The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-01-20

A Customs Officers Discovery Near
the Mexican Border.

the Mexican Border.
One Of the most remarkable seizures
ever made by a customs officer in any
part Of the country was recently
made by MIR. L. c. Hannum, a special
inspector in the office OF Special
Agent Wagstaf at FL Paso, Tex. Mr..
Hannum is an old Pittsburgh and
Washington newspaper man. Mr..
Hannum was directed 10 20 over into
Arizona and look into certain matters
indicated in a letter from the Treas
ury Department. But the knowledge
Of il never came To the public till a
few evenings ago, when Mr.. Hannum's
enjoyment OF the ludicrous overcame
his modesty to such a degree that he
related the story to "A trio of friends.
well, | got over TO Nogales, 4" said
he, and transacted the business i
was sent 10 look after, and was pre-
pairing TO leave without any dream
of becoming a marked man in the
Government service. But n morn
ing a fellow came 10 me and remarked
in a most mysterious and confidential
way that he could put me onto
something or course, in my inno-
enc ! had no idea what he meant
unless he had some new and more
deadly method Of mixing drinks. But
that interested me, and | kindly al
lowed him the use'of my ear. Jerking
his thumb over his shoulder toward
the Custom House, he Missed, Snug
gled.' As he pointed exactly in
the direction OF the Custom House,
| was surprised and shocked. Then
| thought that in all probability he
was an excursions officer and wanted
10 get even with his successor. But
on closer inquiry l found that he was
intending to point, not at the Custom
House, but at Il brick storehouse be-
yond.'
What kind of goods do they
smuggley' asked.
They don't smuggle goods he
energetically declared, but the house
vas struggled.
To say that | was interested is
putting il mildly. | knew at once that
if he was not II most glorious liar |
had a great scoop and went in to
! examine the subject. The house he
pointed out was IA long brick n and
situate n few doors from the Custom
House and i'm the same block. The
idea OF n man" smuggling n brick
house into this country and that,
too, under the very nose OF the Gus
toms collector, began TO be very funny
to me, and ! went at il with "A great
deal of interest. | found that, rs a
matter OF fact, the owner of the house
had been doing business in Mexico,
which was some ten or fifteen feet
away, and that he had concluded to
move over under the waving folds of
cold Glory He could not sell the
house at "A profit, and did not care to
build another, 80 he simply tore 1t
down and moved the whole outfit,
goods and all, into the United States.
The goods went through the Custom
House all right, but the secondhand
house was carried over without no.
tice-
- Well, ! seized the house and put
il in the hands Of a newly appointed
inspector that had been discovered on
IA ranch, and who was not familiar with
the commercial terms. ] told him TO
take care OF the house, but not to in
t%erfcre with the stock When he
came 10 report TO me next morning
he said that the house was still there,
but that he could't find any stock
except three ducks and two pigs in
the back yard
After the laugh had gone round
the story-tellcr joining i'm with his
peculiar, open-mouthcd, quiet smile
he added But | collected the
duty on n whole house, and that is sail
my fellow-servants can accuse me of
having done wrong in the way Of work
that remuncrates the Government"
- FL Paso (Texas) Times.