The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1898-01-07
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: A SMUGGLER'S LAST TRIP. +:
, ne Turning Point for a Young Man
on the Border.


ooooooooooooooooooeeooSSSo
IN THE smoking compartments Of a
Montreal sleeper bound for New
York one night were half a dozen men
discussing politics, the service Of the
road, and the possible annexation OF
Canath. As the train ran across the line
into the United States one OF the men
looked out OF the window with the In
terest of man seeking familiar scenes.
There was just Hight enough for him
TO see that the long ditch-HIar lSed farms
of Canada, with their stone houses. had
been left behind. ard that the less pie
turesque farms Of the states stretched
out from the track. Settling himself
back In his seat and including the other
smokers in his audience, he said:
This country hasn't changed in IS
ys1rs, except for the introduction Of
this railroad. Twas born in Jhis neigh
borhood, and although 1t sounds Ike a
queer admission, up to the time l was
e years old spent much Of my time
In smuggling whisky. brandy and al
cohol across the line. For various rea-
sons there isn't much Of this sort OF
thing done now. Probably the chief
reason Is that it doesn't pay. and then
again, n Is not booked upon as respecta-
bic. Ny father was engaged in the
same business before me, and several
Of our neighborS, good churchmen, were
IN It UP To their eyes. and il is not
strange that my conscience did not be
gin 70 work on this subject until one OF
the respected citizens of a nearby town
was convicted and sent 10 prison for
smuggling. The government made an
example Of him, and although all Of
his acquaintAnces regretted IL at the
Hme, II has proved good thing.
Didn't the customs officersinterfere
Well, some Of them did conscientious.
when they got chance, and there weNa
plenty Of them all along this line who
only made bluff OF interfering that de-
ceived no one except the government.
I knew one officer who was in the bust
ness himself. As young man ! thought
that smuggling was all right, and il
never occurred to me that l was a thief.
] haven't done any Of 1t since. Coming
through this region has brought back
some Of the old experiences Therewere
then, and l have heard that there are
now. many stores BUILT along the line,
20 that Ons-hAlf should be In Canada and
the other in New York state. Thismade
it easy to smuggle In small articles, but
at the same time the customs ofiicers
had to watch these stOres closely or
lose their Jobs
Il worked better scheme than that.
When l was 16 years old my father,
whose farm was in the nelghborhOOd,
gave me a fast mare. She was very fast
for those ahys. though she wouldn't be
worth taking about now. built a
light two-vheeled gig for her, and
deAed every officer along the line 10
catch me. They all knew that / was
smuggling. but none Of them could &c;
the proof Ny method was simple.
would leave home about dusk In my gig
and drive leisurely across the line TO q
Htfls stone hotel. where I received my
Hqnor. The place was known TO be o
depot for smugglers, and suspicion was
always directed toward any man who
frequented It. The proprietor was q
French Canadian and rs shifty as az
Indian On the ground floor OF his
house was a dingy dining-room and
opening into e very respectable bar
room for Lower Canada. The bar 81
self was Of mahogany. and back OF It
stood an imposing array Of ale kegs,
The proprietOr's name uas Dumas, and
his Imagination was as fertile as that
Of bis ilustrious nanesal7e. Il pleased
him to fool the customs officers, and be
did It IN many different ways. Dumas
kept the liquor In hong. oyal-shaPsd
kegs in his cellar. There was noreason
why he shouldn't have as big q stock
on hand ns he chose. and whenever In
cuisitive customs officers came over the
line IN Spying expeditions Dumas was
ready to take them into his cellar and
exhibit his stock. Not until five years
after had left the smuggling business
did the officers discover that one big
cask in Dumas cellar wBs simply Q
blind that concealed the entrance TO G
tunnel that ran TO the barn 20 OF 20 fee
back from the house
Tint was the keynote OF the snug
Cling scheme. Tine nn0 again have
sat in Dumas barroom drinking al
With fellows whom l knew 70 be spot
tsrs sent to keep tab on me, while Du
mas man. Madore. has softly rolled M
keg Of liquor through the ,canel snC
into the barn Ny gig was fitted u
with three heavy straps, SO arrange
that keg could be held by them clos
up under the sea-; BY slipping -
straps clear TO one side could eosll
drop the keg II were closely pressed
When everything had been arrange
Aadore would oone into the barron,
whistling. That was my cue TO Orde'
my horse hitche1 up When that We,
done / would ssunte- out 70 the barn
getiE:O ny gig and drive out by a bacl
rod Once started ! knew that no Gus
tors officer could catch me. The Gus
toms spoilers who knew that Dunai
kept his liquors in his cellar. and VIII
had watched me al the tine and haG
seen nothing taken from the cellar
concluded that dad been blufied out
Time ard again worked that gam-
and many long dark ride I had tAker
20 land my stuff Fa'ely. II the ofioeu
decided 70 guard a certain rad, l hat
good friends whoHrould tip ne on. an,
sometimes I have been forced 70 drfv,
ten or fifteen mics out Of my way I,
erade them One nigh; when TWO o
them got after me and NV horse wa
tired out. l saw that / was bound to b,
Overhauied. l Grove into the ditch
slipped my straps eDd dropped the keg
and then io1ged along waiting to b,
Drertaksa. On came the two oiReerr
with their hOTse blowing heavily.
Halt row shouted one Of them
or we Win sAoo. We've got yOu tAi
time.
What do you 1neang answered,
stopping my horse.
The officers drew up alongside. ex-
aniae5 my gig and pockets. and then
the spokesman said;
That's al right You can go0head