CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1898-01-27
"A SHU6GLEI. s LAST TRIP.
The Turning fsint for Young Man
ea tic Border.
NORTHUMBERLAND

I1ork one night were half dozen Gnen
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 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 uhe track. Settling himself
back in his seat and including the other
smokers in his audience, he said:
This country hasn't changed in %
years. except for the introduction of
this railroad. / was born in this neigh
bor4ood, and although ii sounds like a
queer admission, up to the time / was
2. 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 ROW. Probably the chief
reason is that it doesn't pay, and then
again. it is not looked upon as respecta-
Bile. Ny father was engaged in the
same business before me, and several
of our neighbors good churchrnen. were
in it up 10 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 a nearby town
WIS 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 a good thing.
-Didn't the customs officers interfere?
well. some of them did conscientiously
widen they got a chance, and there We're
plenty of them all along this line who
only made a bluff of interfering that de-
ceived no one except the government.
1 knew one officer who was in the busi-
ness himself As a young man thought
that smuggling was all right. and il
ncver occurred TO me that was a thief.
haven't done any OF it since. Coming
through this region has brought back
some of the old experiences. There were
then, and I have heard that there are
now, many stores built along the line.
SO tbs: one-kalf should be in Canada and
the other in New York state. This made
il easy to smuegie in small articles. but
At the same time the customs officers
had to watch these stores closely or
lose their jobx
Il worked . better scheme than that
When I was 10 years old my father.
whose farm was in the neighborhood.
guve me fast mare. She WIS very fast
for those days. though she wouldn't be
worth talking about now. l bull, a
liGAt two-wheeled gig for her. and
ds4ed every ofiicer along the line to
cafch me They all knew that was
smuggling. but none of them could ge,
the proof. Ny method was simple. I
would leave home about dusk in my gig
and drive leisurely across the line to
little stone hotel. where 1 received my
liquor The place was known TO he
depot for sTnugglers. and suspicion was
always directed toward any man who
frequented IT. The proprietor was
French-Canacsan and as shifty rs an
Indian On the ground floor of his
house was dingy diuing-room and
opening into il a very respectable bar
room for Lower Canada. The bar it,
self was of mahogany, and back of il
stood an imposing array of ale kegs.
The proprietor's naIne was Dumas. aats
his im>s.i-ation was as fertile as that
OF his iilustrious namesalle. Ii pleased
him 10 fool the customs officers. and he
did it ia many different Ways. Dumas
kept the liqnors in long. oS.sl-shapsd
kegs in his cellar. There was uo rtason
why he shouldn't have rs big stock
on haId as he chose, and whenever in
Guisiiise customs officers came over the
fs,. -, n,,,,,z,s ,,-,s
ready to take ihsm into his cellar and
exhibit his stock. Not until five years
after l had left the smuggling business
did the, officers discover that one big
cask in Dumas cellar was Simply n
blind that concealed the entrance to a
tunnel that ran To the barn 30 or 40 fee;
back from the house.
'-Tha; was the keynote of the SNUG
glirg scheme. Time and again l have
sat in Dumas barroom drinking ale
with fellows whom I knew to he spot
ters sent to keep tab on me. while Du-
mas man, Madore. has softly rolled my
keg of liquor through the tunnel and
into the barn. My gig was fitted up
with three heavy straps, SO arranged
that keg could be held by them close
up under the seat. BY slipping the
straps clear to one side l could easily
drop the keg If were closely pressed,
When everything had been arranged
Madore would come into the barroom
whistling. That was my cue to order
my horse hitchedl up. When that was
done would eaunter out to the barn.
get into my gig and drive out by a back
road. Once started knew that no Gus
toms officer could catch me. The GUS
toms sposters who knew that Dumas
kept his liquors in his cellar. and who
had watched me all the time and had
seen nothing taken from the cellar.
concluded that I had been b,utfed out.
TiAe and again l worked that game
and many a long dark ride had taken
10 land my stuff safely. II the officers
decided to guard certain road, l had
good frien1& who would tip me off. and
sometimes I have been forced TO drive
ten or fsfteen miles ou; of my way TO
evade them. One night when two of
them got after me and my horse was
tired out. saw that was bound to be
overhauled. I drove into the ditch.
slipped my straps and dropped the keg.
and then I logged along waiting TO be
ovrrtaken. On came the two officers
with their horse blowing heavily.
Halt. now shouted one of them.
'c~ w~ win shoot We've got you this
OWAa4 do you mean answered.
stcppinE my horse.