The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-22
HOW BAGGAGE Is EXAMINED.
The Experience Of Capt Brooks and Party
nm Their Return From Havana.

Oh NttuTu bTOUl HuoNostu
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2l.-Capt. n. N.
Brooks, Superintendent Of Foreign Mails
who recently returned from visit to Cuba,
has decided that hereafter when travelling
he will obtain copy of the circular letter
regularly extended to Government ofAcials
and avoid having his baggage exposed to
what he calls the courtesy of the Chester
fields Of the New York Custom House.
Capt. Brooks went to Havana for reorea-
ton and did not wish TO ask for courtesies
on the ground OF Official position. He had
heard from other travellers Of the alleged
indignities to which they had been sub
jected on entering the Port Of New York.
but his baggage had always been passed
with the most formal examination pos
sible. On this occasion his party had pre- .
pared their baggage to facilitate the work
of INSPECTION, and 1t was believed that no
Inconvenience would result. Capt. Brooks
is still smartng under the treatment no
received.
Among his effects were four boxes OF
twenty-five cigars each, and these. to-
gether with a few pieces Of lace and two
boxes of candy, done up in sealed pack
ages, brought In by the ladies in the party.
had all been duly declared. The trunks.
suit cases and hand bags. Capt. Brooks
said, were thrown out on the dirty wharf
and apparently no effort was made to
keep them clean.
When the examiner came along. after a
long wait, he not only went through each
trunk and tray, but took particular pains
TO disarrange clothes put In layers or piles.
Nothing was sacred, said Capt. Brooks,
Indignantly. when he came across any
thing hard, il had to be examined In de-
tail. A box, for instance, in which one OF
the ladies packed her collars, stickpns and
such small articles, " explored and its
contents scattered over the wharf. In
FIVE minutes that lot Of baggage looked as
though a cyclone had struck 1t. Then
the man took up the boxes of candy, which
was in the original sealed packages, with
the manufacturers name on them. He
broke open each box and was not bit par
ticular about putting il back in its place.
the result being that the candy was strewn
around with clothing, dc. The four boxes
Of cigars suffered in the same way. One
I had opened that It might be examined
readily, but he insisted on breaking them
all open, and finally took them of 10 have
an appraisement made. He has them
yet, for | got tired OF waiting for his re-
turn and went TO the hotel
Capt Brooks said the way the inspector
unnecessarily threw the apparel around
the dirty pier was a just cause for indig-
nation. Underwear, soiled or otherwise
was needlessly exposed TO the view OF the
crowd. When the trunks were again opened
al the hotel lots of the dirt from the pier
was found included. The candy had
melted and half the clothing in the trunk
was soiled with it. The result was an
appalling change from the orderly. way
in which the trunks had been packed. not
10 speak Of the articles which had been
damaged
Capt Brooks says that the next time
he goes out Of the country he will carry
letter from the Treasury Department
TO protect him on his return.