davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

E. Wilkie, it's chief. In the end his mind
was made up. WiIkie should make of
his special customs agents the same sort
of body he had made of the secret serv-
ice.
He felt that Wilkie would be able to
do this, because he found the secret serv-
ice, despite its many years of perform
ance of the same tasks. still in a high
degree of proficiency. There was no dead
wood, no political influence, no stagna-
ton. The secret service was on it's tip
toes. 1t was off on the performance of
any manner of service at a moments no.
tice. Wikie was the right man for the
new task.
He was therefore given the assign
ment. The secret service might run
itself for while until the missionary
work was done in the customs service.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
Chanued His Order.

TN little restaurant where. the waiter
! insists upon slamming down your
plate or saucer, man had ordered a
sandwich and a cup of coffee. Then he
decided to put an addenda to his order.
Gimme plate O. that country sausage,
too,' he told the waiter.
Just then the accident happened.
Somebody stepped on the tail of small,
anemic looking yellow purp-dog that
had followed another customer into the
restaurant. The dog gave three staccato
yelps.
law, just countermand that order for
sausage growled the man with the face.
Il didn't know you had TO go and make
it,"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
Considerable.

ct WAS in little county seat town
over in Pennsylvania the other day.
remarked a Washington drummer, land
had to stay overnight. The hotel that
was touted to me as the best in the
town was run by woman. She was of
a clean looking, motherly sort. and I
thought that maybe the place wouldn' t
be half bad.
II was tired and asked her to show me
to my room early. She lighted up a
kerosene lamp and took me up. Now,
she says, as she set down the lamp on
the little bureau, you may find those
sheets just a little bit damp, but / hope
YOU won't mind. We were little bit late
with the washing this Week.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

just as effective for his purposes. In
all the large cities of Europe, and even
in China and Japan, there you will find
one of these eyes Of Uncle Sam always
ready an willing to ferret out the pro-
spective snugglers, for If he brings the
information he will be we'll rewarded. AS
as the result of the information given Is
frequently made present to the enter
prising one who is so fortunate as to de-
liver the goods.
1T is usually the case one of the
customs officials at the Treasury explain
ed, that information Is received by one
of our agents abroad that Mr.. American
purchased some valuable diamonds at Mr..
Jones jewelry establishment several days
ago, and it is believed that he intends to
smuggle them into the United states by
having q whisky flask made with the
diamonds blown In the bottom of the
flask. This information IS duly forwarded
to the Treasury Department at Washing
ton, and it in turn notifies the customs
officials at the port where Mr.. American
is expected to return. When there Is
any doubt about the exact port at which
he is expected to return, a general notice
is sent out to all customs ports to be
on the lookout. When he shows up he is
very much surprised, not to say indignant,
when the customs inspector takes away
his WHISKY flask, but later when the flask
is broken and the diamonds drop out
his indignation quickly vanishes. The
enterprising party on the other side who
gave the information usually receives a
substantial part of the proceeds of the
confiscated stones minus the cost the
government may have incurred in catch
ing the offender.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
UNIQUE Schemes Used Smuggling Vaabs Through American Ports

Of the men upon whom the government
had to rely.
''Of all the persons found out in snug
Cling or undertaking, tourists are the
only ones who have sought to excuse
themselves. The inevitable, however, is
more and more realizing the indefensibe-
ness of smuggling-its rank dishonesty
and it's extremely bad example and infiu-
ence-and they are conforming in increas-
ing numbers to the law and to their obi
cations as citizens"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

points were his general agents. This was
very purpose. He called upon this staff,
and it's response to his inquiries was not
to his satisfaction. He investigated this
personal staff and found that it had
gotten into a rut It was full of men
who had grown gray and lost their vigor
in the service. There were scores of
others who had in no way proven them
selves competent to perform the particu-
lar duties that were assigned to them.
The service needed regeneration and
making over.
The Secretary of the Treasury had I'M
der his department another kindred Or
ganization-the secret service. He stud
led the operation of this body of men,
the manner in which it was handled, the
results that it obtained. He studied John
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

