The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-26
BY j. Thomas Scharf. Inspector of Inn
migration, New York.


migration, New York.
In all countries where customs duties
are high the occupation Of smuggling
is a lively and dangerous one. Profess
sional smugglers are generally men Of
a high order of intellect, and when en-
gagged in stealing from the govern
nlent display a great deal of cunning,
activity. refinement and quick wit.
The customs inspectors. who have
charge Of the examination of baggage
and the searching OF vessels at the
various docks, are nearly all of them
experienced men and perfectly familiar
with all Ehe tricks to which smugglers
resort They know when to look for
diamonds or other valuable articles;
have an eye which carefully measures
the capacity CT trunks so as to detect
false bottoms; are sometimes some
what affectionate in embracing passen-
gers whose clothing seems too bulky;
are careful srudents of human nature,
and can discern in the appearance of
satisfaction with which. a passenger
observes the process of examination
whether anything has been omitted in
the search.
Not infrequently diamonds are found
concealed in false calves. in false shoe
soles and heels. and in a thousand
other places about the person, particu-
larry in the hair of women, where,
wrapped in tissue paper just the coler
of the hair. they are securely fastened
with silk thread. 1t used to be a COM
mon thing for s1nugg.ers to bring over
diamonds in Edam cheese, silks, Iaces
and shawls. packed in bales of hops.
Iron tubing used 20 be a good way of
hiding goods Precious stones have
~
cakes Of soap. IN cavities of large
corl1s used for perfumery and toilet ar
ticles, and IN hollow canes and UNI
brella sticks One old-fashioned silver
mounted cane made twelve successful
trips The supposed Unlucky tlnir-
teenth was started as q new number
one with a new cane, which at last
accounts. was sill on its travels. pa
monds, etc, of the value of $50 to
$4,000. have been carried in thar old
cane on each trip. Most Frequently it
came in through Canada. 1t is now
tapping the pavements of Chicago as
an ordinary walking stick.
One Of the most remarkable devices
used by a sTnuggler To conceal contra
band articles was Bible. followed out
inside so that a number Of bic
watches or other precious articles
could be concealed among the leaves.
This was carried under the arm by a.
acknowledged and reverend looking
gentleman with white whiskers. He
was noted among his fellow passengers
on the steamer for the care and at
tachment he displayed toward the holy
book The MAJ turned out to be a no.
torious smueg{Ar. who in a small way
had for years been defrauding the rev.
enue by bringing in articles supposed
to pay duty.
Several ioaves of bread followed out
inside so as TO contain cigars have also
lately been seized, and from the same
gang Of srnugglars was taken a con-
certina filled with choice Havana CT
gars. upon which a high duty would
have had to be paid if brought in in
the ordinary way. Another ingenious
device was can made TO tow over
board from the stern of the steamer.
It was wa ter-tight and contained
large quantity of cigars when cap
tured. An oil cam with a chamber to
contain brandy was also taken from
ore of the engineers of an incoming
steamer Perhaps one of the boldest
of these devices was a bogus log of
wood, or rather a log which had been
followed out and was found kicking
about harnlessly on the deck Of the
steamer. 1t was closely packed with
cigars. Another ingenious ruSe was
carried on for some years before II
was discovered. Small-sized cedar
logs were procured. which were sawed
into boards, leaving an end of the log
uncut, so that the thin planks would
omen like the leaves Of book. Parts
of the interior of the plank were care
fully removed. leaving a hollow space,
which was filed with fine Havana
cigars, packed in boxes. and the logs
were then carefully tied together,
giving them the appearance usual to
cigar box lumber sawed into planks.
Imitation Jumps of coal have also been
mado for this purpose, and these,
painted black, have been almost inn
possible Of detection. 1t was good
Joke on the smugglers. however, when
ore of these got lost in load OF coal.
and the fine cigars which it contained
ultimately went up in smoke through
the furnace of the steamer.
Not long since a successful diamond
snuggler who had grown gray in the
service. and who was so smart that he
never was caught, brought over from
Europe diamonds valued at over $780,