Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-05
SCHEMES OF sMUeelERs.
Tricks Often Tried, But Almost Ger
tain to Be Detected.

Ticke STton iTiooJ Due Nhoss WI
tain to Be Detected.
l have met all kinds of smugglers,
writes a customs officer in the Ladies'
Home Journal, but the most pictur-
esque, in my memory, was the bogus
minister with the imitation Bible.
The man, who was dressed in strict
clerical garb, had one trunk; 1t con-
tanned nothing beyond ordinary wear
ing apparel.
He carried large hand Bible which
on the face Of 1t was personal property
and so not dutiable. The trunk, man
and Bible were properly passed.
But there is many a slip. AS my
pious clergyman went down the gang
plank he stubbed his foot hard against
a nailhead and fell sprawling on the
dock. The Bible flew out Of his hand
and the corner Of 1t struck the boards.
The shock of the fall produced an
unexpected result. A secret spring
was touched, little door In the cover
Of the Bible flew open and the floor
blazed with the light of a hundred
small diamonds.
It was the cleverest bit Of mechan-
ism imaginable. The smuggler was
arrested at once, tried and convicted,
and his diamonds were confiscated,
and, II l mistake not, the mechanical
-'Bible" is now in the secret service
office.
While this particular device was
novel, the custom of secreting gems is
as old as the government. On one oc-
casion seizure was made Of small
lot of rubies hidden in the hollow heel
Of a mans shoe. AS for women, they
conceal things about the person In
such a way as to make the search
both delicate and difficult.
In this connection 1t Is interesting to
know that the United States has a
complete system by which conten-
plated frauds are detected and pre-
vented. Experienced men are posted
In London, Paris, Berlin and other
large centres. They keep in touch
with the great business houses and II
an unusually large purchase of jewell
ry or millinery or dress goods Is made
the fact is flashed over the wires to
the collectors of the principal ports. A
special watch is kept on dressmakers
who go abroad to make their purchas-
es. II the goods are all declared at
their proper value on arrival In this
country all goes well. II not, there Is
trouble.
One occasion I remember was when
a dressmaker brought over twenty
trunks filled with the latest Partisan
creations. They were all properly de-
clared, but the values were suspicious
ly low. However, she corroborated the
declaration by the presentation OF bills
for every one of the articles. This
looked like confirmation as strong as
It was possible to obtain, and the mat
ter might have ended there. But
madame, growing audacious, made
fatal blunder. She said If you don't
believe me you can cable to Paris and
verify the figures"
1t was a bluff-an insolent as well
as a superfiuous bluff. 1t was her un-
doing. The customs authorities did
cable-not to the merchants-but 10
the American customs agent in Paris.
Ir forty-eight hours the collector re-
ceived a cable dispatch reading: "Sus-
picious; hold" In ten days there
came a long letter detailing the re-
suits of the investigation. 1t proved
that madame had forged a set OF biils
the goods 40, 30 and In
some cases so per cent. They were all
confiscated, of course, and later sold.
Women, 1 am sorry to say, are ma
tural smugglers. Those who hold high
positions in society do not hesitate 10
take chances" They are not mere
vulgar smugglers, but a ring or
breastpin or a wrap that should be de-
clared Is frequently worn In order 10
avoid paying the duty.
Then, Of course, we have the pro-
fessional women smugglers. They give
the woman searchers no end OF trou-.
BILE. Once a woman was found with
set of fine pearls hidden in her thick
black hair. Women, as rule, become
hysterical when they are caught with
the goods on them. The female
searchers show all possible considera-
ton; but when they have a duty to
perform they usually perform 1t with
firmness. as we'll as discretion. In
these days a woman passenger is not
searched unless suspicion approaches
moral certainty. When 1t does she Is
taken to an apartment on the wharf or
in the boat, where all due privacy Is
assured. There have been instances
where the suspicion was not verhed'
but they are quite rare.
The observance Of a few simple
general rules helps very greatly TO
make smooth sailing for an Inspector.
One Of them is that while an Inspector
is sworn to protect the revenues, ne Is
also supposed to use his brains In IN
terpreting the law. He soon becomes
accustomed to taking the declarations
of incoming passengers. This Is usu-
ally done by the boarding officers, VINO
go down on the tug and meet the
steamers at quarantine. There Is a
regular printed form and the passen-
gers declare under oath to customs
officer before leaving the vessel the
number of trunks and other packages
they have, together with their dutiable
contents. One day an angry passen-
ger said to me:
II don't mind making the declara-
ton, but I do mind having my
trunks contents ripped open on the
pier. How is it you compel a man TO
take an oath that he Is not smuggler
and afterward try to convict him OF
perjury"
/ remembered what Secretary Shaw
had said on the subject and I quoted:
"if all people were honest one or the
other Of these requirements might be