The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-23
CHINESE SMuGGlERS.
The Trouble they give Uncle Sans Revc,
nue. OGicers in Frisco.


nue. OGcers in Frisco.
The customs officers of San Fran
cisco have to deal with some of the
most artful smugglers In the world
The Chinese are race of smugglers
and there is not a people on earth more
fertile in eXpedicnts to cvade the rev.
enue laws. Their stolid, impressive de-
meanor serves them admirably in their
contraband operations, for their ac-
tons seldom afford, as is the case fire.
quently with white people, any ground
to suspect they are trying to practice
a fraud. They have taught the sailor
men of the white race the shrewdest
trick practiccd on Uncle Sans tax
gatherers aud are never caught in one
device without being ready with an
other one equally as hard to detect
Before the influx of Chinese laborers
was stopped, Mongol looking as If
all his years were acquainted with only
poverty and toll, would sometimes try
to sneak ashore with dirty old blouse
stuffed full of fine silk handkcrchiefs
and scarfs and Indian neck shawls.
The Chinese garment for cold weather
is a quilted blouse or tunic, with n
heavy filing of cotton. silk handker-
chiefs being light and fine, Il single
blouse would sometimes contain val
uahle invoice.
Sometimes dcmurc Chinese maiden
would step ashore with the thick soles
of her shoes stuffed with silk. A whole
covey arrived some years ago with
their shoes stuffed in this fashion. An
inquisitive Inspector had his attention
attracted to the extraordinary thick
ness of the soles and made an investi-
CATION, which resulted in a valuable
seizure.
To a man the Chinese crews on the
steamers plying between San Fran
cisco and Mexico, South America and
the Orient are smugglers. They hide
their contraband goods in the oldest
places imaginable and get them ashore
past the eyes Of the customs officers in
ways that almost battle detection.
They have brought opium sllilfully
stuffed in bananas still hanging to the
stalk and in oranges. One day about
six years ago Il Chinese dressed as
cook walked lcisurely down the gang
plank of a Pacific Mail steamer with
basket on his arm containing several
loaves of bread. He shufiled right by
a customs house officer and would have
got away all right, but on the wharf
eoihC ihNO NpliSlOh WIN IL vi
sailor. The sailor, who was to blame,
gave the Chinese a violent shove, send
ing him sprawling and scattering his
bread loavcs. A policeman interfered
and noticed that one of the loaves had
broken open. He started to examine
and the Chinese started to run. Every
loaf was filled with opium.
Chinese have been detected with
boxes of the drug deftly bound up in
their queues or tied under their arms.
Every bit of baggage and every arti-
Gle they take ashore is hiding place.
Beams on ship and table legs have
been followed out as receptacles for
contraband opium. False bottoms are
put in cubby holes and pantry draw
ers. Hiding places are sought in coal
bunkers and under the engines and
boilers. The methods of secretion are
so varied and ingenious that frequent
ly the officers are unable to find snug
gled opium, even after they have def
mite information that it is aboard
vessel. Only recently the officers fail
ed to find lot, although they knew
positively that it was on board. How
ever, keeping the closest watch on
everything that left the ship, they
finally intercepted the opium as it was
being taken ashore.