The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14
SMUGGLERS OF THE NORTH.
CARR BoUCHIRD AND Hrs BROTHER
og1LARs OF TEE 81. LAWRENCE

I rup'sa ana . Oncv Thrifty Community
Debasehed By the micit frame.
ouEpro, Aug. 13.-The smuggling Of liquor
t,to the Dominion OF Canada at and below
Quebec has OF lato years assumed such i'm
menss proportions that 1t has come to be rs-
.arded as regular industry. Tho sailor emun-
Elers OF the Lowor St Lawrence nre far from
being tho only operators in the mammoth
scheme. They are in many casos simply the
hired agents. the commissioned officials OF
powerful syndicatcs whose membership at
times includes the ontlre population OF rural
parishes, at other times leading Wholesale
merchants interested IN tho liquor trade. po-
htieal wirepullers who trade upon their influ-
ence at the capital as well as in whiskey. and.
according to some Of the detected smugglers.
certain officials Of the customs. How 1t pays
10 illicity import alcoholic liquors into Canada
may DO estimated from the fact that the speci-
% and ad valorom duties upon such imports
emourt to from Sl.75 to S1.90 per gallon.
Tho modus orerandi Of tho smugglors Is
we'll known to tho customs authorities. but
they enjoy great natural facilities for avoiding
detection. and tho inslgnincarce Of tho efforts
made. until worry lately. to terminate the Illicit
traffic has greatly emboldsned those engaged
IN 1t and nerved them on several occasions
during tho present season to offer armed ro-
sent against them.
The headquarters OF tho more important
element OF the smuggling community ia the
city OF Quebec. whore merchants. church
wSrdens. professional mon. members Of the
City Council and other dgnitaries who hold
their heads high in select society arc said to
take their risks In the running in OF o cargo OF
contraband whiskey with tile same e1uanim-
ty with which thoy sit down to game Of
poker. Those actually engaged in handling
the stuff have two important stations or ENTIRE
pots. From one Of these they receive their
contraband cargoes. At the other they de-
post It until the opportunity offers for SNUG
Cling il into the scene Of its final consump-
Zion. The first OF those centres 10 among the
little French Isles Of st Pierre and Miquelon.
afew miles south Of Newfoundland. The SEQ.
ond is among the small islands Of the st
Lawrence. half way between Quebec and Ia
dousac, ut tho mouth OF the St. Lawrence. tho
The French islands OF 81. Pierre and Mique.
lon are what are known as FREQ ports. customs
Der OF vessels Il ON various Pc. is in France an.
mall nSua,y visit tn the islands 10, lsh: bringing with
auo,s THESE goSds form poron hf But an ~
Eiers' carcoss. For these there IS smaller
market aud y less consumption than for tho
In u certain district Of Illinois there are man
Coi II Oh WnIt0
sn wheS IS oston at Som. %
30 s With Fs ssss IT ths
population Of this province. who drink it
S 81 va. Syr n REDUCED s%a BY rs the for adiG.
rsrsees st. f 4nd where atf Is
tpnaPs to- sacn They
tho al s. u.s.
nd once In Canadian waters, whore there is
the orga Cargo W5h is Srsis ns
and transferred to Smaller and less valuable
sshoonsrs thus materially reducing the risk
river achooners usually land their Central, and
cargoes on Isle aux Condres or some other
stream, and g, :andinE thetr LIQUOR on r.
and was Gale" by Suh acans st Cartier Who Who
discovered i. in September. 1885. and found
fsf ad Of hss m ns s onx ssd 20.
than TIA II two miles vide: .hoash / was mSeh
called ia beautiful mosaic IN II. rels EN-;
poPSlstsn q some Souls nH ha we sScheyed
quite reputation for their J,Smag;; retfne. :
es sss Sat sasE aho
t hs ns aand a.p :s
majority OF the once INDUSTRIOUS population
witt the smarslsrs. to aid them in the con-.
ce9lment OF their contraband cargoes. and to
indulge hSlt oER appetite for nicohoir bey
by the Lenders Of the gang for the better
s!s e! tSs 1:sas5tis nj
iaee '0pS; isls nsnee that the earisS S
priest finding appeals and Headings Of no
psn S
tue Church for persistent living In open sin.
He has also. gone further than this, and BY
!iIluor that was concealed upon. tho island
rariiy most saSnissys to their priests persist
During the last two o' Years there have been q
number Of small seizures Of cont aband liquor
hsss are qS
the customs. The total loss TO tho public rove
roSrh ~ s it & be
customs sathoriti.s dafRf w. ass two years
s ferss Can scrd io u party SNUG os
eeeesionsl seizure. for only ons,third 49, q
sss value 20 tho the ss'ds sss
other r. n the mater 81 ,.ps
cortain OF the Custom House officers to stand
In together. When seizures have occasio nall "
been made by outside parties the customs on;
ftals Who were r out Of thee swim have so pulled
have remained unsold for months. tho parties
wait for their share Of the proceeds.
Bat the Groporti99Ins Iatsiy assumed * this
importers that creased nressurs vas
inmate it at ali hazards. From Isle aux Cou-
dres it has heen customary to take the liquor
ashore In rowboats at night, distributin g
parts Of 1t In the adj joining parishes. as the
aemen'l. existed, and sending the remainder
tothe city In various ways. snmetlmes 10 milk
n, casks 90, opncealsd "a, beneath loads Of
small. seizure OF the liquor no con-
veyod' 10 reported; But more energetic
IN Parliament and In the press; hy the clergy.
the Temperance people. and the distiIlers
or two ago to the lower st. Lawrence to inter
sept the gnnuggling schooners on their way
tIes One OF thesc revenue cutters the Con.