The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-12-10

nar|aa aIs a raade II10Is
SANS Customs 0MoiaIs
ONE BOLD PIECE or WORK

Scared Ships Captain end Escaped
ths iaspsetors-A Poll Parrst Thai
Told Talss Out Of School
n the early ninetles 0f the last cen.
tury the precautions observed by tile
officers Of the United States treasury
department IN preventing or rather at
tempting to prevent the successful
smuggling Of dutiabls goods into this
+ country were as adequate IN their
f 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-
4 gen, need by no means be regarded as
insignificant For years they piled
their trade upon the various ransat.
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 the
just punishment OF many other of
tenders.
The smuggling White and Bergen
did was confined to trunks full az
nickel or silver plated German and
Swiss watches. English cutlery. wool
ems and tweeds. In the aggregate
however. It may safely be ventured
that the revenue Of the nation suffered
more through these two men than
through the occasional successes Of
diamond smugglers.
Inevitably Of course as their tri.
umphs increased IN duration and pro
( portion, the leak forced itself upon the
notice Of the customs officers. White
and Bergen did not know this. Agent
Of the treasury department IN Englan5
and on the continent were set to work
and eventually suspicion was fastenea
upon Bergen. who was IN London en-
gagged III the wholesale purchase of Ia
bic cutlery. The two smugglers wer
never abroad together, II being par.
Of the system for one to remain Al
New York.
The government agents watched Ber
gen for fortnight. One Of them was
never far or when a purchase was
made. and when the object Of suspi-
cion booked on a certain liner that
fact, together with complete list Of
the dutlable articles IN his possession
was cabled to Washington. The vessel
was due past Sandy Hook on May 16
l60-, and the custom house Inspector
had prepared a 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 III
small boat IN distress or the port
bow" The captain deserted 4 man
standing up in 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 rride 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
sprawled on deck. he gave no indica-
ton Of It. In due time the ocean waif
disappeared from among the passen-
gers
Developments were not long delayed
Ihe liner was approaching the Sand,
Hook light vessel when Bergen. wild
Of eye with hair disheveled and cheeks
flushed. sought the privilege OF an I'M
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
3 terrible plot which he had conceived
Of destroying the vessel and her pas
sengers.
He was a Fenian. be said, and had
been selected by his comrades to place
an internal machine IL the hold Of the
British vessel. Clockwork was attach.
ed to the bomb. he declared. and 1t was
timed to 60 OF within twenty minutes
He had remained firm IN bis deadly
venture throughout the trip, but now
at the crucial moment a little boy with
whom be had played about deck anl
had grown to love had swerved him
from his purpose. He said that the
bomb was contained within a huge
leather trunk, and he begged the cap.
tain 70 have It heaFed overheard be.
fore the mechanism ticking away the
life OF the ship should have time to DO
Its work.
The captain was a man Of action
and before the last words we're out or
Bergen's mouth he was on deck. sum-.
moning the watch to quarters.
"into the baggage room al OF you.
he rOared, and jack every piece Of
baggage on deck"
The crew set 70 work Trunk after
trunk was hauled out, while Bergen
stood beside the captain, shivering in
excess Of emotion. Suddenly he caught
the officer by the arm.
That's it!s be cried. pointing to an
enormous trunk