle the mails aid in picking out par.
GELS likely to contain dutiable articles
An idea of the task of the customs men
will be gained from a few figures of the
mail brought by the Servia from Liverpool
few days before Christmas. She carried
about 1,05O pouches. containing in the
s6ighborhood of $4,000 letters, papers,
parcels, etc This was the largest amount
ever brought to this port by vessel
Nearly one-third of it all was for this city.
CERTAIN PARCELS. PICKED OUT
Long practice has made the men skillful
in picking out the parcels with dispatch.
About 5000 suspicious looking letters, ETC.,
were taken in handby the customs officers
OF this number perhaps 90 per cent con-
tanned books or printed matter which may
under the law be imported through the
mails. These, except the few which are
sealed and therefore subject to letter rates,
are sent to the big room of the customs
bureau on the fifth floor of the postoffice
building, together with the other unsealed
parcels. A force of men at once sets to
work examining these packages every
one of which is opened.
a fSnov>
DID, or printed in a foreign language, or
addressed to institutions of learning. they
are admitted free of duty and at once for
warded. Newer ones are appraised by men
who have become experts at it, If the
books are consigned to places outside of
this city they are sent to the postmaster of
the town or city, with a statement and
entry. and he collects the duty on them.
A favorite trick of would be smugglers
is to cut out the heart of book and pack
contraband goods in it. A number of such
books have been confiscated Some con-
tanned valuable laces, others silk handker-
chiefs, gloves, iewelry and the ike. 1t is
sheer nonsense to attempt this form OF
smuggling, because all books are exam
lned and the detection is certain.
The customs officials have an apparent !
GELS supposed to contain dutiable goods. |
The law that sealed matter shall be opened |
BIZ no one except the person to whom it is
addressed must be obeyed by the govern
ment employees as well as by other persons. |
In fact, an infraction of it is punishable by /
a term OF imprisonment. The customs /
people, however, get past this stone wall /
easily. While they cannot open the sealed |
letter or parcel they can compel the person |
to whom it rs addressed TO open it in their
presence. This is just what is done. The
postmaster sends notice TO the person TO
whom parcels for this city are addressed TO
call on MI Burke, whose Office is on the
nezzanine floor OF the postofice building,
and open the suspected piece of mail mat
ter. AS soon as the man opens it Mr..
Burke examines its contents, and If they
are dutlable and of more than triiing
value he has them appraised, either by one
Of his men or by some one at the custom
house. Should the nyn refuse 70 open the
parcel it is returned forthwith 70 the
sender.-New York Tribune.