The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-07-30
CLEVER SMUGGLERS.
Daring Efforts to Evade Uncle
Sans Customs Officials.
ONE BOLD PIECE OF WORK.
The Way Two Persistent Tariff Dodgers
Scared q Ships Captain and Escaped
the inspectors--A Poll Parrot That
Told Tales Out Of School.

In the early ninetles of the last cen
fury the precautions observed by the
officers OF the United States treasury
department in preventing or rather at
tempting to prevent the successful
smuggling of dutiable goods into this
country were as adequate in their
scope and as rigidly applied as they are
today. This means that the achieve
ments Of two smugglers, who may be
called Harry White and Richard Ber-
gen, need by no means be regarded as
Insignificant. For years they piled
their trade upon the various transat-
lantic liners, and when at length their
system was laid bare through the acu-
men OF government agents their In
genuity still served to prevent tho
Just punishment OF many other Of
tenders.
The smuggling White and Bergen
did was confined to trunks full of
nickel or silver plated German and
Swiss watches, English cutlery, wool
ems and tweeds. In the aggregate,
however, 1t may safely be ventured
that the revenue Of the nation suffered
more through these two men than
through the occasional successes OF
diamond smuggiers
Inevitably OF course as their tri-
umphs increased In duration and pro.
portion, &he leak forced itself upon the
notice OF the customs officers. White
and Bergen did not know this. Agents
OF the treasury department In England
and on the continent were set to work,
and eventually suspicion was fastened
upon Bergen, who was IN London en-
gagged In the wholesale purchase Of ia
BILE cutlery. The two smugglers were
never abroad together. It being part
Of the system for one to remain al
New York.
The government agents watched Der.
gen for fortnight One OF them was
never far on when a purchase was
made, and when the object of suspl
cion booked on a certain liner that
fact, together with a complete list of
the dutiable articles in his possession.
was cabled to Washington, The vessel
was due past Sandy Hook on May 16
$780,, and the custom house inspectors
had prepared distinguished welcome
for the man whom they had long re-
garded as their special bette noire.
Bergen was accomplished and genial
freQuented the smoking room night
and day and was popular with card
players and the passengers in general
One morning when the steamer was
few miles east OF Fire island there
came cry from the lookout, MAN In
small boat in distress or the port
bow" The captain deserted a man
standing up In a small sloop the mast
OF which was shattered and the craft
somewhat down by the head. She was
drifting to sea. and the captain signal
ed for full speed astern. altered his
course a trine and finally came near
enough to the occupant OF the sailboat
to throw him a line. by which. wet
and bedraggled. he was hauled to the
deck. amid the cheers of the passen.
gers. II Bergen felt surprise as he
saw his fellow conspirator White
spFawled on deck, he gave no indica-
tion OF II. In due time the ocean waif
disappeared from among the passen.
gers.
Developments were not long delayed.
The liner was approaching the Sandy
Hook light vessei when Bergen, Wild
OF eye. with hair dlsheveled and cheeks
flushed. sought the privilege of an Inn
mediate and private interview with
the ships chief executive He was
taken into the chart room. where. fall
ing on his knees before the captain, he
begged him never to divulge what he
was about to tell and then he unfolded
a terrible plot which he haG conceived
OF destroying the vessel and her pas
sengers
lie was q Fenian, he said aud had
been selected by his comrades to place
an Internal machine In the hold of the
British vessel Clockwork was attach
ed to the bomb, he declared. and 1t was
timed to so off within twenty minutes.
H0 had remained firm In his deadly
venture throughout the trip, but now
at the crucial moment n little boy with
whes he had played about deck and
hat wn to love had swerved him
fOM his purpose. lie said that the
leather trunk. and he begged the can,
tain to have It heaved overheard I've.
fore the mechanism ticking away the
life OF the ship should have time to do
It's work.
The captain was a man OF action.
and before the last words were out of
Bergen's mouth he was ON deck. sum.
moning the watch to quarters
Unto the baggage room all of you"
he roared. "and jack every piece OF
baggage on deckF
The crew set to work Trunk after
trunk was hauled out. while Bergen
stood beside the captain. shlyering In
excess OF emotion. suddenly he caught
the officer by the arm
That's itg' he cried. pointing to an
enormous trunk
IAN right" replied the captain. "Now,
then. men," pointing TO the designated