The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-07-18
SMUGGLERS
Daring Efforts to EVade Uncle
Sans Customs Officials.
ONE BOLD PIECE OF WORK.


The Way Two Persistent Tariff Dodgers
Scared a Ships Captain and Eseaped
the Inspsetors-A Poll Parrot That
ToId Tales Out Of School.
In the early nineties Of the last cen
tury 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 their
scope and as rigidly applied as they are
today. This means that the achieve
ments Of two smuggIers, who may be
called Harry White and Richard Ber-
gen, need by no means be regarded as
Insignificant. For years they piled
their trade upon the various transat-
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 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 A !.
gagged in the wholesale purchase Of ta-
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 off when purchase was
made. and when the object Of suspi-
cion booked on a certain liner that
fact. together with a complete list o.
the dutiable articles In his possession.
was cabIed to Washington. The vessel
was due past Sandy Hook on May 16.
1S9--, and the custom house inspector
had prepared a distinguished welcome
for the man whom they had long re-
garded as their special bette aoire.
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 "AIan III
small boat In distress off the port
boww The captain deserted mar
standing np in a small sloop, the mas
of which was shattered and the Graf
somewhat down by the head. She was
drifting to sea and tbe captain signal
ed for full speed astern. altered biz
course a trife and finally came neal
enough to the occupant OF the sailboa
to throw him a line, by which. we
and bedraggled. he was hauled to tn,
, deck. amid the cheers Of the passen
gers. If Bergen felt surprise as h
saw his fellow conspirator Whit
sprawled on deck, he gave no indica
tioaiof 1t. In due time the ocean wal
disappeared from among the passen
gers.
Developments were not long delayed
The liner was approaching the Sand
Hook light vessel when Bergen. viii
of eve. with hair disheveled and cheek
flushed. sought the privilege Of an III
z mediate and private interview wit
Z the ships chief executive. He wa
) taken into the chart room. where, fal
& ing on his knees before the captain, h
z begged him never to divulge what b
y was about to tell and then he unfolde
4 terrible plot which he had conceive
4 Of destroying the vessel and her pa
Z sengers.
q He was Fenlan, he said, and ha
been selected BY his comrades to plaC
4 an internal machine In the hold OF Il
z British vessel Clockwork was attacl
D ed TO the bomb. he declared, and it w;
timed to 60 or within twenty minute
Q He had remained firm in bis dead
4 venture throughout the trip, but no
y at the crucial moment little boy Wi
3 whom he had played about deck al
4 had grown to love had swerved hi
z from his purpose. He said that Il
b bomb was contained within a hu.
& leather trunk, and he begged the ca
q tain to have It heaved overheard b
4 fore the mechanism ticking away Il
life OF the ship should have time to
4 its work.
a The captain was man OF actio
" and before the last words were out
b Rergens mouth he was on deck. sui
z moning the witch to quarters.
a "Into the baggage room all OF you
Y he roared. "and Jack every piece
D baggage on deckF'
q The crew set to work. Trunk aft
" frank rrae hnuIad auf xvhilo Rnro