Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-05
FINISH Or MDED DOUBLES
SMUGGLERS IN MOTOR CARS.
Desperate Chances They Take on
Franco Belgian Frontier.
From the London Mail


As an instance of the manner in which
contraband motor raids have increased in
the north of France. l may state, on the
authority of one of the principal customs
officers of the department of the north,
that at least fifty such cars have attempt
ed TO rush the frontier during the past
eighteen months, of which number some
forty have been reported during the past
year.
In the Lille region about fifteen cars
have dashed across the border, some ten
In the Tourcoing district and FIVE or six
near Armentieres. The customs have only
stopped or seized about fifteen-namely
eight AT Roubaix two or three at Dun
kirk and FIVE at Tourcoing, since the
raids began.
The other day a powerful machine
rushed" the frontier at the customs post
of La Marliere. outside Tourco ng. The
douanier was alone a. his post. but. after
firing the three revolver shots which
among the excisemen sand for the dan
ger signal. he sprang onto his bicycle and
gave chase.
Another customs officer digy:n. his
garden by his roadside cottage. s,s the
car tearing down the road pursued Y his
comraaS aid instantly fetchei OF his
cyc-s and. just as he was IL shirt
sic rs and sabots. Joined in the pursuit.
7 -Sere two pluc'sy little gabe'ous-as the
French cts ons men are calied-kept up
tie chase. hut the chauffeur of the col
ira aHnd cara desperate chard ter who
Lad escared from the French convict
tt.emoats-del:he-ate.y turned his ma
.aiie !iito road which was Under repa..'.
Dashing at undimi7ished speed over
broken fl rts -here he knew the cyclists
would nc, dare o follow him. he gained
the highrcao. bit ct the expense Of a tire
punctr1e. Notwithstanding this he never
slowed GnHa. and presently. taking
reck sss turn Of two wheels, the axle
ioEe. Even then tlis daredevil cha uf-
f,t'- Kept on his purse, rrnrir. or
so4- 10 yards on t.iree wheels.
fneI. as the car cola psed by the road
ne and MS companion sprang out and in
the sight Of the tenacious gaoe.ous pedal
ing furiously toward them scaled a
cemetery wall and disappeared from view
They have never been seen again.
The contra5and runners laugh at the
obstacles which the douan. ers erect in
their path. To sweep these away hey
are now equipping their cars with massive
steel guards. The last two cars which at
tempted to rush tine douane but broke
down and were captured. were fitted with
the most ingenious kind OF cowcat chers
One OF these cars powerful eighty
horsepower pipe, was furnished with solid
iron buffers in front with heavy steel
brushes fixed beneath the radiator so as
TO brush away nails or broken glass
strewn by the excisemen in the path of
the car 10 puhcture the tires FROM the
bonnet to the back OF the car solid steel
rails had been fitted in suca way as.
aided by the speed of tl,>lr car. to force
upward and clear of the machine any
cable stretched across the road.
In order TO cut through. in addition
even the stoutest wire rope. extremely
sharp saws had been placed for about
two yards along each of the bars. so that
a cable. caught up by the cars and run
onto the saw. world be inevitably severed
through the sheAf weight and speed OF
the car.