The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-23
cWTGGLING BY WOMEN.
rsNuNINR TRICKS EMPLOYED IN
CHEATING THE CUSTOMS.

How the Victim ACTS Wh9n Con
s-onted With Proofs-Tears, Entreat-
,as and Threats Spring Fashions
md What They Ara Liks-A Patri-
otto Irish Girl-Dress at Monte Carlo.
Naw Bon1ets and Hats, Sleeves and
Gowns-Literary Work.
From the Ne,c York Sun.
Tho chief offenders against the customs
set this port are dressnakers aud bust
-,s. women, who have very ingenious meth
aJsof concealing goods and great effrontery
a. srbterfuge and denial The dressmakers
cav that the Mckinley bill has ruined their
h,sness A lady eau bring over her ward
roha free of duty, and on half dozen
Gowns save enough money 20 more
sban pay the expenses of the trip.
The dressmaker must pay full duty
On every gown she imports for a model
as well as for sale. and the duty some
,in7es more than equals the cost Of the gar
meDt. OF course every omateur smuggler
thinks she will escape the vigilance of the
,Dsnectors, and chatters away on board the
,bin about the devices she intends to en-
rlov to hide her goods, never dreaming
that the ships officers and the stewardess
are in league with the inspectors, or that
among the passengers are frequently friends
If the officials who report these condolences.
There is no place where people are SO
guiIeless and so ready to chatter about their
Triyate affairs as on shipboard. One of the
Svouen inspectresses tells an amusing story
If her return on French steamer, when
tbe ladies exchanged condolences with each
ether as to the things they meant to
To-, cot in haI EfafnFnnn0E
real lace of great cost on ordinary
wool gowns, and laughed about the
handsome Jet they were basting on their
red flannel petticoats, thinking a man
would open the trunks and never know the
difference When the special agent boarded
the ship at quarantine and greeted the in
spectress as familiar acquaintance great
CONSERVATION prevailed, aud one lady who
had frankly avowed her intention OF saying
that a sealslxin coat she had bought for her
sister was for herself, tainted.
Information of professional smugglers
and sometimes of amateurs is also sent over
from the special agents on the other side.
These agents have letters of entree to the
legation soirees, mingle with ali kinds of
people, visit the shops, the shipping depots,
aud by various secret devices Of their own
fad out when any unusual amount OF goods
is purchased or shipped by one person,
which information they cable over to the
carations, and if the goods are not declared
make careful search of the baggage and the
persons Of the smugglers.
Many people are watched that prove to
be honest and above suspicion. Many es-
cape that are guilty for want Of sufficient
evidence to warrant special examination.
1t is estimated that about three-fourths of
the women who come into port have dutia-
bic goods that they do not declare. Ameri-
can women are among the worst offenders,
shrewd and clever in concealment, and the
French steamers usually yield the finest
harvest to Uncle Sam's servants and
the handsomest goods for the
government storehouses. There are no
women among the special officers on the
other side, though it would seem that
woman's quickness and cleverness as we'll
as opportunity for obtaining information
among women. would make her of
great service in the detective force
There are among the custom
house officials here nine women
two being detailed to meet each incoming
steamer. They are clever, well dressed
women, who walk about carelessly among
the passengers, noticing every popularity in
figure. gait, dress, and. most of all, studying
the faces Of the women passengers as they
come off the ship. A narrow-shoul-
bust development and unusually
broad hips attracts the attention of an
inspectress. The woman's face is anxious
aud troubled, her movements slow aud
awkward. The inspectress follows her to
where she waits beside her trunk. and says
suddenly, Madame the lock on your trunk
Is Jroken, fearn The woman bends over
quickly to examine it, and the packages
beneath her skirts make themselves plainly
visible. The 1nspectress summons an
official. who informs the woman that she
must submit to the much dreaded personal
search. This reveals among the as
sOrtment of gloves, silk stockings lace and
Jewelry, a whole web of silk left wound
upon the board. on which it is bought to
prevent creasing it, and suspended from her
corset. Another stout woman comes down
The plank, her face flushed and perspiring,
though she wears no wrap, and the wind
blows from the sea cold and damp. The
sharp-eyed inspectress is on the alert. Why
has the woman no wrap9 Why is she so
warm?
Madame" she says, abruptly, 81 am
AFRAID you have some Struggled goods about
you" and the woman, taken thus by sur
pnse, stammers out in confusion, Nothing
Dut a few switches
Now, we don't want any scene here that
Will attract the attention of oil these peo-
pie" continues the inspectress. You GO
quietly back on the ship, | will follow you,
and no one will notice." The woman pro-
tests. The inspectress threatens to call an
queer, and then the pair snunter back on
the ship to one of the large staterooms Be-
Meath the woman's dress is a double skirt
Ike arrangement of towels, with eighty
switches OF white and gray hair neatly
quilted In between the folds. In her bodice
are slowed away great quantity OF real
amber and gold hair ornaments of great
value. Her bonnet is filed with fancy pins,
and when the search is ended moro than
sl,20O worth of goods have been found and
seized
This personal search Is not so trying an
ordeal as has been represented. Women
are not denuded Of all their clothing by Iu-
considerable lnspectresses, as has been repre-
sented. Two inspectresses usually make the
.earch OF one woman, this precaution being
needed for the protection of the inspectress
tGe government. and the suspected snug
Eier The inspectress asks the smuggler to
remove her hat and gown. II the woman
Ieluses the inspectress threatens to call a
ulan officer if she prefers to have him make
tae inspection. This usually produces
ready obedience. The old offender submits
70 the search very amicably once she
sees That 1t is inevitable, fawns upon the in
spectress, and endeavors to win favor. The
novice gets hysterical, weeps floods of tears
gu 1q the inspectress' shoulders, sometimes
taIIs on Der knees and begs her not to dis
cIDse her secrets offers her money! gifts