Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-13
ou7wIT1INe THE sMueeLERs.
How Uncle Sans Customs Officers Cap
tnre Contraband Cigars.

How Uncle SANS Customs Officers Cap
ture Contraband Cigars.
"The ways of smugglers are peculiar,
Int the ways of custom house men can
more than outdo them, remarked the
purser of Havana line steamship.
"You know" he added refectively, "a
man who visits the West Indies and ap-
nreciates a fine cigar seldom comes back
to this country without making an at
tempt to do some quiet smuggling. OF
course the contraband articles are cigars.
It may not be because he is mean, but
the duty is stiff, and / can easily imagine
with what pleasure box of cigars can
be passed around among few friends
with the recommendation, Boys, Uncle
Sam never received any duty on these,
and can youch for them have been
there myself
ssThe shrewd deputy of Uncle Sam
understands all this, and in addition,
the chances are he appreciates a good
cigar as much as we do. OF course he
makes thorough search for dutiable
goods on the arrival of all our ships, but
there are, he thinks, many little ways by
which he can be avoided, and travellers
are not long in finding them out.
sThis does not worry our friend, the
customs man, for his arrangements, al
though most simple, do not fall far short
of perfection. He knows of the where
abouts of every large lot of cigars which
leave Havana, and when we arrive here
has, in all probability, a complete list of
the number we have on board and the
names of their owners.
You don't believe it. Well, never
theless it is fact. When smuggling
was more of business some years ago
than it is now, clever customs man de-
veloped scheme by which the quantity
of cigars struggled in this port was re-
duced to minimum.
can agent of the department was
placed at Havana. He straightway made
friends with the cigar dealers and man.
ufacturers. This cost money, but the
game was worth the candle. Whenever
cigars were sold to an American or an
Englishman, in nine cases out of ten the
dealer delivered them, and politely in
sisted on doing so.
Sat the request of the buyer they
would invariably be sent on board his
steamship or to the hotel at which he
was boarding. In this way the buyers
name and address were ascertained.
"The crafty Cuban would then make
o memorandum of this seemingly worth
less information and send it to Uncle
Sans agent. Once in his possession, that
man kept well posted in regard to the
buyers movements, and on the day he
sailed for New York the amateur snug
gler's name, description and the number
of cigars which he had were cabled to
the authorities here.
mo fear of detection bothered the
would be smuggler, and on arrival he
would give the customs man the coolest
kind of bldff until a few facts and
figures were presented to him.
''Do they give up the cigars? Oh, yes,
but with mighty bad grace, and if all
the customs men could be paralyzed for
the wishing, assure you Uncle Sam
would not have an ablebodied man in
the business. 1t is hard luck to have
some other man smoke the weed which
your money has paid for, but it happens
more often than you imagine. The
goods are always confiscated, and the
amateur smugglers are lucky in getting
out of bad hole, for smuggling is an
offense not to be trifed with.
"Oh, yes, there are dozens.of ways by
which cigars could be struggled in this
port without detection; but the practice
could not be carried on long, so the
business has not grown. Sorry l can't
give you some inside information, but it
would be bad policy"
Then the smart looking purser reflect
lively pulled cigar which had never
paid duty.-New York Sun.