The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-25
WAYS OF SMUGGLERS.
Ingenious Devices for OutWitting the
Customs Inspectors.
CUSTOMS INSPECTORS FAMILIAR
WITH THEIR TRICKS.

John Chinaman is the Most Adept, and
Opium is His Speciality.
Washington Starr
In all countries where customs duties
are high the occupation of smuggling is
a lively and dangerous one. Professional
smugglers are generally men of high
order of intellect, and when engaged In
stealing from the government display a
great deal of cunning, activity, refine
ment and quick wit
The customs inspectors, who have
charge of the examination of baggage
and the searching of vessels at the vari-
Gus docks are nearly all Of them expari-
enced men and perfectly familiar with all
the tricks to which smugglers resort.
They know when to look for diamonds
Or other valable articles, have an eye
which carefully measures the capacity
of trunks, so as to detect false bottoms /;
are sometimes somewhat affectionate In
embracing passengers whose clothing
seems too bulky: are careful students of
human nature. and can discern in the
appearance of satisfaction with which a
passenger observes the process of exami-
nation whether any thing has been omit
ted in the search.
Not infrequently diamonds are found
concealed in false calves, in false shoe
soIes and heels, and in Thousand other
places about the person. particularly in
the hair Of women, where, wrapped In
tissue paper just the color OF the hair,
they are securely fastened with silk
thread. 1t used to be common thing
for SIN ugglers to bring over diamonds
in Edam cheese; silks, laces and shawls
packed in bales Of hops. Iron tubing used
to be good way of hiding goods.
Precious stones have been struggled into
the country in cakes of soap. in cavities
of large corks used for perfumery and
toilet articles, and in hollow canes and
umbrella sticks. One old-fashioned sill
ver-mounted cane made twelve success
full trips. The supposed unluckly thir-
tenth was started as a new number one,
with a new cane, which at last accounts
was still on it's travels. Diamonds, etc..
of value $a5 to $50, 600, have been carried
in that old cane on each trip. Most fire.
quently it cana in through Canada. 1t
is now tapping the pavements Of Chicago
as an ordinary walking stick.
CONCEALED IN A BIBLE.
One of the nost remarkable devices
used.by smuggler to conceal oontrabanG
articles was a Bible followed out inside
SO that number of valuable watches OIL
other precious articles could be concealed
among the leaves This was carried IN
der the arm by acknowledged ani
reverend-lookina gentleman with white
whiskers. He was noted among his fell
low passengers on the steamer for the
care and attachment be displayed toward
be notorious smuggler, who, in a small
way, had for years been defrauding the
revenue by bringing in articles supposed
to pay duty.
Several loaves of bread followed out in.
side SO as to contain cigars have also late.
u been seized, and from the same gang
of smugglers was taken a ooncertina
filed with choice Havana cigars. upon
which high duty would have had to be
paid If brought in in the ordinary way.
Another ingenious device was q can
made to tow overheard from the stern OF
steamer. 1t was water-tight, and con-
tanned a large quantity Of cigars when
captured. An oil can with chamber to
contain brandy was also taken from ons
of the engineers of an incoming steamer.
Perhaps ono of the boldest of these de-
vices Was bogus log Of wood, or rather
log which had been followed out. and
was found kicking about harmlessly ON
the deck of the steamer 1t was closely
packed with cigars. Another Ingenious
ruse was carried on for some years before
1t was discovered. Snall-sized cedar logs
wero procured, which were sawed into
boards, leaving an end of the log uncut.
30 that the thin planks would open like
the leaves of book. Parts of the inter-
Tor of the planks were carefully removed,
leaving hollow space which was filed
with fine Havana cigars, packed In boxes
and the logs were then carefully tied to-
gether, giving them the appearance usual
10 Cigar box lumber sawed into blanks.