The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-22
WHY THEY ARE CAUGHT,
Means Of Detection That Genteel SmuggIers
Little Dream OF.

For the last ss-y weeks all the ocean
liners sailing from European ports for
New York have been crowded, and
many people who were negligent
about securing return passage have
been compelled to change their plans
by receiving the information that the
ship Of their choice was ''all full"
The majority of the passengers on
ocean steamers combined shopping
with sightseeing while abroad, and
the problem of how to get the pur-
chases past the Custom House off,
Gals without paying duty on them
keeps many passengers thinking for
days on the hOmeward trip.
Custom House officers say that
many men and.women who would re-
sent any insinuation as to their hon.
esty look upon smuggling as "all
right" and think that a declaration
under oath that they have nothing
dutiable in their trunks need not be
positively true so long as only the
Government loses in consequence. De
spite the schemes and plans of the
dishonest passengers who bring pr
jury permeated presents from Paris,
many seizures have been made this
season, and more goods have been con-
fiscated than in former summers. In
many instances the detected smuggler
blames himself for having looked
guilty, or for having concealed the
laces or diamonds in the wrong place,
and then remembers how Mrs. Smith
brought a whole wedding outfit
through for her daughter or how Mrs.
Brown landed a lot of furs lust be-
cause she was smart
In nine cases out of ten the collapse
of the smuggling scheme was due
neither to the guilty look of the pass
enger and his failure to pack the stuff
properly, nor to the vigilance of the
custom officers. but to the desire on
the part of a shopkeeper in Europe to
get even."
THE Government has had much
aid said detective, from the Euro
pean shopkeepers. When an Ameri-
can woman appears on the scene and
looks his stock over, the Paris dealer
does his best to make sale. If the
woman is simply shopper just
looking around for friend the
storekeeper must grin and bear it. But
when he finds out that Mrs. American
has made her purchases at a rival es-
Establishment, and they all have means
for gaining that information, he goes
further and fiids out when the wo-
man will sail. Then he gives the Gus
toms authorities tip. Tips of that
kind are forwarded to Washington
and placed in the hands of special
. men. Lots of gowns, furs. jewelry
and other goods have been stopped al
the steamer piers which would un
doubtedly have slipped through bur
for the aid received from these dis
gruntled European merchants ant
? dressmakers. The Government some
times receives tips from other source,
also. but the object is usually revenge
, and the informer invariably hides be
hind an assumed name. A specimen
, case was that of man who wrot'
the Custom House to look for a mai
on a certain steamer who would hav'
a lot of goods In his possession which
he would try to bring through Tn
r man came on the steamer as an
3 nounced. and, sure enough, he had
; big lot of undeclared stuff. and wa
put to much trouble and expense be
: fore he got matters Strengthened on,
i. His trouble all came from beating
d another man at poker on the tri
: apf-"-Nsw York Tribune