The Washington herald., 1907-07-29
Few Men and Fewer Women
Fail at 1t.
GAME OF THE BOGUS MINISTER
lie Carried an Imitation Bible, and
Mfshnp Revealed Fact that 1t Was
Filled with Diamonds - women
Conceal COntraband in Ways
Which Make Detection Difficult.


Home Journal but the most picturesque,
in my memory. was the bogus minister
with the imitation Bible.
The man. who was dressed in strict
clerical garb, had one trunk. it contained
nothing beyond ordinary wearing ap-
parel
He carried a large hand Bible which on
the face OF It was personal property
and so not dutiable. The trunk, man,
and Bible were promptly passed.
But there is many a slip. As my pious
clergyman went down the gangpank he
stubbed his foot hard against a nailhead
and fell SPRAYING on the dock. The
Bible flew out OF his hand and the corner
OF it struck the boards.
The shock OF the fan produced an un-
expected result \ secret spring was
touched a little door in the cover Of
the Bible few open and the floor blazed
with the light Of a hundred small dia-
monds
1t was the cleverist bit OF mechanism
imaginable. The smuggler was arrested
at once. tried and convicted and his dia-
monds conhscated, and If I mistake not
the mechanical bible" is now in the
Secret Service Office.
Custom IS Old
While this particular device was novel,
the custom of sccrcting gems is as old
as the government. On one occasion
seizure was made of "a small lot of rubies
hidden in the hollow of the heel of a
mans shoe. As for women, they conceal
things about the person in such way as
to make the search both delicate and diff
cult
In this connection IL is interesting 10
know that the United States has a com
plete system by which contemplated
frauds are detected and prevented. Ex-
Perienccd men are posted in London,
Paris, Berlin. and other large ceuters.
They keep in touch with the great bust
ness houses. and II an unusually large
purchase OF jewelry or millinery or dress
goods is made the fact Is flashed over the
wires 70 the collectors of the PRINCIPAL
pCrts- \ special watch is kept on dress
makers who so abroad to make their
purchases If the goods are all declared
al their proper value on arrival in this
country all goes well II not, there is
trouble.
Bills We're Forged.
one occasion remember was when
dressmaker brought over twenty trunks
filled with the latest Partisan creations.
They were all properly declared, but the
values were suspiCi0usly low However.
she corroborated the declaration by the
presentation Of bills for every one Of the
articles. This looked like confirmation
g--
and the matter 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"
II was a blUf-an insolent as well as
sUpertluOus bluff II was her und0ing
The customs authorities did Cable-not
10 the merchants-but TO the American
customs agent I'm Paris In forty-eight
hours the collector received a cable dis
patch reading; Suspicious; hold" In ten
days there came a long letter detailing
the results Of the investigation 1t prov
ed that madame had forged d set Of bills
undertaking the goods 40, 80, and, in
some cases, 60 per cent. They We're all
cOnlscated, Of course and later sold
Women, L am sorry 20 say, are natural
smUggleTs Those who hold high posi-
tons in society do not hesitate to take
chances They are not mere vulgar
smugglers, but a ring or a breastpin or
wrap that should be declared is fire.
quenty worn in order TO avoid paying
the duty.
Professional Woman Smugglers.
Then. of course we have the profess
siOnal woman smugglers. They give the
woman searchers no end Of trouble. Once
a woman was found with set Of pearls
hidden in her thick back hair. Women,
as rule, become hysterical when they
are caught with the goods on them. The
female searchers show all possible con-
sideration; but when they have a duty to
perform they usually perform it with
hrmuess, as well as discretion. In these
days woman passenger Is not searched
unless suspicion approaches moral certain
" 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 verified 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 10 pro 1
tect the revenues. he is also supposed to /
use his brains in interpreting the law. He |
soon becomes accustomed TO taking the
declarations of incoming passengers This
IS usually done by the boarding officers. /
who 90 down on the tug and meet the |
steamers ut quarantine. There is a regu-
lar printed form, and the passengers de- /
clare under oath 10 a customs officer be /
fore leaving the vessel the number OF I
trunks and other packages they have. to- /
her witt = att Ia
day an angry passenger said 10 me.
7 don't mind making the declaration. /
but I do mind having my trunks contents /
ripped open on the pier How is it YOU 4
compel man to take an oath that he is /
not smuggler. and afterward try to con- |
Wet him Of perjury"
What Secretary Shaw Said.
remembered what Secretary Shaw had
said on the subject. and 1 quoted: If all /
people were honest one or the other OF 1
these requirements might be avoided. but /
under existing conditions it has been
found impracticable TO omit either"
There is nothing so much misunderstood
as the 500 exemption law. Under this
clause in the law an American who goes
abroad may purchase and bring I'm. duty
free. 500 worth OF foreigH-made goods.
But the Slj0 must consist OF wearing APP
parel, articles Of personal adornment, toll
let articles. and similar personal effects
necessary for the comfort and c0nven-
fence of the passenger. The point Is here:
A traveller may bring home a suit OF
clothes purchased in London, two or three
pairs OF gloves made in Paris. some silver
match boxes from Switzerland. or even a
diamond pin from South Africa. so long
as the total value Of the articles comes
within he Sl00 But if the tourist sh0ufd