The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-04-12
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: A SMUCGLEh'S LAST TRIP. :
The Turning Point for Young Man
ON the Border.

York one night were half dozen men
discussing politics, the service of the
road, and the possible annexation of
Canadh. 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 a 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. was born in this neigh
boranood, and although it sounds like
queer admission, up to the time l was
% years old l 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, it is not looked upon as respecta-
bic. My father was engaged in the
|
of our neighbors, good churchmen, were
in it up to their eyes, and it is not
strange that my conscience did not be-
gin to work on this subject until one OF
TIE 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 acquaintances regretted it at the
time, it has proved a good thing.
Didn't the customs officers interfere ?
Well. some of them cid 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,
l knew one officer who was in the bust
ness himself. As young man thought
that smuggling was all right, and 1t
never occurred to me that l was thief
l haven't done any of it since. Coming
through this region has brought bach
some of the old experiences. There were
then, and l have heard that there arr
now, many stores built along the line
| so that one-half should be in Carada anC
| the other in New York state. Thismad'
! it easy to smuggie in small articles, bu
9 at the same time the customs officer!
lad 10 watch these stores closely O
lose their jobs
81 worked a better scheme than that
When 1 was 16 years old my father
whose farm was in the neighborhooo
gave me fast mare. She was very fas
for those days, though she wouldn't b
worth talking about now. 1 built
light two-wheeled gig for her, and
defied every officer along the line I
g catch me. They all knew that wa
! smuggling, but none of them could &c
- the proof. My method was simple.
would leave home about dusk in my gi
- and drive leisurelJa across the line to
little stone hotel, where received m
liquor. The place was known to be
= depot for smugglers, and suspicion W;
@ always directed toward any man WI
;. frequented it. The proprietor was
- French-Canad6an and as shifty as a
5 Indian. On the ground floor of h
n house was dingy dining-room an
. opening into it very respectable ba
room for Lower Canada. The bar
u self was of mahogany, and back of
stood an imposing array of ale key
The proprietor's name was Dumas, al
his imagination was as fertile as tbs
re of his illustrious namesaloe. 1t Pleas
n him to fool the customs officers, and
| did it in many different ways. Dunn
70 kept the liquors in long, oval-shap
= kegs in his cellar. There was no reas'
IG why he shouldn't have as big sto'
on hand as he chose, and whenever
H. cuisitive customs officers came over 4
9 line in spying expeditions Dumas W
&c ready to take them into his cellar a
exhibit his stock. Not until five yea
after had left the smuggling busint
did the officers discover that one
cask in Dumas cellar was simply
blind that concealed the entrance t.
tunnel that ran to the barn 80 or 40 II
back from the house.
THAT was the keynote of the sm1
Cling scheme. Time ondl again | hs
sat in Dumas barroom drinking
III with fellows whom l knew to be sp
III tiers sent to keep tab on me, while |
III mas man, Madore, has softly rolled ]
"a key of liquor through the tunnel a
into the barn. My gig was fitted
with three heavy straps, so arrans
that key could be held by them ell
up under the seat. BY slipping
= straps clear to one side l could cas-
drop the key if were closely press
When everything had been arran'
INST Madore would come into the barro
on whistling. That was my cue to or
to my horse hitched up. When that '
W, done would saunter out to the ba
get into my gig and drive out by a b
road. Orce started l knew that no {
toms officer could catch me. The {
toms spoilers who knew that DuI
kept his liquors in his cellar, and '
had watched me all the time and
III stem nothing taken from the Gel
concluded that had been bluffed
Time and again 1 worked that G;
% and many a long dark ride had ia
to land my stuff safely. If the off
decided to guard certain road