The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-04-26
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! A SmUCGLEh'S LAST TRIP. F.:
! The Turning Point for Young Man
on the Border.
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IN THE smoking compartment of a
1AIontical sleeper bound Tor New
York one night were half dozen men
discussing politics. the service of the
road, and the possible annexation of
Canada. AS the train ran across the line
into the United States one of the men
locked out Of the window with the in
terest Of nun seeking familiar scenes.
There was just light enough for him
to see that the long ditch-marked farms
of Canada, with their stone houses. mad
been left behind. and that the less pic
1urcSque farms of the states stretched
out from the track. Settling himsels
back in his seat and including the other
smokers in his audience, he said:
This country hasn't changed In %
Years, except for the introduction of
this railroad. Twas born in ths neigh
borhood, and although it sounds like a
queer admission. UP to the time l was
:: years old | spent much Of my time
in smuggling whisky, brandy and al
rohol across the line. For various rea-
sons there isn't much of this sort of
thing done now. Probably the chief
reason is that it doesn't pay, and then
again. II Is not looked upon as respecta-
bic. My father was engaged in the
same business before me. and several
of our neig hbors, good churchmen were
in II up to their eyes, and it is not
strange that my conscience did not be-
gin TO work on this subject until one of
the respected citizens of Il nearby town
was convicted and sent to prison for
Smuggling The government made an
example Of him. and although all Of
his acquaintance regretted it at the
time, ii has proved a good thing.
Didn't the customs officers interfere {?
We'll, some of them dld conscientiousiy
when they got chance, and there were
s'lcnty of them all along this line who
only made bluff Of interfering that de-
ccivcd no one except the government.
] knew one officer who was in the bust
ness himself. Asa young man | thought
that smuggling was all right, and it
never occurred TO me THAT was 4 thief.
haven't done any of it since. Coming
Through this region has brought back
some of the old experiences. There were
then, and | have heard that there are
now, many stores built along the line.
so that one-half should be in Carldn and
the other in New York state. This made
it easy to smugg.e in small articles, but
at the same time the customs officers
rad to watch these stores closely or
lose their jobs.
Il worked better scheme than that
When ! was l6 years old my father
whose farm was in the neighborhood,
gave 7ne fast mare. She was very fast
for those days, though she wouldn't be
worth talking about now. | built a
light two-wheeled gig for her. and |
defied every officer along the line to
catch me. They all knew that | was
smuggling, but none of them could get
the proof. My method was simple. I
would leave home about dusk in my gig
md drive 'eisurcly across the line to
little stone hotel. where | received nv
liquor The place was known to be
depot for smugglers, and suspicion was
always directed toward any man who
frequented it. The proprietor was
French-CanadE0n and as shifty us an
Indian. On the ground floor of his
house was dingy dining-room and
opening into il a very respectable bar
room FOR Lower Canada. The bar it.
sell was OF mahogany, and back of it
stood an imposing array of ale kegs.
The proprietor's name was Dumas, ard
his imagination was rs fertile as that
OF dis illustrious namesalke. 1t pleased
linn to Tool the customs officers, and he
cid il in n1nv different xvnvS nu,o~e