fessional smugglers under the guse Of
genuine passengers were not only snug
Cling by means of false declarations, but
they We're b.ibing the officers. The situa-
ton was as rad, both morally and as a
business proposition, as it could possibly
be. Cheating the government, making
false statements and bribing officials was
regarded as a joke. Meanwhile the no
toriety Of this corruption and its associa-
tion with people holding good positions
in the community did as much as any
cause to produce widespread corruption
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

several hundred fashionable dressmaking
establishments in America had agents In
Their plan was to have number of
trunks filled with dresses and dress
goods on the other side ready, meanwhile
keeping tab on the departure of we'll
known persons for. the United States.
After they learned that Mr.. Wellknown-
person had left on the steamer Lusitania
for America, and that he and his family
were in the habit Of carrying q large
number of trunks with them. they would
send their trunks across on the following
steamer as undelivered baggage belong
ing to Mr.. WellknOwnperson. After the
baggage had been inspected and del1V-
cred on the pier in New York one OF
their confederates would come down IN
the evening, bribe the watchman and
take the trunks away. This game is said
to have been carried on for many years
and these people succeeded in getting
through a vast amount of merchandise
In this manner without the payment OF
one cent In duty.
Many people wonder how the govern.
ment finds out about the dresses and
jewelry American men and women pur-
chase on their travels abroad. 1t Is ex-
planned by q man who owns one OF the
largest jewelry establishments in Paris.
He says: There are a lot of persons In
ing their ears open. They will walk into
a shop and appear to be looking at a five
dollar matchbox, at the same time listen
ing to q party Of Americans who are ex-
amining q magnificent diamond necklace.
In almost every case in which information
about articles purchased abroad reaches
the ears Of the customs officials, the
women who make the purchases are in
some way responsible for the information
leaking out. I know of one woman who
bod cha I.
ing as much as $4,000 year in this
way"
At the port Of New York in 1907 there
were 253. 293 cabin passengers, and they
paid $4S7,921 in duties on personal effects
imported. In 1908 the number of passen-
gers was less-only 25s, 54G-and they paid
$4,000 in duties. For 1909 the passen-
ger arrivals were 295,S46. and they paid
in duties s1,O41.37s, an increase of hardly
5000 passengers. but the duties paid
amount for the preceding year.
For the first nine months Of 1910 the
number of cabin passengers was 24S, 352.
and they gave up in duties on the piers
a total Of s1,O43, 800, which means that
at the close Of the year the pier collec-
tons aggregated more than 81, 400 900, or
three times those Of 1908. In addition the
government has already collected In
smuggling fines in 1910 more than
500 600, in one instance $4,000. "Of
ocean steamship passengers" the officials
say, "but the only way to reduce it to
a minimum is to keep the tourists reason
ably scared
X X
Due to the vigorous policy pursued
by Uncle Sam during the past two
years, there have been many frauds of
all kinds unearthed in addition to those
M NJ AZ do hn
said to have been committed by the
sugar trust. were drawback frauds,
like those brought to light recently in
New York, where the government ex-
poets to recover possibly $750000. The
investigation at New Orleans goes back
more than a dozen years. and one GUS
toms official said 1T was hard to esti-
mate just how much the government
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
CU5ToM3 .DWI5IoN ,
TREASURY DEPT

