davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

in France. The cathedrals were not so horribly musty, but the hotels were not a particle better. Mrs. Griggs was en- thusiastic. They went into the chateau country and found the simple country people of France delightful-robbers After France they tried the Valley of the Rhine and looked at the castles. Next they visited Spain and found beggars everywhere they went, morning, noon and night.
 They had been gone four months and six days when MT. Griggs, who had been showing signs of restiveness, suddenly asked his wife one day how long this con- founded European trip was going to last. He was tired of 1t, he said. To his amaze ment Mrs. Griggs confessed that she, too, longed to return. She had been deceived by his studied suitability into believing he was enjoying himself.
 That very night they started for Havre. The first ship for America had them on board Old Manhattan Island looked very good to them when the French ship steamed up to her berth. The hotel they went to seemed palace compared to any thing they had seen on the other side of the Atlantic. The theatres seemed better -the whole world seemed better to them.
 They had determined on their way dcTOSS lHe OCedn lO reopen Ine1r Old nome, and as quickly as she could do so Mrs Griggs turned her attention in that direc- tion. That left Griggs footloose. Natural ly he wandered down town. Everybody was delighted to see him and told him he was 20 years younger. The lines had dis appeared from his face. There was spring to his step that he had not known since his boyhood days There was color In his cheeks, sparkle in his eye. The Flu ropean trip may have soured him on Eu- rope, but 1t certainly did wonders for him In a physical way.
 The second time he went down town he met Grimes. He was as surprised to see Grimes as Grimes was to see him. They had joyous greeting, a luncheon that was a delight, and nothing would do but Grimes had to be his guest that night Crimes 1t seemed had come on from the west on short trip. He had bought a magnificent estate in Minnesota and it would take years to develop it. The former partners chatted' late into the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

sprung by the present administration was when it began to prosecute women of this class. One of the first cases men toned in the list given me by Collector Loeb is that of Elizabeth Kilgannon and Ter husband a man named White were partners in smuggling. Mrs Kilgannon was known as Mme Loran, milliner, and her husband and White were classed as silk importers. Others were implicated in the transaction, and when the suit was brought 1t is said that the lawyers of- fered to pay more than quarter of mil lion dollars If the government would drop the matter. That, however, is not the way Uncle Sam is doing business. The smugglers were arrested. Mrs. Kilgannon was fined S5O00 and her husband was sent to prison on Blackwells Island for a year. White was given two years and went to the federal prison at Atlanta
 All Must Pay
 But I might fill page of this news paper with the stories of smugglers who have been fined and with those who have come forward upon being caught and have compromised by paying the duties. Take the wife of millionaire ship own ,er of Boston, who tried to sneak In a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

For nearly IA days after he had arrived in Europe MT. Ernest Griggs had a large time He took hurried view of London, spent almost a day in Paris, broke the speed laws of Switzerland made running jump through Geneva, gondolaed in Ven ice, viewed the seven hills of Rome and ran up to Vienna for a schnitzel, stopped in Munchen and bemoaned the fact that the beer there was not as good as in cer- tain portions of Fourteenth street. In Dresden he discovered that china cost more than 1t does in Sixth avenue, and he found a Budapest goulash was not to be compared with the Irish stew of com merce.
 He had left his wife in London to visit her sister, who had married title. Not liking his English relative he had taken q jaunt on the cathedral towns his wife had set her heart upon. When he gob back to London he reported to his help meet that he was bit disappolnted-that he did not find Europe came up to the specifications. She was sorry, but as- sured him he would be more than com pensated by what he saw in England. They sat out for the cathedral towns Tn high spirits. Griggs found that cathedral towns are best in pictures. For visitors they are rude awakenings. There Is hard ly cathedral town in England that has hotel fit for a white man to put up ar Most of the cathedrals are drafty. rheu- matiz breeding and with more attendants with their hands out than can be found In any other place on earth. Railroad travel fig execrable and some of the land lords are closely related to the late la mented Captain Kidd.
 It was in one of the cathedral towns that Mrs. Grlggs began to wonder what the deuce Steel was doing He could not get Steel out of his head He had not looked at an American paper since he had said goodby to Manhattan Island. When he got back to the hotel that evening he telegraphed to London for a quotation on Little Steel. It did not increase his peace of mind to learn that Steel had advanced five points within few weeks. When he left New York he thought Steel was due for a rise.
 It took Mrs. Griggs month to tour the cathedral towns of old England. Them they set out for France. It was bal1nier
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

