Evening journal., 1899-08-29
WOMEN sMUGGLERS.
Not So Numerous as Formerly on
the Canadian Border.
Yet There Is Plenty of work for the
secret Service Agents = How
They Try TO Dodge the
Customs Omcers.

said customs officer, "does not exist
to a very large extent to-day. There is
still plenty of work for secret service
agents. but their duties constantly nc
quaint them with new schools OF
crime. Ships play much smaller part,
directly. In smuggling than they used
to. There is, dare say, more cheating
going on through the compact cubic
space of lady's trunk than there is in
the holds Of all the long, low, rakish
craft or the successors of such craft,
nt present doing business on our cousts.
The total capacity of all the women'a
trunks landed from transatlantic
steamships is very great, much great
er than il used 10 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
smuggled across the Canada line is IA
yorable 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 grazingalong
the border and then fail to return 20
their former stables? Or, who is TO
know Il II live stock is driven along lit
tle-frequeated 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, l am sorry TO say. woman. She
would be grossly offended If she were
described as a criminal at all, except in
the opinion Of officers who have become
testy and cynical by long observation.
or course, I don't mean to saythat men
do not smuggle goods by means of their
personal baggage when returning from
abroad, but really the NEST cheerful,
matter-of-fact, yet ingenious. smuggler
is woman, and the medium of her eva
sion of the law is not the schooner or
sloop, but a trunk. If it is big Sara
toga trunk, so much the better. The
owner of the trunk or trunks may be
the most conscientious person in the
United States, and she may be punc-
tilious in all matters of ethical obsery-
ance which go TO make up everyday
living in the city of New York and other
respectable communities. but she
doesn't mind bribing n 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 q COM
mon occurrence, and they have invari-
ably been shocked and even Indignant
that the law should call such things by
offensive names.
81 have no doubt that the government
still loses many thousands OF dollars a
year on account Of dishonest entries
OF goods IN passengers baggage. The
matter has recently been revived by the
preferring of charges against a num-
Der Of inspectors at the port of New
York by Collector Bidwell 4 man who
was collector at the port Of New York
not many administrations ago told me
that the public, even the treasury de-
partment, does not realize the difficult
ties TO be contended with in regard to
passengers baggage at that port. lie
said TO me;
mot longagoa a most respectable and
well-to-do lady of my acquaintance in
New York came TO my Office and said
/ that she had Just returned from abroad.
Then she stated the business that called
hertomy Office. Shehad purchased while
in Europe a number of expensive gowns
and some gloves and lace. The total
value of the goods was perhaps 81 500
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
! " ! would not do her the favor Of look.
ing personally after her baggage.
had had less experience than have had
since, and l was thunderstruck. Al
soon as ! got over the state of rattlei
into which she had thrown me man
aged 10 say that ] was bound yer,
strictly by the law and that could no
oblige her. Well. She was in q hui
though her good breeding caused he
TO show il simply by rather coo
good-morning and an air Of having
been disobliged by some one who ough
10 oblige her She has never recovcrc,
from that interview, as l judge by he
manner when ! occasionally meet he
now, and neither have l, but our point
OF view in the matter are cpparentl,
as far apart as ever
"Now. this woman would have offere,
customs inspector five or ten dol
lars If she hadn't happened TO knoV
the collector as personal acquaint
ance, and the act wouldn't have trou
bled her conscience a bit more. Tn
crusade against the dishonest custom
inspectors is now on in earnest, bu
the abuses are n hard matter 10 dea
with. The inspectors get only four dol
lars n day, and there is lot of tempta
tion for them, and besides, some O
these inspectors, together with man
other citizens, believe il is all right I
cheat the government."-N.Y Y. Sun.