The San Francisco call., 1910-09-25
Tie san Sunday
D DETECTIVE f
Tie San Francisco Sunday Can

ceives all such reports Then the detective transmits
full account of his efforts the Jewel junta anE
casts about him for fresh opportunities
The Precious Stone Importers protective assoch-
ton is country wide body and seeks to strenGfnsz
the barriers against jewel smugglers all the bor-
ders of the United States Most of its members have
their businesses in New York where 90 per a.
the precious stones imported the country pass m
But discoveries made by its agents have fre-
quently found full frution far from the metropolis.
woman jewel detective employed by the 'junta"
once stumbled upon large transaction involving 4
sapphire and diamond necklace. The sale took place
in Paris and as usual she attempted discover the
steamship by which the wealthy Chicagoan who made
the purchase would to the United States She
watched him during his stay in the French capital
but without learning anything OF his plans. He did
not visit Cooks or any of the steamship Offices and
he was upon the of departure by train FOX the
south when she was forced present her incompe5.
case to the treasury agent A government revenue
man was put upon the Chicagoans track and followed
him to Marseles, thence by P and o. steamship to
Bombay, then to Colombo, Singapore and Yokohama,
where he lost him..
He picked up the trail again where it led aboard a
chance tramp to South America, followed found the
scent at Valparaiso hurried TO Panama Vera Cruz
and Mexico City and in time notify the proper
officials the Mexican frontier when his started
by train for Chicago The necklace was found neatly
sewed inside the Chicagoan's straw hat and was
promptly conhscated.
THEIR OWN POLICE BUREAU
Thus started by jewel detective is likely
to be finished far from the beaten path of travel
Numerous instances of attempted smuggling from
Canada have been prevented The smuggler is travel
ing chiefly for pleasure, of course, but having heard
direful tales of the strict supervision in New
he hath ~,
return by roundabout route where the officials ara
less curious. He does not know poor man, that the
detective spotted" him the time he made his pur-
chase and that warm climate and intimate reception
await him.
The "junta" as members of the trade have coma
to call-or miscall-the executives of the Precious
Stone Importers protective association is composed
of Ludwig Nissen, president; Alfred Krower, vics
president; Arthur Henius, treasurer, and Georgia
Whitehead, secretary These four constitute thu
associations directing bureau in its real work. tho
maintenance of the foreign detective force They
have acquired the subtlety and shrewdness of so
many police chiefs in the of their effective CO..
operation with the government.
Mr. Nissen, the president, has been the formuativa
force in the association 1t is he who keeps the books
wherein the and reports of the various agents
recorded. Those books would make interesting
reading if they should ever be opened to inspection
where he occupied with the reorganization Of
the staff.
I'VE have been subjected to some criticism in GER
tain quarters for participation the enforcement
of the revenue laws" said Mr. Nissen few days ago,
but the fact remains that efforts can not possibly
annoy any except actual violators of those laws
The smuggler private or professional is a criminal
and bound to do all can to suppress him.
The spread of smuggling general practice
among American tourists has reached alarming
extent. 1t is due think, to the American tendency
toward awessness and has found its readiest growth
in the very class where it should have pund tho
least The prosperous man looks to the laws of his
country to protect his property. When such man
takes breaking laws himself he is undermining the
efficiency OF the very thing he demands and leans
upon. 1t to check private smuggling that we
entered the field lend what assistance we could to
the government
in this 1 think say we are serving not only
interests and those of the government but
those of American merchants at large. If we are
able to deter a traveller from spending abroad it
means much more money in this country, not
necessarily for the jeweler but for all tradesmen,
and hence for artisans and workingmen"
SMUGGLING POOR BUSINESS
In regard to smuggled jewels Mr. Nissen made a
remarkable point, which emphatically concurred
in by the two other association officers who were
with him in his office. He stated fatty that Jewel
smuggling if successful, did pay in actual
dollars and cents.
Il have article of jewelry purchased
abroad and smuggled into this country which could
have been duplicated right here in New York for
less than the purchaser paid" he declared. The
foreign dealer invariably charges American a
higher price than the American dealer would and
the article moreover, is usually inferior He plies
his trade by representing the tourist that American
dealers have to pay 90 per duty all goods and
hence have to add that 90 per to their sale pr
That is not Unset jewels imported at buE
10 per duty and rough jewels como in duty free
These the only kinds that importers handle.
The American dealer consequently fixes his price ar