The Portland daily press., 1894-01-15
STRUGGLED A BRICK BUILDING.
A Customs officer's Discovery Near 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 Mr.. 7. G. Hannum special inspector
in the office of Special Agent Wagsaff d
Ell Paso Tex. Mr.. Hannum is an old
Pittsburg and Washington : newspaper
man. Mr.. Hannum was directed to go
over into Arizona and LOOK into certain
matters indicated in letter from the
Treasury Department. But the knowls
edge of it never came to the public till a
few evenings ago when Mr.. Hannums
enjoyment of the ludicrous overcame
his modesty to such degree that he
related the story to q trio of friends.
Well got over to Nogalesn said he
land transacted the business / was sent
to look after and was preparing to leave
without any dream of becoming a
marked man in the Go vernment service.
But one morning fellow came to me
and remarked in most mysterious and
confidential way that he could put me
onto something Of course, in my
innocence I had no idea what he meant
unless he had some new and more deadly
method of mixing drinks But that in
terested me and 1 kindly allowed him
the use of my ear. Jerking his thumb
over his shoulder toward the Custom
House, he Kissed. 'Smuggled.' AS he
pointed in exactly the direction of the
Custom House | was surprised and
shocked. Then I thought that in all
probability he was an eX-custom officer
and wanted to get even with his sue
cessor. But on closer inquiry found
that he was intending to point not at the
Custom House but at a brick storehouse
beyond"
What kind of goods do they SNUG
gle?n / asked.
They don't smuggle goods he ener-
getically declared but the house was
struggled"
ting it mildly. / knew at once that if
he was not most glorious liar l had a
great SCOOP and went in to examine
the subject The house he pointed out
was a long brick one situated a few
doors from the Custom House and in the
same block. The idea of man snug.
Cling brick house into this country
and that too under the very, nose OF the
customs collector began to be very funny
to me and I went at it with great deal
of interest. found that, as 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 ''Old Glory. He could
not sell the house at profit and did
pot care to build another SO he 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 the second hand
house was carried over without notice.
"Well, seized the house and put it
in the hands of newly appointed in
spector that had been discovered on
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
could not find any stock except three
ducks and two pigs in the back yard"
After the laugh had gone round-the
story teller joined in with his peculiar
open mouthed, quiet smile he added:
"But collected the duty on the whole
house and that is all my fellow SER
wants can accuse me of having done
wrong in the way of work that remun-
crates the Government. Eel Paso
Times.