New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-08
SMUGGLERS OF TO-DAY.
Humor and Ingenuity in Defrouding
the Customs Officials.
BY ". 6. FitIGcrald.

The governments OF the world seem to take II
for granted that even the most lsw-abidng men
and women-especially vomen-wil try TO emuss'e
in dutiable goods and measures are taken ac-
corlingIy The result is duel OF wits between
customs officials and travellers that Is prooaDN
as old as the frontiers and states themselves
For some reason the average traveller refuses
to consider smuggling offence. WINE "o!i ,t.
kind look upon revenue officers as lions III - -
rath TO he rcumVented with every vic OF VIM
feminine ingenuity is capable. Every seaso" a.
Ooc0o well-to-do Americans go ABROAD - IN -
OF a hundred more giant liners. OF winch ~
world never before saw the like f'r Sizr, ~" -
and luxury. What this annual heGTh H'"l -.
the historic old cities Of Europe can ohIv n
guessed England. any rate. looks for S-oo 800,
as her share for the season. Franc" taxes AT i"S'
* II any wonder then. that Uncle sam lynx
oved guardians ~ tho Treasury should have Work
TO do when these wanderers return laden Win
presents souvenirs and purchases Nat'l 'hss'
I've hundred women and men coming Gown -, nc
gangplark OF their floating palace 10 ciaihl 'I't
own among the mountainous wastes OF baggage.
without exception. all are possible laW eFaueFs ~
the eyes Of the waiting oii'is''' am or ~, -,
sure that snuEly packed away aihoHs 80 80, .-t,eS
pyramids OF trunks are thousands OF oa'n,y nm. -
which st is the painful duty Of every man. ,h"
proud ambition Of every woman 10 carry '''''"e"
unscathed and uudctected
Perhaps the previous Gay some exceptional nus
band or brother eKpounding the Dement'S OF a
high protective tariff while wife sister was
busily slowing away wholesale. az though Tor GEAR
life ac.s and silks frocks and jewsIry. silver ana
dutiabIe articles-polte la~bTcaking. 10 be pohte-
" and deal; with
The port inspectors divide tho smugglers or To-
day into three divisions. There are. firstly. inno-
cent folk. who have bought things abroad merely
because they cheap and charming never
dreaming of the ordeal awaiting their importation
rude shock Of official challenge. with lts
costly results Secondly. there are those VINO de-
liberatey conceal IN baggage or on person Naiu-
ables they know to be highly duuable- These are
the people who regard the customs oficiais as
little better than Iegalized pirates. Thirdly
comes the wholesale professional smuggier. whose
detection IS a serious matter for himself and
the government. People OF this kind have
grown in boldness and numbers OF late years.
trusting doubtless the vast Increase In foreign
travel and the consequent confusion in the return
season escape detection. And yet the penalties
are pretty When the seizure is sustained
by the Collector. application by the Score
tarv the Treasury, and the value of the property
Is under 500. Il is sold after due advertisement
Goods more than this reported 10 the court,
and If condemned by default or after forfeiture
bv Jury trial. they sold by the United States
marshal. But addition to the ConfiScation OF
the property. a heavy fine and Imprisonment may
be fnficted-up 20 5000 and two years.
Il will be seen. then, that men OF keen percep-
ton and rare tact necessary for the detection
of smuggling. for n blunder Will surely lead TO n
very unpleasant episode When a magnificent
three thousand souls flock ont OF II. you may be
sure It is perplexing task 10 determine which
Of them has Il pouch of diamonds mass of pre-
false bottom that may hide dutiable property worth