revenue and all sorts of direct taxes.
 Collector Loeb tells me that 70 per cent of these customs receipts are now coming into New York, and that this port in it's tariff duties is now paying about 40 per cent of the working expenses of the gov- ernment. From this it will be seen how important it is that we have an hon. est man at the head of it, and that thaG honest man have the nerve and ability to collect what is really due to our own Uncle Sam. I believe this to be the case with Collector Loeb He is running the customs as a business institution and his only requirements of his employees are efficiency and honesty.
 The Collector and His Job
 During my talk with the collector today. I asked him as to his work. He replied:
 "All I nave attempted to do is to take this place out of politics and administer it on the plane of honesty, good governs ment, and in accordance with the laws. did not make the laws. I am here only to enforce them"
 How about politics and political ap- pointments?"
 Politics does not enter into this office. If a man does his duty we do not ask him what party he belongs to. Our promo- tions are by merit, and by merit alone"
 These are remarkable statements from a man who holds office which in the past has been one of the chief political plums of inc President. It has been one, of the best paying offices under the goy- ernment, and the one most fought for. When Garfield became President, it was the appointment of the New York collec- tor of customs which caused the break between him and Conklng, and 1t was that which drove Conkling from public life, and which indirectly caused the as- sassination of Garfield by the villain. Guteau.
 Twelve Thousand Dollars vs. a Million fixed salary. He gets 5000 month, or as a whole. sl2,000 year. Tn the past he was paid commission of 15, per cent upon all compromises and fines for under- valuations. Since Mir. Loeb took office tha amounts colectal of this nature hava footed up more than 100000 and at the old rate his commission therefor would amount to mere than $1.05OOOO.
 This represents a wonderful increase. and also tue detection of many frauds that have been going on for years. One was that of the sugar trust, where, in round numbers, about $2.900,000 worth of duties were collected, and for which one of the investigators received a fee of s1O0.OOO the frauds and the detection of the crjn,i- nals.
 The story of that fee was puhlished and since then, MT. Loeb tells me, many people have sent in information as tc. other frauds, hoping to be paid for aidl. ing the government in that way. Tli{ total fines and penalties for 15 years nre.v ceding Loeb's appointment averaged only $61.OOo per year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

Copyright, 1911 by Frank c. Carpenter.)
 New York City. FHAD a big jolt a few weeks ago. It
 was upon landing here in New York x after a short trip to Europe. I had been travelling on the continent. and knowing the strictness of the customs house officers, had carefully figured my purchases so that they did not exceed the s100 limit which every traveller Is supposed to have free. With head erect and the conscience of an honest citizen, I walked down the gangptank to the dock, expecting to be rushed through without trouble. l was rushed through all right. but not without trouble. My trunks were gone carefully over, and upon the very purchases had declared had to pay over $40 in duties.
 Among these was about $50 worth of "God Bless Our Home" German linens. I mean the tablecloths and napkins with German notices embroidered upon them.
 They were for my own use, and con- strued them to be on the free list. The inspector, however told me that all linen now pays 50 per cent and that on that little item the sum of 'S1S was due. It was the same upon other stuff of sim- liar nature, and at the end Uncle Sam got $40 from me before I dared leave the dock.
 That was the sum the government col lected from one honest passengers bag gage. It came from a recent construction of the law, which has shut out presents and certain special classes of goods. And it had nothing to do with the smuggling. which In the past has cost Uncle Sam millions.
 The Passing of the Smuggler
 Indeed, the well to do, respectable tour st smuggler is fast passing away Col lector Loeb has him and her on the run, and a righteous fear has soaked into the souls of the hundreds of thousands who annually travel in Europe. As I stood on the wharf it seemed to me that the baggage of the individual passenger had, perceptbly shrunk. Men whom I have known to bring back IA or 15 trunks are now content with one little steamer and hat box, perhaps. while the average woman had but little more.
 All the way over from Europe to New York the chief conversation on board was as to the customs officials: and the hor- rid way in which they went through your baggage. I observed them go through other trunks. The work was rigidly done, and as a rule, without trouble to those who had made an honest statement of just what they had in their ba ggage Some few fared badly, and among these were two young ladies, who had sewed the CTS inside their new Paris dresses, and were trying to get them in free
 One short woman with bulbous bosom was found to be padded with lace, and another for whom the inspectors had been told to watch out, was taken off to private room and searched from iler crown to her toes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

