Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-01-29
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Z A SMUGGLER'S LAST TRIP. :
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8 The Turning Point for Young Man !
Z on the Border.
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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 men
| looked out of the window with the in.
terest of n mnn seeking familiar scenes.
There was just light enough for him
to see that the long gditch-ma rlsed ia rms
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 q
| years, except for the introduction OF
this railroad. Twas born in this neigh
borhood, and although It sounds like q
| queer admission, up to the time 1 was
22 years old 1 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, II Is not looked upon as respecta.
BILE. My father was engaged in the
same business before me, and several
of our neighb hbors, good churchmen, were
in 1t up to their eyes, and it Is not
strange that my conscience did not be.
gin to work on this subject until one od
the respected citizens OF a nearby town
was convicted and sent to prison for
smuggling. The government made an
example of him, and although all OF
| his acquaintances regretted it at the
time, it has proved good thing.
Didn't the customs officers interferei
Well, some of them cid conscientiously
when they got chance, and there were
plenty of them all along this line who
only made 4 bluff of interfering that de.
ceived no one except the government
knew one officer who was in the bust
ness himself. As q young man l 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. Therewere
then, and I have heard that there are
now, many stores built along the line.
so thatone-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 officers
had to watch these stores closely OF
lose their jobs
81 worked a better scheme than that
When I 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. I built q
light two-wheeled gig for her. and ]
defied every officer along the line to
/ catch me. They all knew that was
smuggling, but none of them could get
the proof. My method was simple.
| would leave home about dusk In my gig
and drive leisurely, across the line to q
little stone hotel, where received my
liquor. The place was known to be O
depot for smugglers, and suspicion was
always directed toward any man who
frequented it. The proprietor was a
French-CanadEan and as shifty as al
Indian. On the ground floor of his
house was dingy dining-room and
opening into it very respectable bar
room for Lower Canada. The bar st.
self was of mahogany, and back of il
stood an imposing array of ale kegs
The proprietor's name was Dumas, ano
his imagination was as fertile as that
of his illustrious namesake. 1t pleased
him to fool the customs officers, and ht
did it in many different ways. Dumas
kept the liquors in long, oval-shapeo
kegs In his cellar. There was no reason
why he shouldn't have as big a stoct
on hand as he chose, and whenever in
| Ouisitive customs officers came over THE
line in spying expeditions Dumas wal
ready TO take them into his cellar ant
exhibit his stock. Not until five year.
after had left the smuggling cuisines
did the officers discover that one biz
cask in Dumas cellar was simply
blind that concealed the entrance to (
tunnel that ran TO the barn 30 or 40 fee
back from the house.
That was the keynote of the SNUG
Cling scheme. Time und again I hav.
sat in Dumas barroon drinking al
with fellows whom l knew to be spot
tiers sent to keep tab on me, while Du
mas man, Madore, has softly rolled N.
keg Of liquor through the tunnel AM
into the barn. My gig was fitted u
with three heavy straps, 30 arrange'
that keg could be held by them clos
up under the sent. BY slipping tn
straps clear to one side I could easii
drop the keg If l were closely pressed
When everything had been arrange
Madore would come into the barrooT
whistliug. What was my cue to orde
my horse hitchedl up. When that wa
done would saunter out to the barI
get into my gig and drive out by q bac
road. Once started knew that no GU:
toms officer could catch me. The Gu!
toms spoilers who knew that Duma
kept his liquors in his cellar, and VIII
had watched zne all the time and ha
seen nothing taken from the celia
concluded that had been blnffed ou
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