Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-09
STILL SMuCCLE
But It Is Done Under Noses of
Custom Officers, Not as
a of Yore.
COAST GUARD TOO STRONG
How New York Officials Were Near
1y Fooled by Shipment of Lace
I Under a Corpse.

Many years ago there was In Corn
wall very interesting duck pond. In
appearance it was a small circular ba-
syn OF water, on which the ducks swan
IN ordinary fashion. while the owner
stood and watched them with propri-
etary pride He would invite the rev
enue officers to dine with him and take
them out to admire this among other
attractions of his garden.
But when the excise men left a
strange thing would happen. The duck
pond would swing round on a pivot
and reveal a spacious cavity beneath,
In which were stored many kegs of
good spirits on which duty had never
been paid.
Smuggling is not conducted In this
manner now, nor are cargoes run dur
ing dark nights into the coves and cav
ems OF our coasts. The risk is too
great, the coast guard service too thor
ough. The smugglers Of those old ro-
mantle and INSCRIPTIONS days have
long lain in their graves. We have be-
come less romantic, If not more scrupu-
1ous.
Smuggling Desire Still Keen.
But the desire to baff1e the customs
is by no means extinct, any more than
is the wish to make great and speedy
profits Smuggling was always a fine
art with the more intelligent of its vo-
taries. 1t has become even finer now,
though perhaps few of its devices are
more ingenious than this Cornish duck
pond.
1t is natural that countries with high
tariffs should suffer more from Snug
Cling than those where few articles are
taxed. and America has been COM
PEELED to enact a very severe penalty,
though even that is not sufficient de-
terrent.
1t Is believed that about million. dol
lars worth of cut diamonds are snug
gled into the United States yearly, yet
the customs officials of America are
amongftbe sharpest in the world The
stones have been introduced within
hollow walking sticks, in revolver |
cartridges, in babies rattles and sugar
candy images.
A very curious tale IS told with re- I
gard to the smuggling Of 81 quantity |
Of valuable lace. 1t hnp;caed not long i
ago.
The authorities in New York were !
warned that there was TO be an at /;
tempt to snuggie This lace by the ole
dodge OF coffin. The ship arrived, I
and there were the bcreaved relatives
In the deepest mourning in charge Of
a leaden casket Although the certii-
Gates were in perfect order, the officer !
insisted upon having the coffin open
ed The relatives violently protested
against such an outrage. but this only
confirmed the suspicious of the GUS
toms man.
Lace Under the Corpse.
The coffin being opened, imagine the
cfhciaPs horror when he saw that It
really did contain a body. He was
On the point OF apologizing ana order
ing the casket to be reseaIed when he
happened to catch sight of suspicious
EYE watching him from behind q
nourneFs pocket handkerchief. It
WIS enough. He had the body remov-
ID, and hidden below it was lace worth
several thousand dollars. The corpse
proved to be that of a pauper bought
Tor the occasion.
Lace is the great bugbear Of the
American customs. 1t is of high value
md difficult to detect, while women,
VINO are chiefly intent on smuggling it.
ire more awkward to deal with than
men. The right of search can always
re exercised, but it leads to unpleas-
mt scenes and sometimes to the search
ng of innocent persons.
The difficulty is increased by the
act that women of the highest Amer
can rank do not scruple to smuggle,
nd to interfere personally with these
} delicate job. 1t must be done
and has had some startling
esults. Women have been caught not
My thickly bandaged with lace, but
oncealing valuable sables among their
On one occasion hundreds OF costly
strich feathers were discovered sew
within woman's petticoat The fai-
.mericans are very keen, and they do
OF like to return from Europe empty
anded.