The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-08-11
CLEVER SMUGG[ERS,
Daring Efforts to Evade Uncle
Sans Customs Officials.
ONE BOLD PIECE OF WORK.
The Way Two Persistent Tariff Dodgers
Scared Ships Captain and Escaped
the Inspectors-A Poll Parrot That
Told Tales Out of School.


Scared Ships Captain and Escaped
the Inspectors-A Poll Parrot Thai
Told Tales Out of School.
In the early nineties 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 theil
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 Der
gen. need by no means be REGARDED as
insignificant. For years they piled
their trade upon the various transat-
Iantic 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 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 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. 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 la
BILE cutlery. The two smugglers were
never abroad together, it being part
of the system for one to remain at
New York.
The government agents watched Ber-
gen for a fortnight. One of them was
never far of when a purchase was
made, and when the object of suspi-
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,
1S9--, and the custom house inspectors
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 a
few miles east Of Fire island there
came cry from the lookout, Man in
small boat in distress of the port
bowv The captain deserted a man
standing up in small sloop, the mast
of which was shattered and the craft
down by the head. She was
drifting to sea, and the captain signal
ed for full speed astern, altered his
course a trife and finally came near
enough to the occupant of the sailboat
to throw him line, by which, wet
and bedraggled, he was hauled to the
deck, amid the cheers of the passen-
gers. If Bergen felt surprise as he
saw his fellow conspirator White
5prawled on deck, he gave no indica-
ton of it. In due time the ocean waif
from among the passen-
gers.
Developments were not long delayed.
The liner was approaching the Sandy
Hook light vessel when Bergen, wild
If eye, with hair disheveled and cheeks
iushed, sought the privilege Of an im-
mediate and private interview with
he ships chief executive. He was
aiken into the chart room, where, fall
ng on his knees before the captain, he
begged him never to divulge what he
vas about to tell, and then he unfolded
| terrible plot which he had conceived
# destroying the vessel and her pas
;engers.
He was Fenian, he said, and had
'een selected by his comrades to place
IN internal machine in the hold of the
British vessel. Clockwork was attach
d to the bomb. he declared, and it was
lined to go off within twenty minutes.
lie had remained firm in his deadly
-enture throughout the trip, but now
It the crucial moment a little boy with
whom he had played about deck and
lad grown to love had swerved him
rom his purpose. He said that the
,omb was contained within a huge
Gather trunk. and he begged the cap
ain to have it heaved overheard be-
ore the mechanism ticking away the
life Of the ship should have time to do
Is work.
The captain was a man Of action,
nd before the last words were out Of
sergen's mouth he was on deck, sum-
noning tho watch to quarters
Into the baggage room all of you," |
e roared, land jack every piece Of |
on deckr'
The crew set to work. Trunk after |
runk was hauled out while Bergen |
TODD beside the captain. shivering in |
xcess Of emotion. Suddenly he caught |
be officer by the arm.
That's it, he cried, pointing to an /
normous trunk.
"All right" replied the captain. Now,
hen, men," pointing to the designated |
iece of baggage, "over with 1T, and /
4 hurry. Heave it way out, If any
art of it hits this ship you're all dead
len, Over nowp'