OF tie most important In the government
1t is of especial Importance to the Secre
tary of the Treasury, as it constitutes his
opportunity to keep independently in
formed with regard to the operations OF
the customs service. l regret to say that
this service, composed of special agents
and customs agents. has not been OF late
years. and is not now. at high state
of efficiency; and notwithstanding consid-
cradle Improvement during the last year.
it stands in need of radical rehabilita-
ton and of much development. There
has recently been appointed to the head
of this service the chief of the secret
service, who is now chief of both the spe
Cial agents service and of the secret serV
ice, with experienced assistants in each.
These two services are not connected. OF
course: and the fact that one man IS
chief of both WILL I think. produce ia
vorable results. The special agents serv-
ice is not a detective service, but there
is constant need of secret-service work
in the customs department.. as the no
torious fraud developments have made
clear. The Congress at the last session
gave me permission to use three secret
Department. I hope it will now go q
step further and enable the Secretary CT
the Treasury to use any or the secret
service men within the limits OF the
Treasury Department. 1t is only neces-
sary to realize the amount Of smuggling
and differentiation in the customs serv-
ice to see that the Treasury Depart
rnent is in absolute need OF every agency
it has within its own department, to say
the least"
The Secretary acknowledged. as others
familiar with the service knew, that the
customs service had gotten In a rut. Spe-
cial agents had been assigned to given
posts and allowed to stay there indefinite
ly. These became accustomed to the
drift of business through their posts.
They became well acquainted and person
ally friendly through years of association
with the customs officer and his assist
ants. 1t would have been very bad man.
nered indeed to have asked any Of these
old friends any embarrassing questions.
Likewise had the special agents become
fast friends with many of the importers
at their station. There had come about
a laxness and in many cases there had
come about an understanding between
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

\ the Treasury
building sits Uncle
Sam holding in his
hands the threads
that keep him In
touch with all parts
OF the world. He
has eyes and ears
In the form Of
agents everywhere,
and where there is
no agent he has
other arrangements
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

ECAJSE Franklin
MacVeagh was a
merchant before he
became Secretary
OF the Treasury.
he had q very ex-
cellent opportunity
to learn the manner
in which some un-
scrupulous d e a !
ers evaded customs
duties and SO con-
founded the hon
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
([1EF WHinEe%e eS SCI SEETH|z

oMUGGLERS Are to Have
- a New Enemy, for the
Famous Chief of the Secret
Service Is After Them-Spe-
cial Customs Agents Are to
Be Placed on a Par with the
Old Organization of World
Famed Detectives - Snug
Cling Is to Co Honest
Merchant to Have an Even
Break With Those Who
Have Been Avoiding Duties.
Copyright. 1911. by W. A. Du Puy.l
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

THE tricks by which people attempt
to evade the customs duties are SO many
it would fill volumes to tell them," con-
tinued the same official why, only the
other day we caught a man trying to
smugsle jewelry by cleverly cutting out a
portion Of his wooden leg. placing the
jewelry in the hollow thus formed, and
then replacing the top wood, making the
leg appear perfectly good and as though
1t had never been touched.
Then there was another case recently
where a clever diamond smuggler made
himself acquainted with a young Ameri-
can man and wife in London who had q
baby. He understood they were soon to
return to America The smuggler noticed
the kind of rattle the baby was using.
and by alleged accident met the man and
wife on the steamer coming over. AS II
afterward turned out. the diamond SNUG
gler had bought several baby's rattles in
London exactly like the one the baby OF
his friends used. and when they arrived
at New York he substituted his rattle
filled with diamonds for the one baby was
using. When the party was on the pier
after passing. the customs officer he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

Copyright. 1911, by william l.. Altdorfer)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

There are a multitude OF other duties
that devolve upon the special agents or
the customs service. These are no mean
tasks. They require eternal vigilance.
The men must be ever ON their tiptoes.
They must be beyond the reach of the
crafty who attempt TO buy them off,
They must be known to be beyond these
things.
IL is in this connection that the Secre-
tary of the Treasury came near muck
raking his own personal staff in that
staid document, his annual report, just
out. lie says:
The special agents force itself is one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
REPAIRS TO LAUNCHES.
Augusta, With Others, Taken From
the Water.

