The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-01

The crowds of Americans going abroad have made excellent business for the steamship card sharps. The season has been so profitable that where two or three were once considered sufficient for a steamer this year gangs of nVe ana six and even seven are necessary to mako a thorough clean~up. The oldest games have been worked without discovery. One retired gambler told a reporter the other day that he saw a gang spread ing. holding out and dealing from the bottom with such crudity that he felt sorry for the victims.
 Tt was like taking candy from cnil- dren" he said. Their success has been so easy that some gangs have been out rageously impudent. On recent steamer just before reaching land two card sharps met in the smoking room in the pres ence of their victims. One said: Let's divide up now, to blazes with these mugs and divide they did. None Of the victims even made a. squeaL"
 This unprecedented ocean travel benefits everybody but the customs officers. For them 1t means nothing but annoyance and hard work There are mighty few men and fewer women who do not Ny to beat the customs Others get into trouble because they do not understand the ex- emption law Under this law an Amer ican who goes abroad may purchase and bring in. duty free, s100 worth of foreign made goods. But the $100 must consist of wearing apparel, articles Of personal adornment, toilet articles and similar per sonal effects necessary for the comfort and convenience of the traveller tray eler may bring home a suit of clothes purchased in London, two or three pairs of gloves made in Paris, some silver match boxes made In Switzerland, or even a diamond pin from South Africa so long as the total value of the articles come within the s100 But if the tourist should see a fascinating pin for $l he cannot bring home 100 of them to give to ms friends without paying the usual duty. A woman is not permitted to bring home two or three dozen pairs of gloves to give to her friends. But nine out or every ten persons either do not under stand the law or they try to evade IL. Some of them try to get their baggage passed by tipping the inspector. Inls rarely has the desired effect for the rules are very strict The inspectors always have in mind that black Friday when forty of them were dismissed for accept ing tips.
 Then there arer the professional snug glers who go abroad at the busy season under the impression that at this time there is more chance of success. The eX- periences of the inspectors with tnese indicators are amusing in many instau- ces. One day a man in clerical garb got off a liner. He had one trunk which contained nothing but ordinary wearing apparel He had in his \ hand large Pible which of course, wasn't dutlaDle. But disaster was in store Tor the plous clergyman. As he walked down the gang plank he stubbed his toes and fell sprawl ing on the pier. The Bible flew out CT his hands with the most unexpected re- suits secret spring was toucned ana A little door in the cover of the Bible flew open, revealing a hundred glittering diamonds.
 On one occasion seizure was made or a small lot of rubies concealed in the heel of a mans shoe Women make the most trouble for they conceal things about the person in such a way as to make the search both delicate and difficult.
 Tn this connection 1t Is interesting to know that the United States has com plete system by which contemplated frauds are detected and prevented Ex- perienced men are posted In London, Paris. Berlin and other large centers They keep In touch with the great busi- ness houses and If an unusually large purchase of jewelry or millinery or dress goods Is made the fact is flashed over the wires to the COlectOrS Ol lne Piih- cipal ports. A special watch is kept on dressmakers who go abroad to make their purchases. If the goods are all declared at their proper value on arrival In this country all goes we'll If not there is troIble.
 Visitors to New York always comment ion the horse cars in Twenty-eighth and Twenty ninth streets and around the wa ter front. New Workers have grown ac- customed to these reminders of the dark ages and had almost forgotten that they existed until the other day they were referred to in the Investigation into the street railway system In connection with most astounding piece of financial chi canery. This would be q suitable head line for the story: How s25,000 grew Into s5 4OO. .O0O Financial alchemy sused to turn street ear horse line into mint"
 When the company was organized bonds were issued for construction but the in- terest on them was never paid. According ly on May 26, 1896, the Central Trust com pam, In foreclosure proceedings, ob- tained a judgment against the company for ssc9, ,74S. On September 30 of that year