New-York tribune., 1909-05-16
INGENIOUS WAYS
OF THE SMUGGLERS
STEWARDS OF STEAMERS
OFTEN AID THEM.
Establishing Residence abroad and
a.
Bringing Back Household Goods
Sometimes Utilised.

other day: There's new method OF smugglins
invented about once every minute, 1 believe II
people worked half hard earning honest living
as they do trying to devise ways and means OF De
frauding the government-well. they wouldn't WorA'
that's all
OF the many forms OF systematic smuggling, one
Of the most prevalent IS that Of the English tailor
who comes 70 this country with samples and takes
mea surements and orders for English clothes ana
haberdashery. The orders and measurements are
sent back TO the establishments in London. IN
variably they instructions for shipping saying
that the customer has friends coming over from
England by whom they send the suit, duty Will
be saved One firm formerly undertook 70 get the
goods delivered FREQ Of duty, relying various
stewards and other employees Of the steamers on
which the representative crossed tc get them across
for extra charge of perhaps fl on each suit one
steward who practised this custom of delivering
goods in Boston 10 several customers OF the firm
made a tidy sum, for he occasionally risked bring
ing in as many as two suits each trip. and per-
haps ulster or overcoat which he would put on
and wear He was OF medium size, and 1t was his
practice to put the suit under loose suit OF
his own and wear off the ship and deliver II 10
the customer from his person This was car
red several years. and 1t is not known that the
steward was ever detected that he IS not doing
II still. II It's right be said but when
a has a family and lot o kddies to feed.
well it's easy money"
Another form Of systematic smuggling IS not
really smuggling. yet is ethically when 1t is done
widow with two attractive daughters went TO Paris
and Dresden live for a year two to complete
the musical education Of the girls. A proposition
was made to her by dealer in her city who
asked her IL she wanted clear her expenses while
on the trip abroad. IF you willing 70 remain
long enough to establish a residence in Europe he
said, this will be easy" To make a long story
short, the sailed into the port OF Boston
fair day. radiant and excited getting back 70
her home again after her years exile. When
/ We ken fr, he she had
boxes upon boxes packed fun of antique furniture.
Oriental rugs. pictures and bric-a-brac enough 10
stock small store the furniture Of her apartment
she truly said
She had remained to be sure Of entering her be-
/ longings duty free a month longer than was actu-
ally required TO establish residence abroad. And
while her girls had been pursuing their educations
IN art and music. their mother had haunted old
shops In Paris and IN various German towns where
she could gather up rare and beautiful things with
which to furnish her apartment" or course she
was within her rights Having lived abroad during
the specified time, and having kept an apartment
during all that time In Germany we will saw she
was entitled TO bring back her personal effects and
her furniture and personal property free of duty
for she had the necessary documentary evidence
from the United States Consul. and her possessions
were passed accordingly and she swept down the
pier in triumph. after giving shipping directions
That wonan's Household furnishings" vera all
taken OF her hands at a handsome profit by the
dealer And this IS being done constantly with
many variations.
Horses for breeding purposes being entered free
OF duty good many are brought over. accom-
panied By the requisite certificate showing the
pedigree OF the horse. registration etc.
\ superb string of horses recently brought
into the country by n well known man WIN has
large breeding farms and accompanvtnq tber,
were several Erooms Bundles brought in by the
grooms purportinS contain ordinary horse blan-
kets. were examined and found to contain hand
some snow blankets. valued Mt $50 or S75 each The
m . ire LOT
frequent form OF smuggling has only Itst been
stopped by the Custom House officials. 1t was d
simple one and had been practised for many years
just how long one exactly knows-hy the thou
SAND and one pedlers OF various natonalties who
haunt the piers OF the ocean steamers II was
their custom 10 go on the pier with their bundles
presumably containing 70 be bought by
stewards and other persons on board the steamers
II found that their bundles did not always
contain handterchiefs, needles. collar buttons and
the other notions usually carried IN stock by ped
lers OF this class. but that many OF them were
fake" bundles which they exchanged at the
steamer the pier for other bundles given
them by the seamen, containing dutiabIe goods
Now peders OF any variety forbidden access
the piers by order Of the Surveyor Of the Port.
and this form OF smuggling is ended.
One OF the inspectors at the Custom House de-
clares that fully S5 per cent Of the jewelry
brought into this country IS smuggled, mostly
from Italy, and that all sorts and conditions Of
people are engaged in smuggling this and the long
long ago Entire families OF Italians living
In Brooklyn and Manhattan tenement houses have
made their living in the smuggling Of gloves. a
tip received few weeks ago at the Custom
House searching party to a Brooklyn tene-
mcnt house, where. after thorough search Of
several apartments nothing found. II
thought that the tip false one. and the de-
tectives started TO go. One them, in leaving
room tripped on a loose board. This suggested TO
him that ii might be worth while to look under
that board He did so. and found gloves to the
value of $500 or 81 600 secreted under the floor.
recent smuggling case which has not yet been
made public that done by reputable Austrian
concern which imports farming tools one OF the
steerage passengers a certain German steamer
was found 10 have very heavy luggage, which.
upon being examined found to contain steel
blades for scythes and moving machines-his per-
sonal baggage" he said. 1t was found at the eX-
animation that this company had been doing sys-
t.rnatic smuggling in this manner. only evad-
ing the payment of duty, but cheating the steam
ship companies Of their freight The passenger
rrotested that he did know the bag was his,
and II was subsequently found that often cases Of
farming implements were put on the steamer In
the name of a traveller and taken away by agents
NJ the company on this side The French line has
made it a rule that luggage shall be received
on one Of its steamers unless accompanied by the
MESSENGER and other lines will doubtless follow
suit.
4 remarkable case has just been detected here
which was nothing less than the smuggling OF
,.I,ab,a hand embroideries and laces through a
,,retgn consulate The consul himself. OF course,
was entirely Ignorant Of such proceedings, but one
of his clerks was found be guilty. and received
a sentence OF nine months in jail All mail ana
packages addressed a consulate are entered free
Of duty and an agent clerk of the consulate
rsrallv calls at the incoming steamer in cab
70 receive the bags of mail. This naturally gives
an excellent opportunity for smuggers to operate