Tn the meantime, however, the special customs spies at Paris cabled New York that the necklace had been worn by Mrs. Leeds before 1t was shipped and that it should therefore pay duty as necklace. Upon this the matter was again taken Up and the duty raised to s13200o or $l1o,- coo more than tlta original sum. To this the importers objected, and the court then fixed the duty at the loose pearl rate of s22,0 This decision was appealed from, and, I understand 1t, the case has gone to the United States supreme court and 1t has adjudged that it must be recon- sidered.
 Dressmakers Who Smuggle
 In the past much of the petty snug gling has been done by dressmakers and tailors. It used to be customary for Eng fish tailors to take orders in New York and make clothes to measure, agreeing to deliver them to the customers free of duty. Dressmakers' sample gowns were bought in as personal effects, and orders for gowns made in Paris were taken the same way This was a regular business. Only last January 27 dressmakers were fined from $500 to $2Oo for being impli- cated in 1t, and one of the great surprises
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

among the petty things" In this case were some pearls valued at S115,OOo which the lady had hidden in the folds of her straw hat. The millionaires remark was reported to MT. Loeb, whereupon Loeb said that MT. Adriance had made A bio fortune out of the duties which the Tinted States imposed upon such machinery as he manufactured, but that when it came to his paying any duty himself he ob- jected.
 A somewhat similar case of trust for tune falling to pay duties was that con- nected with the Leeds necklace. This case came up shortly before Collector Loeb got his appointment. w. B. Leeds. one of the millionaires of the tin plate trust, had gone to Paris to live, and while there Mrs. Leeds had bought a fa- nous necklace in Paris, but a part of her bargain was that it was to be deliy- cred to her in Newport without duty within certain time, if she so desired. In order to escape paying some of the duty the syndicate took the necklace apart and shipped 1t in as loose pearls, in which shape it was invoiced at s220. 0O0. The tariff upon loose pearls was 10 per cent, and, as I understand 1t, at that rate the necklace was passed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17


 night. discussed their plans for enjoying life to the fullest, and the next day, when Grimes started west. Griggs saw him off.
 Three weeks later Griggs met Grimes in Wall street again. Grimes blushed, or came as near it as he could, when Griggs shook hands with him. He claimed that a little business he had not closed out upon his retirement had called him east suddenly. day or two later Grlggs thought he saw his old friend a bit ahead of him in Broad street. It was not long after that until he was sure of it. He followed Grimes down through Broad street one day saw him turn into South William, climb few steps, put key in the lock and oLen one of those old fash toned offices in one of those old fashioned buildings that you may find within 300 feet of the stock exchange, the same to- day as they were a hundred years ago.
 As Grimes opened the door Griggs ed like a culprit.
 What does this mean, Grimes?" asked Griggs
 Grimes hemmed and hawed. Ordinarily he was self possessed, but deceit had robbed him of his self possession. He ut tered a cuss word to relieve his feelings, and then he made a clean breast of the whole matter.
 Ernest" he said, 'I am ashamed of myself. I can't content myself out west. I've been deceiving you and deceiving my family. I cannot get away from Wall street I didn't have enough coruage to take an office in the street, or on Broad way or on Broad street I have come into this bit of backwater. Here I have got a ticker and desk and a telephone, and I sneak in and sneak out like a person who had something to hide. It is all silly of course, but I might as well be in jail as out there in Minnesota. I don't be- lieve my wife enjoys it half as much as she says she does. I am spending more time in New York than I am in Minnesota. and almost as much time on the trains as In either place. am going to have it out with Mrs. Grimes when I go back this time, and tell her she will have to come back to the city to live It is weak of me to make this acknowledgment, old fellow, but can't help it'
 Griggs did not say anything for more than @ minute. Then he remarked ''I suppose you feel better now, after your confession, don't you, Roger?"
 Yes" said Grimes, 'I can at least look you in the eye now.''
 Well, I guess had better do little 'fessng myself, said Griggs.
 Grimes opened his eyes.
 "Um-humm!'' said he
 "Yes, Pm about as bad off as vou are I thought I could keep away from the game and tried honestly started down town the day after I came back from Eu- rope the happiest man in New York. I be heVe l went to see Perkins and Halsted ana chapman and half dozen of the old fellows, and tell you it warmed my hea,t the way they greeted me. I never knew
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

