The Portland daily press., 1895-11-16
WOMEN SMUGGlERS.
And the Gauntlet They Sometimes RIM o
the Feminine Searchers.
(From the New York Sun. }

(F'rom the New York SUM-
One of the unwrit1en but much regard
ed maxims of the custom house runs as
follows: "Question man, but watch
a woman. She will take 500 worth OF
trouble and $1,000 risk to avoid the pay
ment of S25 in duties.n On this principle
the surveyor and his men are constantly
on the lookout for women who smuggla
in lace, en- broideries and dresses. Often
it is with women of the highest official
standing that they have to deal, and then
there are tears and entreatieS and many
varieties of unpleasantness. Women who
act as searchers are always on hand in
the custom house to examine subjects of
their own sex or to give expert testimony
when necessary on questions of feminine
apparel. They are extremely ingenious
where they are least expected. A case
was that of young woman who proved
her right to some dresses that were in
question. In fitting them on, however,
the expert felt something between the
wolnan's shoulders.
ssWhat have you got there?" she
asked.
'ssOh, that's plaster. was the re-
ply. 81 caught cold in my back coming
over"
When she took off the dress the expert
felt the plaster again. 1t seemed loose
and very soft. Plnnging her hand down
suddenly she forced it loose, and from
beneath it pulled out some valuable and
very fine lace. The plaster was fake,
only the edges adhering to the skin
Many other tales of smugg,ers' devices
discovered are to be heard in the custom
house, although there is less of that now
than there was formerly. Most of tho
crooked work done Vim violation of the
customs regulations by women nowadays
is the smuggling in Of dresses and other
articles of apparel. The claim in these
in the goods intends them for her own
use If she can prove that the dresses
are to be worn by herself and are not to
be sold she is all right; and women will
frequently go to great lengths to induce
the officials to believe this In cases where
there are half dozen gowns, all of differ
emit sizes, this is more than likely to be
difficult.
Quite merciless are the regular women
experts. Sometimes they will summon
the typewriters in the building to back
their Judgment and then the whole COM
mittee has great fun with the unfortu-
nate victim. She is foolish woman
who attempts to bluff through losing
game with them A tall, thin, middle
aged matron, who travels in the interests
of a large dressmaking firm here, was
caught not long ago with a dozen dresses,
not one of which fitted her. But she
wouldn't admit it. One after another
she tried them on, and insisted that all
they needed was a little touching up.
The committee picked out the gown that
was the most glaring misfit for an exhib-
it. When she got into it they trotted her
out into the office of the officials in
charge.
'sThere, what do you think of that?"
inquired the head expert.
"Gracious, ladies, I don't know what
to think" he exclaimed, looking at the
long, slim figure in short, full dress
that was as voluminous in circumference
as it was scant in length. 1t reached just
little below the knees.
ssThis is one of the dresses the lady
says she intends for her own use," ex-
claimed one of the typewriters of the
committee.
"Maybe it's bicycle costume" said
the official, who is kind-hearted man.
Cor a yachting suit" suggested one of
the experts sarcastically. "Those sleeves
would be lovely in a gale"
s'And see the generous fit around the
the neck" put in another. eff she was
the two-headed woman it would just
about fit her,"
''She might put accordion pleats in that
SKIRT" was another suggestion; just
to use what's extra.
1T don't care,'' broke out the victim,
defiant to the last: "My dressmaker
made 'em wrong. You can keep 'em
anyway; don't want 'em. They dom t
fit, and she fastened out.
AS rule, however, feminine smugglers
breake down and confess with irritation
rather than shame, for they think it no
sin to attempt to defraud the government.