Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-02-10
60OOO0o000oco ocOboOOo00oo I
: A SMUJGLEk'S LASl TRIP. 4;
The Turning Point for Young man
on the Border.


OOOVVvOVVVvVVOv
IN THE smoking compartment of a
Montreal sleeper bound for New
York one night were half dozen men
discussing politics, the service Of the
road, and the possible annexation Of
Canada. As the train ran across the line
into the United States one of the me
looked out OF the window with the in
terest of man seeking familiar scenes.
There was just light enough for him
to see that the long ditch-marked farms
Of Canada, with their stone houses, had
been left behind, and that the less pic
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 rs
years, except for the introduction Of
this railroad. Twas born in this neigh
borhood, and although it sounds like a
queer admission, up to the time | was
22 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 1t doesn't pay, and then
again, it is not looked upon as respecta.
ble My father was engaged in the
same business before me, and several
Of our neighbors, good churchmen, were
in ii up to their eyes, and it is not
strange that my conscience did not be-
gin to work on this subject until one of
the respected citizens of nearby town
was convicted and sent to prison for
smuggling. The government made an
example Of him, and although all Of
his acquaintance regretted it at the
time, it has proved good thing.
Didn't the customs officers interfere ?
Well, some of them did conscientiously
when they got chance, and there were
plenty of them all along this line who
only made bluff of interfering that de-
ceived no one except the government.
| knew one officer who was in the bust
ness himself. Asa young man | thought
that smuggling was all right, and it
never occurred to me that was thief
! haven't done any of it since. Coming
through this region has brought back
some OF the old experiences. There were
then, and | have heard that there are
now, many stores built along the line,
so that one-half should be in Canada and
the other in New York state. Thismade
it easy to smugg,e in small articles, but
at the same time the customs officers
had to watch these stores closely or
lose their jobs,
81 worked a better scheme than that,
When ! was 16 years old my father,
whose farm was in the neighborhood,
gave me fast mare. She was very fast
for those days, though she wouldn't be
worth talking about now. built a
light two-wheeled gig for her, and I
deAed every officer along the line to
catch me, They all knew that | was
smuggling, but none of them could get
the proof, Ny method was simple.
would leave home about dusk in my gig
and drive leisurely across the line to a
little stone hotel, where | received my
liquor. The place was known to be a
depot for smugglers, and suspicion was
always directed toward any man who
frequented it. The proprietor was a
French-Canadian and as shifty as an
Indian. On the ground floor of his
house was a dingy dining-room and
opening into it very respectable bar
room for Lower Canada. The bar it.
self was of mahogany, and back of it
stood an imposing array of ale kegs.
The proprietor's name was Dumas, and
his imagination was as fertile as that
of his illustrious namesalke. 1t pleased
him to fool the customs officers, and he
did it in many different ways. Dumas
kept the liquors in long, oval-shaped
kegs in his cellar. There was no reason
why he shouldn't have as big stock
on hand as he chose, and whenever in
quisitive 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 was simply
blind that concealed the entrance to a
tunnel that ran to the barn 80 or 40 fee'
back from the house.
"That was the keynote of the SNUG
Cling scheme. Time and again | have
sat in Dumas barroom drinking ale
with fellows whom knew to be spot
tiers sent to keep tab on me, while Du
mas man, Madore, has softly rolled m.
keg of liquor through the tunnel ant
into the barn. My gig was fitted "
with three heavy straps, so arranged
that a key could be held by them clos
up under the seat, BY slipping TIN
straps clear to one side could easil,
drop the keg If | were closely pressed
When everything had been arrange
: Madore would come into the BARRON
. | ..LiaIl..a M nt anna M. nlia 70 ardn