~ oNTENTMENT is one of the rarest
 gifts bestowed upon man. There
 < is less of it in the United States than in any other part of the world. There is less of it in Wall street than in any other part of the United States That may explain why Griggs &1 Grimes, rlch prosperous, influential, healthy and sane, determined to quit
 They had been in the street where money grows all their lives. When they were up town they were as broad and lib eral men as you would find in a days walk. But down town they were strictly business. Once they got within the shadow of Trinity the money hunger took possession of them and they thought only fin eighths and quarters. The ticker was everything.
 MT. Griggs looked after the office man. agement. MT. Grimes was the board man. Each was excellent in his own particular sphere. No house in Wall street served it's patrons better. There was no effort made to get general patronage. The part ners were satisfied with the custom that had come to the house through it's long and busy years. One of the most inf1uen- tial directors of Amalgamated Copper conducted all his operations through Mir. Grimes. MT. Griggs controlled the con- science of a gentleman high in the Steel Trust A director of the Sugar Trust was a dummy for both Griggs and Grimes. No gentleman could engineer a raid or put prices on stilts with more intelligence and subtlety than MT. Grimes. He cov- cred his tracks like an Indian. He was unsophisticated, just the same as 8 fox. So was MT. Griggs. Some persons would have thought them coldly, brutally selfish. They used their wits to the very best ad- vantage, and the more profit they made the more they desired. Each was ner- vous, high strung, impatient and Q bit iconoclastic.
 Outside of Wall street these partners were delightful and human. Their home life was charming. Mrs. Griggs's one com plaint was that her husband worked so hard. She was a bit spoiled, perhaps. She had been abroad just enough to get the idea that Europe was a far more charming place to live in than America The old cathedral towns had a fascination for her. Her ideal life would be one ot travel. She did not think men should waste their time on earth money grub ping. As she looked at the gray hair of MT. Griggs she sighed. As she noted the lines that began to show about his eyes she had twinge in her heart. He was a slave of the money god, and was wear ing out his life in its service. She had talked with her husband about the time when he should retire and they should be- gin to enjoy life-real life, the life of travel, observation, leisure He had prom ised that some day, when things were just right, he would retire and go abroad with her and stay as many years as she wished. But there was nothing definite said about when this was to be.
 When the partnership of Griggs & Grimes was formed 1t was for 10 years Tt had proved so successful that when it was continued 1t was without time limit. In the big boom after the Spanish-Amer- ican war the firm did a tremendous bus mess. MT. Griggs supervised all details.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17