The power launch Augusta, belonging
to Capt. Loughran, has been taken from
the water at Regan's boatyard. and has
been laid up ashore on the west side Of
the railway for the winter. The launch
has number Of broken planks in her
hull, caused by running into some hard
object, and they will be replaced and
other work done before she returns to
service in the spring.
The auxiliary power sloop Della, belong
ing to Capt. Fred Burlingame, is at
Regan's for the winter. Her sails have
been removed and the vessel put in trim
for a lay-up Of several months. She Will
be kept in the water near the boathouse.
where a watch can be kept upon her to
prevent damage from ice should any
make this winter.
Two Friends. In the dock adjoining john
son Brothers coal pier, to have her gaso-
line engine removed and replaced with a
new Observation-Disclosures Standard en-
CINE that Is expected to give the launch
increased speed and to make her more
effective for cruising. It Is understood
that the Two Friends will be kept in
commission and will be used for hunting
trips during the winter II conditions
allow.
The small metal-hull launch r. and J.,
one Of the local fleet Of pleasure craft,
has also been taken from the water for
stcreroom Of H. c. Jones, near the boat
yard. Like other craft, she willy receive
an overhauling before returning to serv-
ice
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
Jimmy CLABBy GOING
GOOD IN AUSTRALIA
Wins Midd|eWeight Title of
That Country, Beat
ing Grips.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, December o.
Jimmy Clabby, the American boxer who
is spending the winter in Australia,
writes to his manager. Frank Mulkern.
that he is getting along splendidly and
making as big name for himself as he
did when he was there last year.
They surely gave me the glad hand
when 1 arrived here with Tommy Burns
and my brother Eddie" says Jimmy,
land they treated us fine I had my first
battle with Arthur Cripps, the Aus
tralian middleweight champion, and now
am real champion for beat Grips
all the way. his seconds throwing up the
sponge in the fourteenth round. Cripps
was clever fellow, but he did not have
the strength to hold out. This gives me
two titles. for I did not hand the well
terweight title to Mike Gibbons but I
guess 1 will not enter that class again
unless / should lose weight when l get
back to the states.
II saw Bill Lang and Sam Mcvey fight
here the day l landed, and 1t was soft
for Mcvey. He won easily and put Lang
gained a lead and will now have Sam
LangfOrd for Boxing day, or rather
Christmas. There will be great crowd,
as McVey is big favorite here now.
IHey tnIuk ne Will Ucat LdHSiOFu, anu
there will be lots Of betting. Will write
you about the Langford fight later. am
to meet Dave Smith at 165 pounds ring
side. (Clabby fought Smith a draw.)
THE referee, Snowey Baker, has been
instructed to make the boys box clean
breaks. or near 1t, and that suits me. all
right, although I like the straight rules.
They sure do like the game here, and it
il best to have 1t clean breaks. Remem-
Der me to all the friends in the good old
u. S. A.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
CALIFORNIA FRUIT.
High Record of Shipments From
That State.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Up to and including last Saturday our
shipments of fresh deciduous fruits out
of the state exceeded those Of last season
our previous high record--by 237 cars. and
there are still a great many cornichon
and emperor grapes on the vines. In
this estimate apples are not included.
for their shipments extend into the
winter, and as many of them do not
pass through the Sacramentos gate
way the record Of apple shipments il
never so complete as that OF other
fresh fruits.
The shipments Of citrus fruits for the
season which closed October 81 were
over $4,000 actual carloads and prob
ably $4,000 carloads or more of twelve
tons each, which has until recently
been the estimated weight.
Both in volume of output, therefore.
and in gross and net proceeds, the
year 1911 is the best i'm our history in
respect to the fresh fruit trade.
OF fresh deciduous fruits other than
grapes we shipped 636 carloads less
than in 1910. but the prices. received
during the early part Of the season. at
least, were such as to probably maAe
the cash return greater than in any
previous year
had shipped 1917 more carloads than
in 1910. but the prices during a great
er part of the season were so low as Ia
cut considerably into the aggregate
profits for the season.
Our principal shipping grape is the
Flame Tokay, which. owing to the cool
summer, had less sugar than usual an
did not develop good carrying quail
ties. We do not recall any season
when the ratio of grapes reported as
arriving in bad condition was so large
We had q very large crop. which was
sold in competition with a very larg
eastern crop of good quality, which can
be sold at a profit to all concerned
for about half what our grapes must
sell for in eastern markets to make
the shipment profitable.
The misfortunes of many grape grow
ers this season are stimulating organ
ization for the Standardization and in
spection of the pack, which is the mos;
useful movement ever started in con-
nection with our fresh fruit industry
Regardless. however. of the low
prices at which many Tokay grapes
were sold, the year must be considered
our most profitable year for the fresh
fruit shipping industry.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
Brief Mention.
CHRISTMAS MAIL DELIVERY,
Sunday Hours Suspended in All Big
Cities Tomorrow.

