The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-06-08
sMvooLED a BRICK BUILDING

What q United States Revenue ON.
Ger Discovered Near the Mexican
Border.
One Of the most remarkable seizures
ever made by custom officer in any
part Of the country was made recently
by T. c. Hannum, a special inspector
in the office Of Special Agent Wagstaft
ut Ell 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 the treasury department.. But
the knowledge Of it never cume to the
public until few evenings ago, when
\lr. Hannum's enjoyment of the ludi-
crous overcame his modcsty to such q
degree that he related the story to q
reporter for the FL Paso Times.
well, 1 got over to Nogalcs," said he
land transacted the business l was sent
to look after, and was preparing to
leave without any dream Of becoming a
marked man Cf the government service.
But one morning fellow came to me
and remarked in n most mysterious aud
confidential way that he could put me
trto something OF course. in my in
I Ocence, had no idea what he meant
unless he had some new and more dead
~ method Of mixing drinks. But that
interested the and kindly allowed him
the use of my car. Jerking his thumb
tver his shoulder toward the custom
house, he Missed, Struggled AS he
pointed exactly in the direction Of the
clstom-houSc was surprised and
shocked. Then thought that III all
probability he was M ex-custonl-house
officer and wanted to get even with his
successor. But on closer inquiry I
found that lie was intending to point
not at the clstOm-hOuse, but at brick
stOrehOusc beyond"
What kind Of goods do they SNUG
GleT l asked,
They don't smugslc goods he encr-
geticaily declared, but the house was
smusgled.'
ITO say that I was interested Is put
ting 1t mildly. knew Mt once that il
he was not Il most glorious liar had
q great SCOOP and went in to exam
inc the subject. The house he pointed
out was long brick and situated q
few doors from the custom house and
in the same block. The idea of man
smuggling brick house into this coun-
try, and that, too, under the very nose
of the customs collector, began to be
very funny to me, aud went ut 1t with
q great deal Of interest. found that
as 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 hid concluded to
move over under the waving folds Of
Old Glory He could not sell the
house ut Il profit and did not care to
build another SO hc simply tore it down
and moved the whole outfit, goods and
all, into the United States. The goods
went through the custom house all
right, but tho second hand house was
carried over without notice.
"Wcll. ! seized the house and put it
In the hnRds Of newly appointed in
spectOr that had been discovered on q
ranch, and who was not familiar with
the commercial terms 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.
I collected the duty on whole house,
and that Is I'LL my fellow servants can
accuse me Of having done wrong In the
way of work that cnumcrates the gov
eminent"