Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-06-14
MILLIONS LOST
j. S. THROUGH
BOastfuI Women Are Often
"Peached on" by Friends
They Had Told About 1t.
TT<HAT American tourists annually

|T<HAT American tourists annually
rob Uncle Sam Of S24 100000 by
IL smuggling precious stones into
this country was the statement
Of ludwig Nissen, president Of the
American jewelers. Protective assoc
citation. whose headquarters are in New
York city, on the eve of his recent de-
partqre for Europe. The duty on pre-
cious stones is GO per cent. That
means that the value Of gems Snug
gled into America each year Is $780,
100000.
With a view to minimizing this sort
Of smuggling the jewellers of America
last year formed the Precious Stone
Importers association. Since then they
have disbursed many thousands of dol
lars in rewards for information con-
corning smugglers, men ana women.
who have Guided custom house seru-
tiny. These rewards have not been
paid to detective agencies, but to mem
bers of New York's Four Hundred who
have 'peached."
Forty million may seem very large
amount TO be smnggled in past the
sharp scrutiny of the CUSTOMS" Mr..
Nissen said. Hbut when you realize
that all Of the'$S00o0. 600 worth of pre-
cious gems imported during the past
two years could be carried in small
grip you see how difficult is the task
of detecting smugglers."
Here Mr. Nissen pushed button on
his desk and gave an order to the boy
who answered it.
Half Million In Vest Pocket.
81 have sent for three very valuable
pearl necklaces he explained. "rhe
combined value of these necklaces is
$4,000"
clerk brought in three black jewel
boxes. Opening them, Mr.. Nissen took
from their satin beds three strings of
lusuous pearls. graded from large
perfect center pearl to small perfect
pearls, which ended in diamond
clasp. and held all three in one hand.
'See; | can easily put this half mil
lion dollars worth of pearls into my
waistcoat pocket" suiting the action
to the word. You can see no differ
ence. You do not see my pocket bulg-
ing out any more than 1t would ii |
happened to have some loose change
in it, That is what makes the detect
ing OF precious gems so very difficult
I'VE have an extensive system now,
however, which | believe in time will
assist in greatly diminishing the
amount OF Struggled gems. Mr.. Loeb
while collector has given us support
in making seizures. and many lady
during the past year has been surpris-
{ ed after she had considered all diff
cuhies past by being called upon TO ac-
count for certain gems she had bought
abroad.
How did the collector find out about
them? She had passed through the
customs all right and believed herself
safe. she soothes her conscience, if it
/ troubles her at all, with the sophistry
1 tho she has bought and paid for the
things and they are hers. The hus-
bands of these women put no restric-
tons upon them. and they haughtily
refuse to see why a government dares
( to do so.
'Ninety-fve per cent of the SNUG
Cling is done by women. For many
years they had their own way. But
( things are changed now. No matter
how Machiavellian their maneuvers,
no matter if their stories would make
Ananias blush with envy some time.
/ somewhere, somehow, the truth is go-
ing to leak out. and humiliation and
/ punishment will come TO them.
Babbled to a Friend.
"It may ba that Mrs NavIvriph who