Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-11
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Smuggling Episode.
loriginal.1

There is on the northern part of Man
haitian Island an eminence called Fort
George. When General Washington re-
treated from Long Island. he took up a
temporary position there while his tired
army recuperated. Now the place is
summer restaurant where people go to
dine on the broad piazzas and enjoy the
view. One evening two men were sit
ting on the veranda next the wall OF
the house. Through a window beside
them they could hear the orchestra
playing inside and look at the piano.
rama without They We're talking in a
very low tone.
Now that the job is finished and
we're rich I'd like to hear about your
early efforts in the same direction"
said one to the other.
'They were not cry successful. You
see, every way OF concealing diamonds
for smuggling purposes on the person
is pretty we'll known to the customs
men. l invented some of Them or
thought 1 did, but others had either
used them or soon got on to them. The
first 1 tried was cultivating my hair to-
grow straight up on my head and con-
cealing diamonds there. But on one
trip several of us were suspected and
searched. Seeing the searcher go
through the hair and beard of one of
the party-diamonds were found in his
beard was obliged to part with my
stock in a hurry through a crack in the
floor. This was dead loss of $4,000.
MY next venture was having boot
heels made hollow, and in each heel l
successfully brought through $4,000 of
gems. which helped me out of my pre-
vious loss. 1 would have tried it again,
but heard that the detectives had got
on to the scheme.
'iOn my next trip took my wife with
me, and when we returned she had on
hat adorned with a dozen of the
prettiest red cherries you ever saw, and
in each cherry was diamond. The
scheme would have worked well if she
had come through alone. Unfortunate
ly Swas recognized as having been sus-
petted on previous occasions, and this
involved her. We were both searched,
and the women who examined her
went straight for the cherries.
81 had good success in having the
works of tiny lady's watch put into
good sized chronometer. This left i
fine space around the works for jewels,
and l filed it up. But on this occasion
1 could have had the diamonds any
where, for 1 was disguised and went
through without being suspected. 80 i'
"At last the customs officers got to
examining everything man or woman
could wear that could be made hollow,
and 1 concluded to get up a dodge by
which the jewels could be brought
70 Nv
animation. 1 taxed my ingenuity to the
utmost, but could devise no way with
out taking in confederate, knew
you and had confidence in your being
straight. AS for nerve or sleight Of
hand or anything like that, the case
didn't require it. The beauty of the
scheme was that l could bring as many
diamonds as 1 liked.
"You know the rest. L took passage
from New York and before leaving the
| wharf at Southampton engaged re-
| turn berth and at once cabled you in
| New York the number of my berth,
which you secured for next trip out.
| When l went aboard again with $780,
| 600 worth of diamonds, 1 knew just
| where l was to put them. l had Il car
| penter's bit, a narrow saw and pot of
paint During the trip took up a sec
| ton of the Stateroom floor and chuclled
in the diamonds. OF course as an old
suspect when L went ashore l was
searched. But as the diamonds were
still on the ship 1 didn't mind a little
| thing like that. though 1 went off with
the usual Indignation at being taken
| for a smuggler.
Il confess was a little nervous the
day you sailed. 1 knew you had the
room all right, but feared some slip.
| You see q big part of half a million
was at stake. When your wife and
daughters, after seeing you off, came
| in with the bags in their pockets and
told how they had cried over you and
waved to you and all that, l was hap
! by as a king. l knew that 1 must con-
ceal the haul somewhere till your re-
turn or longer, for that matter, and
concluded there was no safer place
| than on my own person. No one is 60
ing to modest me. The only fear for a
smuggler is coming ashore with the
| goods on him.
The dinner being finished, the two
men lighted cigars. slipped their coffee
! and leaned back in their chairs with
the comfortable feeling of having
staked all on a chance and won.
"ShaIl we divide nowT" asked the lis
tener
"Just as you like. I've got two bags
in my pocket of equal value. I'll take
out my handkerchief. In it will be one
of the bags. I'll toss the handkerchief.
with the bag, carelesaly into my hat.
When we leave, you take my hat in
stead of your own
The feat was executed. Just as the
men were about to rise two arms
reached from the window and grasped
their coat collars. AT the same time a
man dining at a neighboring table
arose, advanced and clapped pair of
bracelets on each.
The change from the satisfied express
sion on the smugglers' faces to abject