Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-08-22
WOMEN SMUGGLERS.
Not So Numerous as Formerly on
the Canadian Border.
Vet There rs Plenty OF Work for the
Secret Service Agents - How
They Try to Dodge tho
Customs Officers.


Customs officers.
"Good, old-fashioned smuggling,"
said customs officer, ''does not exist
to very large extent to-day. There is
still plenty of work for secret service
agents, but their duties constantly ac-
quaint them with new schools Of
crime. Ships play much smaller part,
directly, in smuggling than they used
to. There is. I dare say, more cheating
going on through the compact cubic
space of Q lady's trunk than there is in
the holds of all the long, low, rakish
craft or the successors of such craft,
at present doing business on our coasts.
The total capacity OF all the women's
trunks landed from transatlantic
steamships is very great, much great
er than it used to be.
"The Canadian border offers some
special advantages for the gentry who
match their wits against the collectors
OF revenue and the special agents of the
treasury. The character Of the goods
Struggled across the Canada line is IA
vorable' to the smugglers, too. Horses
and cattle are easily transported, for
they carry themselves, and who is to
notice if they cross the imaginary line
between Uncle Sans domain and the
land Of the Canucks while grazing along
the border and then full to return to
their former stables? Or, who is to
know 1t If live stock is driven along lit
tie-frequented roads until the border is
crossed and the goods are delivered to
willing and inscriptions cooperators
on the American side?
but your real, up-to-date smuggler
is, am sorry to say, woman. She
would be grossly offended if she were
described as criminal at Ill, except in
the opinion of officers who have become
testy and cynical by long observation.
OF course, I don't mean to say that men
do not smuggle goods by means Of their
personal baggage when returning from
abroad, but really the most cheerful,
matter-of-fact, yet ingenious, smuggler
4 is woman, and the medium Of her eva
sion of the law Is not the schooner or
sloop, but trunk. IF it is big Sara
toga trunk, SO much the better. The
owner of the trunk OF trunks may be
the most conscientious person in the
United States, and she may be pune
tilious in all matters of ethical observ-
ance which go to make up everyday
living in the city Of New York and other
respectable communities, but she
doesn't mind bribing customs inspec-
tor with five dollars for the purpose of
having her new Paris gowns passed
duty free. Respectable women have
been arrested for that-sort of thing be-
fore now, although that is not COM
mon occurrence, and they have invari-
nbly been shocked and even indignant
that the law should call such things by
offensive names.
Il have no doubt that the government
still loses many thousands of dollars
year on account of dishonest entries
OF goods In passengers baggage The
matter has recently been revived by the
preferring of charges against num-
Der OF inspectors at the port Of New
York by Collector Bidwell. y man who
was collector ut the port Of New York
not many administrations ago told me
that the public, even the treasury de-
7artment, does not realize the difficult
ties to be contended with i'll regard to
passengers baggage at that port. He
said to me:
Not long ago amost respectable and
"eii-to-do lady of my acquaintance in
rsew iorl came to my office and said
that she had just returned from abroad.
Then she stated the business that called
herto my office. She had purchased while
IA Europe number Of expensive gowns
and some gloves and lace. The total
value OF the goods was perhaps S., 500.
Then she remarked In the most matter
of-fact way that she supposed the
dresses and things could be brought in
without any charges" and asked me
II 1 would not do her the favor of look
Ing personally after her baggage. 1
had had less experience than have had
since, and was thunderstruck. AS
coon as got over the state of rattles
into which she had thrown me man
aged to say that / was bound very
strictly by the law and that could not
oblige her. Well, she was in huff,
though her good breeding caused her
to show it simply by a rather cool
good-morning and an air of having
been disobliged by some one who ought
TO oblige her. She has never recovered
from that interview, as I Judge by her
manner when I occasionally meet her
now. and neither have I, but our points
OF view in the matter are apparently
as far apart as ever
Now, this woman would have offered
customs inspector five or ten dol
lars # she hadn't happened to know
the collector as personal acquaint-
ance, and the act wouldn't have trou-