The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-01
TRICKS OF SMUGGLERS.
How They Come It Over the
Watchful Customs Officers.
Precious Stones Concealed in All Sorts of
Piaces-Women Are the Most Dcx-
trous In Escaping the Pay
ment of Duties.

diamonds and rubies, being so
small, are easily Struggled" said gov
eminent inspector to a reporter for the
New York Recorder. Il don't believe
the government gets the duty on one
quarter of them that are sold in this
country, after all the expense it goes
to IN trying to suppress the business.
We have agents all over Europe, and
pay employees in the brokers' Offices,
who give information of all sales to
people they do not know and those
smugglers whom they do know Some
of the ships officers on every steamer
coming to this port are constantly on
the watch, and all thAt But what's
the use if you can't find the goods on
them when they are searched Many's
the time I've been dead sure of my man
and could swear he had the sparklers
somewhere about him when searched
him, but I've gone through everything
and cursed the rat to his face, but it
was no use. Then other officers take
him up and keep their eyes on him as
long as he stays in port, and thew
really have better chance of finding
something, but they seldom do. Wom-
en- are generally the worst and most
dextrous smugglers of stones, on ac-
count of having SO much upholstering,
but there are not many women in the
business now. l don't know why, but
they seem to be leaving it, Diamonds
have been found all over women
sewed up in seams, in hens and tucks
and in corsets, waists, wraps and muffs,
and secreted in their hair, which is a
favorite place. We have found them
in parasols and on the baby, in hats
and bonnets, tied up In the corners of
handkerchiefs and wells, and even
woven into their garters, besides in
everything you can think of in their
trunks, some of which have false bot
toms. You may be sure that when we
once are satisfied we have caught a
smuggler we do not stop at anything
in the way of searching. We men
to search the females.
"Why, we've found diamonds in UNI
'brella sticks and in the heels of shoes, |
dn covers of books and behind coats |
and pants buttons, in hollow rings and !
in pewter cups with false bottoms
The round handle of palm leaf fan
was the favorite hiding place for pre-
cious stones for some years, and it was
q long time before we caught one old !
with a hollow crutch. One
old soldier of the Crimean war had an |
artificial leg, and he couldn't get |
enough diamonds to fill the interior of |
1t so he filed the remaining empty |
space with fine laces to keep the stones |
from rafting and giving the snap
AWAY. One old codger used to work |
The sweat-leather of his hat with great |
and another always carried |
revolver of home manufacture loaded |
with cartridges full of diamonds. An
other fellow had the biggest hollow |
tooth you ever saw and there was
always diamond in it nicely tucked
away and covered with wax when he |
got on shore. Toe and finger nails
grown very aristocra tically long have
hidden precious stones fastened in with
fine silk threads, and sleeve buttons
have been brought into requisition
successfully in the smuggling of dia-
monds. You wouldn't think of it, but
little terriers have been loaded down
with diamonds. You've heard of the
four blackbirds baked in
pie, of course, but you never, probably,
heard of diamonds baked in cake or
made into chewing gum and black
cough drops. You never. heard OF CT
CARS 'inlaid' with diamonds and other
precious stones or of match boxes and
snuff and tobacco boxes with false
bottoms full of them. l have. I've
found precious stones secreted in
shawls and steamer rugs and once in
the hollowed-out legs of steamer
chair. Once I found the silk cord that
goes round the waist of a dressing
gown filed with them and only discov-
cred it1by mere accident, as nearly
al our discoveries are made. One fell
ow had removed the works of his
watch and thrown them overheard
after he had filed the case with valua-
Die rubies, and once lady's bracelet
contained forty thousand dollars worth
# sparklers on one voyage, ana we
lidn't get onto it until too late.
NO HARM DONE.