With a Christmas mail this year that
is heavier than ever in the history of the
Post Office Department. instructions have
been issued to postmasters in all the
larger cities to hire wagons and teams
and make a complete delivery of mail
tomorrow.
The entire clerk and carrier force of
the Washington post Office. as we'll as Of
the offices in all the principal cities of the
country, will work tomorrow, in the eff
fort to assist Santa Claus in the distribu-
ton, without delay, of holiday mail and
membranes.
AS Sunday work of this sort is contrary
to a rule of the Post Office Department,
the Postmaster General has announced
that the clerks and carriers affected by
the order to work tomorrow will be al
lowed compensatory time of when the
holiday rush is over.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
YANKEESL GOOD
Tennis Experts of Australia
Expect Them to Win Cup.
WRIGHT IN GRAND FORM
Larned and Mclaughlin Have Not
Struck Their Best Stride, But
Are Showing Up Well.

NEW YRK, December 23.-Austra-
lasian lawn tennis players regard the
victory Of the American cup challengers
as certainty, according to news re-
ceived yesterday in cablegram from
Christchurch, New Zealand. by American
Lawn Tennis. the official publication of
the sport in this country.
According to the message, Beals c..
Wright. former national champion. has
rounded into phenomenal form, which
competent authorities regard as fully
equal to that which he displayed two
years ago.
William A. Larned and Maurice E. Nc
Laughlin, the young Californian. have
not come into their fun playing stride as
quickly as has Wright. Still, all are
moving along we'll, according to these
accident, the trio is certain to lift the
Davis cup.
The first series of singles will be
played Friday, December %. the doubles
match the following day, and the final
series OF singles Monday. January 1. The
Australasians have nominated Brooks and
Dunlop aa the doubles pair.
Official news also came to the surface
as TO national lawn tennis affairs. Lyle
e. Mahan, who led the campaign against
holding the national all-comers cham.
pionship at Newport, is again out with q
document reminding players that the
matter is to be brought up at the annual
meeting Of the United States National
Lawn Tennis Association here next Feb
ruary and urging that all clubs sending
proxies and delegates also send instruc-
tions as to what shall be voted on this
important question.
An overturning in the list Of officers of
the national association also seems likely.
IN h.
president, has refused to reconsider his
determination to retire, and A. l.. Hos
kins. secretary. has expressed like de-
termination. William A. Larned's adj
mirers have started q boom for him as
DR.. Dwights successor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
Easy for Office Boy.

Kate Langley Bosher furnishes a de-
lightful little prize competitor called THE
Gentlemans Club In our Sunday Mag
azine tomorrow. The only member of this
club with whom the reader IL concerned
Ia the office boy, who Is plunged into al
most tragic dismay because his employer
and the latter's wife are at odds over q
complication that in the boys mind is Of
perfectly simple solution. To make mat
ters worse, another woman Is mixed up
in fha AFFAIR in q rather unconventional
way. OF course, everything has to end
happily. in accordance with our Sunday
Ma8aSine custom, and the author has
worked out the tale charmtngly.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
Keeping Track Of Special Orders.

From Business.
card record of purchases that saves q
great deal OF clerical work IL used by q
large firm of importers 1t can be adapted
to use by any firm ordering its goods
several months in advance Of require
ments.
When goods are ordered from a factory
entry is made on the card before the or
der il sent out. Spaces are provided for
entering the name or kind Of article, the
time Of shipment, to whom sold and the
date of delivery. When the card Is made
out of 1t is filled in q drawer, IA" On the
arrival of the goods 1t 10 taken out and
the date Of receipt entered in the space
provided. The card is then filed in q
drawer, 3D." When the goods are SOLD
the card is taken out and the date Of sale,
name of purchaser and the salesman
name entered sspon il. After which IL is
filed in q purchasers card ledger &C."
The back Of the card H. ruled to show
payments on the account.