The evening times., 1900-05-26
DETECTIVES ON TIE SEAS.
Men Who scent VioIatorS of Customs
Laws on steamer.

Qrom the New York Nail and Express-)
How smugglers snuggle Is well knowI
In every country that puts duty On Ger
tain imports, but how the Government on
Gals put their hands on the yiolators o
the Law Is quite another story! A late col
| leetor OF the port once said that ther'
would be smuggling in many genera
tions TO come as one could count ON his I'm,
gers, and possibly longer Some think i
No crime 10 steal from the rich" Govern
nnent, and they lay their plans 10 bring II
dutiable goods free as cautiously and cleV-
eriy as does the burglar who is about tc
break into a house. There isn't a wide
difference between the two in the minds Of
strictly honest people.
IL is not generally known 70 gIObe-trot-
tiers, or even stay-at-homes, that the
United States has several OF the bright
est men in the customs service constantly
on the 90 crossing and recrossing the At
lantie in search Of those who are likely TO
have bad memories when II comes 20 the
point OF making a declaration The lat
ter Is a strong legal document 10 which
every incoming tourist has to swear and
afhx his signature. So that when a trav-
eler is found guilty OF bringing into the
country that which does not appear as an
! entry on his declaration he is likewise
guilty Of perjury.
The Government employees who make
4
I the pay OF the Treasury Department II is
I obvious that they are obliged to have a
( gentlemanly presence and an aiability
/ that usually marks the great traveller This
aIfability Is worth a good deal to the Gov
! ernment, and IL has been the downfall Of
many smuggIers.
I Condolences are exchanged while the huge
twin screws are ehurning the water astern.
and the man with the diamonds or other
/ Il.
tires or inside the cheap cigars that he has
purchased abroad learns with a great deal
of interest that his agreeable companion
who says that he Is a broker or something
OF the sort also intends TO devote his ener-
gies 10 defrauding Uncle Sam or course
this agreeable companion does not intend
70 do anything OF the sort. but this is one
Of his many ruses for finding out how the
wind blows on the other side OF the fence
He makes the acquaintance of everybody
worth knowing during each tr3p, and he
entertains the smoker as well as the social
hail with the latest and best stories. When
the ship reaches Sandy Hook he knows most
OF the other passengers better than anyone
else He is the first man ashore and in the
examination Of his luggage comes the funny
part Of the whole thing.
Having made his declaration in the main
saloon coming Up the bay the same as the
paper and received square white card
with blue-penciled numerai drawn across
its face. he presents this 10 the customs Of
dcials on the dock and an Inspector who
little suspecting who he is, dives into his
trunks and hand valise.
In the mef .4time and while the passen-
gers are svarming 10 the pier from the
ship and hundreds OF bedroom stewards
are luggirg ashore the great tangle OF
-ha
agent Of the Government has run within
hailing distance OF somebody who does
know him
They shake hands as warmly as IL the
whole thing was not made up. and they
act as IL they hadn't seen each other in
twenty years. The newcomer is on the
collectors or surveyors star, and he finds
neatly folded piece Of paper in his hand
when the secret agent hastens OF in
search Of his luggage. This paper is
known from 10 by its new owner with
in few minutes and the next interesting
chapter is when the whole thing is over
and the would-be smuggleT is alone and
asks himself:
Now, how in the name Of all that's
reasonable did they know I had that jew
elry?''
There are certain houses abroad which
sell diamonds. silks. or other dutiable |
goods TO American buyers and notify the /
Treasury agents Immediately Thus il is
that frequently the moment a tourist steps I
on board a ship on the other side with \
valuables that he may forget" to declare I
on arrival here. the fact is cabled to this 1
side and the boarding officers and inspec- =
tors pass him the compliments Of the day l
on the pier. II is perfectly legitimate for /
these European tradesmen to give this sort 4
Of information for consideration. because
a smuggler who makes business of \
bringing goods surreptitiousiy into the 4
country can afford 10 cut prices and sell /
at prices which the importer who pays
duty cannot possibly meet with profit
This is well understood by the Eurovean
merchants. who find il to their interest to
uphold prices.
The system does not apply to Europe
alone One large manufacturing house In
Havana makes it rule to notify the Gov
ernment agents when tourist buys 1
large quantity Of cigars without taking !
out an invoice There can be no escsne I
from duties when an invoice is made
To draw the strings around the disbon-
est ones tighter there gather at the pier OF
every big steamer on arrival a stan OF
Treasury officials. whose sole business is
10 discover anything that nav have es-
>aped the observation of the agents abroad.
Among these are several iaspectresses.
who can spy bulgilg gown several cable
engtns away. brown and DOnohue two
Of the most expert of these inspectors.
have saved the Government their salaries
ten times over within the last fifteen
years Their methods of operation are
unique. When they see a passenger who
appears to have a protuberaBce TO star
board or port they brush up against him
n the most accidental fashion and apollo
yize most profusely as they withdraw But ,
heir hands have felt that suspicious
looking bulge, and while sometimes ii is
,f the most ordinary character. not infre-
luently Brown tips Donohue or the latter
xinks at Brown and the new arrival is
luietly invited 10 a private room at the
lead of the dock 70 be searched.
Deputy Surveyor Bowling is another
;reat smuggler catcher. They say of him :
hat he can scent a hidden diamond or
,ther dutiabie stun a block away
Running Sores, the outcome OF neglect.
Y bad blood, have never-iaiiing balm in Dr.