 those men had so much sentiment. Thev all wished me to dine with them that day. They all urged me to come in and see them-the oftener the better. I lunched with Chapman and told him the whole story of the trip abroad. It pleased him immensely He agreed with me that was wise old boy to get out of the street for good and all. He wished he could do it, too.
 Tt was rather dull up town and used to trot down every day or two to see how things were going and drop in on some of the old chaps. The first week was all right, but after that I sort of felt I wasn't welcome. I was not in the market and there was no chance Of making any money out of me. It was a waste of time to talk with me. Then, Roger, suddenly realized that 1 was a bore-that the man who visits a business man socially in his office more than once in six months Is a nuisance-is robber of the business mans time, and that the quicker he vamooses the better.
 -''I tell you, old man, 1t was painful for me-a man with million or two-to find out that I did not have resources within myself enough to employ my time, that I craved the companionship Of business men who didn't want to see me i9 business hours and that I was a useless cog in a great machine, and getting rustiei. every minute. l have got an office, Roger, and l think it's worse than yours-anyhow, Pm running 1t under an assumed name. so can loaf there and still be near the cen- ter of things. What do you think of us two old fools down here in Wall street, hiding and masquerading as we are?"
 What they thought about it was evi- denced about 10 days later, when all tho newspapers announced that Messrs Griggs & Grimes had returned to Wall street and had resumed business at the same old stand. The financial papers had more about the resurrection than they had about the demise.
 It is three years since Griggs & Grimes resumed business in Wall street. The mar velous part of the story is that the firm of Griggs & Crimes despite comparatively dull times, has done a bigger business in the three years since it resumed than it did in the last three years before the partners retired" Then men are hap pier than they ever were before. You could not get MT. Griggs into a cathedral town with a yoke of oxen. MT. Grimes, Mrs. Grimes and the four small Grimeses are back in the old home up town. Mrs. Grimes is very well satisfied with New York. She is pleased to go out to the Minnesota estate in the summer, but in winter, no Minnesota for Mrs. Grimes.
 The two men do not regret their tenn porary interment It gave to them exactly what they needed-a rest. It also gave to them an appreciation of the glorious priv- ilege of working hard. and there Is noth- ing more conclusive to that rarest of things on earth--contentment.
 Copyright, 1911, by Richard Spfllane)
The evening world., 1911-11-15
MARLBORO RESULTS.

FIRST RAOE-Four-year-olds and up
ward; four and a half furlongs.-Elixa-
beth O.. 1l3 Grand. 3. sven and 3 to s.
won: Donation. lis (White). 8 to 2. Q to 8
and even, second; Hibernica. lis (Stein-
hardt), II to 5. 8 to 10 and 2 to 8. third.
Time. 1.0a. Teddy Bear. Kerran. Chief
Hayes and Chief Bartlett also ran.
SECOND Neutrality-suspicious. and
upward; Ave and a half furlongs.-Mollie
Kearney. 10 (Grand). 4. Z to 8 and Z to
10. won: Little Erne. 10s (~Schwibig). II
to 5. even and l to z. second; Bar-ette.
40 (W7hite), Z to 8, ! to 2 and out. THIRD.
Time. 1.0a. He!nous. SIR v and Irene
0ummell also ran.
THIRD RACE-Thres-year-olds and
up; -Four and ons-half furlongs.-Car-
roll. III (ChappelD. 8 to I. 8 10 s and
3 to 6. won; BluecEest. lis (Clement),
3 to I. 6 to G and 3 TO 8. second: Bat
Masterson. lis ~<Johnson). 6 to I. . to Z
and even. third.
Time. l.12. sabo Blend. May Amelia
and Lady Hapsburg also ran.
FOURTH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ant
upward: one and o~ne-sixteenth miles
Nun, i02 (Schweibig). II to 10. 1 to 1 ant
out. irst; Elbart. l03 (E'stsp). Z. 8 to
and out, second; Probe. Ill (Moody).
to s, I to 4 and out. third. Time. 2.0
Leon B. also an.
FIFTH RACE-rhree-year-olds an,
upward; Ave and one-hak furiongs.-
Jessup Burne. ia (Sweibsis). Z TO s,
10 . ana out. frst; Lord Wells. Y
| (white). 8, 8 and 9 to 8. second; westsr
Belle, IL CBergen), II to 8, 4 to 8 an
to 3, third. Time. 1.13, Dolly Bul,
man. sandiver. King Pin also ran.
The evening world., 1911-11-15
MteIeague Season Plan
Won't Be Considered Yet
Says Lynch of National
No Reason for Bringing Clubs
Together After Short lndi-
vidual Circuits.

SHORT a IN both the Ameri.
~ can and National Leagues, fol-
"A lowed by another season Of
games among An the teams Of both
circuits, is not likely to receive serious
attention at the hands of the National
Commi.s,on this winter. It has been
reported that Chairman Garry Herr
mann was about to renew his inter-
league season suggestion Of some time
ago, but Thomas J. Lynch. President OF