Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-06-07
-sMUGGLED A BRICK BUILDING.
What Z Cnfted states Revenue ON.
Ger Discovered Near the Mexican
Border. Hs 1877

Border.
One Of the most remarkable seizures
ever made by a custom officer in any
part OF the country was made recently
by T.-C. Hannum, q special inspector
In the office of Special Agent Wagstaff
at FL Paso, Texas. Mr.. Hannum is an
Old newspaper man He was directed
to go over into Arizona and look into
certain matters indicated in a letter
from h treasury department.. But
the knowledge of it never CAME to the
public until Il few evenings ago., when
Mr.. Hannum's enjoyment of the ludi-
crous overcalne his modesty to such Il
degree that he related the story to a
reporter for the FL Paso Times.
We'll, / got over TO NogaleS,' said he
and transacted the business l was sent
10 look after, and was preparing to
leave without any dream Of becoming Il
marked man IF the government service.
But one morning a fellow came TO me
and remarked in Il most mysterious and
confidential way that he could put me
trto something or course. in my in
ONNAt Il AAiNA Ao lNANt llt III al
unless he had SON new and more dead
~ method of mixing drinks. But that
interested me md / kindly allowed him
the use of my car. Jerking his thumb
ever his shoulder toward the custom
house, he Kissed, Struggled As he
pointed exactly in the direction of the
custOm-houSe l was surprised and
shocked. Then l thought that in all
probability he was ar ek-custom-house
officer and wanted to get even with his
successor. But on closer inquiry j
found that he was intending to point
not at the cuStom-hOuse, out at q brick
storehouSe beyond
! What kind of goods do they SNUG
cleT' / asked.
They don't smuggle goods he encr-
getically declared, but the house was
smuggled.'
TO saw that / was interested is put
ting it mildly. / Knew at once that if
he was not a most glorious liar / had
Il great SCOOP and went in TO exam
inc the subject. The house he pointed
out was 4 long brick II situated a
few doors from the custom house and
in the same block. The idea of a man
smuggling n brick house into this coun-
try. and that. too, under the very nose
Of the customs collector, began to be
very funny to me. and l went at It with
a great deal of interest / found that
as a matter of fact the owner of the
house had been doing business in Next
co. which was some ten or fifteen feet
away and that he had concluded to
! move over under the waving folds of
Old Glory He could not sell the
house at a profit and did not care to
build another so he simply tore it down
and moved the whole outfit, goods and
all. into the United States. Thu goods
went through the custom house -
right. but the second hand house was
carried over without notice.
Well. / seized the house and put 1t
in the hands of a newly appointed in
spector that had been discovered on a
! ranch. and who was not familiar with
the commercial terms. l told him to
take care of the house, but not to inter
fere with the stock When he came to
report TO me next morning he said that
the house was still there, but that he
couldn't find any stock except three
ducks and two pigs in the back yard.
collected the duty on a whole house,
and that is all my fellow servants can
accuse me of having done wrong in the
way of work that enumerates the gov
eminent"