Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-11-21
Dodging Duties.

staff of custom inspectors IN this port
that the average European tourist
doesn't rely on paying the expenses OF
his trip out of the proceeds of sue
cessful smuggling swindle on the gov
ernment. Never before in the history
of foreign travel, says the federal
sleuths, has the practice been SO gener-
al and audacious. The treasury de-
partment. intent upon putting an end
to the frauds, has issued orders for
universal vigilance, and proposes to
show no mercy to offenders.
\ remarkable feature of attempts
at smuggling during the lastfew weeks
is the detection Of rich smugglers.
Six men, each of whose fortunes is es-
timated at more than a million dol
lals. have been arrested and exposed
since the westward travel became
heavy. The pretext in each case has
been that the guilty person did not
import the property for sale, or that
he had no idea he was violating the
law in not declaring his possessions.
There seems to be an overPower-
inc fascination in cheating Uncle Sam,
despite the honest old gentleman
present need of revenue, said lnspec-
tor Brown. who, with his associate,
Inspector Donohue, makes more ar
rests than all other agents combined.
"The chief offenders against the Gus
toms laws are dressmakers and busl-
ness women. We estimate that three
quarters of the women who come into
this port on transatlantic lines bring
dutiable goods which they do not de-
clare.
The weight of goods a woman can
carry about under her clothes is aston
ishing. If the burden is very heavy,
she sometimes adjusts it with straps
over the shoulders. Very often the
Goods found ON one woman are all
that one of the inspectresses can Int,
and it is through the weary AR OF the
smuggler and her painful movements
that she becomes suspected. Beneath
one woman's gown recently was found
an entire suit Of clothing for her hus-
band.
an trunk smuggling the methods
are unique and varied. Women fold
childrens dresses within their own
and line cheap skirts with costly bro
cades and velvets. False bottoms are
fitted in trunks, and jewelry and 9TH
er dutiable stuff is slowed among the
accumulated wash. Sometimes an IN
ner trunk is fitted in, papered all over
like the other, and the space between
the two is filled with valuabes.
Persons who intend to attempt
smuggling are frequently too confding
for their own welfare aboard ship, and
thus render their arrest easy. There
is no place where persons are so guile
less and so ready to talk about their
private affairs. They little imagine
the resources of the customs service,
and know little who is in its employ
Information Of professional smugglers
and sometimes of amateurs IS also sent
from special agents on the other side.
These agents have letters Of entree to
the legation soirees, visit shops and
piers and acquire mass Of iniorm@-
tion about goods purchased and
shipped which is cabled to the author
tiles in this city. Then the property
Of arriving passengers is scrutlnlzed,
the declarations are examined and
compared and frequent exposures re-
suit
The customs inspector labors under
great difficulty in that blunder may
cost him his position. Very few mis-
takes are made, because the manner
in which a suspected person receives
an interrogation usually decides be-
yond a doubt whether be be innocent
or guilty. If he laughs and Willingly
agrees 10 be searched he IS generally
innocent. The old offender inyar1a-
bly, fawns upon the inspector and en-
deavors to win his bis favor and elem
ency. If a woman and she looks
. frightened, cries and storms and says
it is an outrage and che won't admit
to it, put her down, says the insPec'
tors, as a guilty novice.-Ne0 Yoy'
! HerGd.
exchange truthfully says "Thos'