Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-06-13
ANNUALLY By
FAIR SNUGGLERS
jewelers. Association Has Dis
bursed Many Thousands :
to Get Information.

smuggle gems into the country are
very numerous. one WOMAN had some
very fine diamonds which she wanted
to bring III free. When the steamer
reached the wharf she kas one of the
gayest of the passengers and stood
talking merrily with reporters, non
chalantly smoking y cigarette. In her
hand was handsome cigarette case
attached to her wrist by chain. This
she swung carelessly to and fro while
she talked.
Had not information come to the
officials that she had bought these dia-
m0nds abroad she would have walked
off scot free. AS it was, her baggage
was carefully searched, but nothing
was found When asked about the dia
monds she denied knowledge of them.
Then, in spit of protests, she was
stripped Of her clothes. Every gar
ment was carefully searched. Her
hair was taken down and examined.
Finally the inspectress caught sight
Of the cigarette case. IN false bot
tom in the case lay the precious stones.
Odd Hiding Places.
Few women nowadays try the trick
of secreting smugg.ed gems in the
heels of their shoes, 1t Is an old and
known trick and so the heels of sus-
pected passengers are examined. But
the ingenious hiding places used by
these women make necessary the hui
initiating search to which all suspected
women passengers are subjected by In
spectresses. One woman embroidered
the garment which she wore next her
skin with precious pearls. She protest
ed that they We're imitation pearls.
"Col(fures, seams of garments, ears,
etc, are utilized as hiding places for
gems.
"A wealthy California woman brought
back to America a small amount of jew
elry. probably about $50 900 worth alto
gether. Her husband allowed her pien-
ty of money, and nothing but n nat
ural born inclination which belongs to
95 per cent of women caused her to
smuggle, She was suspected and taken
| back aboard the ship and searched
The humiliation caused her to commit
suicide soon afterward
Nov, why should women smuggle
like this2 They can buy jewelry in
America just as fine as they can on
the Rue de la Paix Mt price only /
per cent more than they pay in Paris.
The importers in America. who are
specialists get their gems into the
country at 10 per cent duty, for they
are unset gems. Firms here do not
charge the enormous profits which
they do on the other side, and the re
suit is that they can get exactly the
same thing here for much less than
they can get them by importing them
themselves and paying the duty.
Why They Do It.
"Probably the reason is this: At
home the American husband is thor
ough, shrewd business man, and he
looks out to get the value of his mon
ey. He is too busy making money for
madam to spend while he is in Amer
lea to go looking for places TO throw
away his money. But over in Paris
how different! The Paris dealer sees
Mr. and Mrs America coming along
Mr. America is free from the bonds of
business and he is intoxicated with
the atmosphere of recklessness NJ.
Paris Dealer, suave and persuasive,
relieves him of his superluous cash
and blinds his eyes to the fact that he
is paying two or three times as much
as the thing is worth. In America you
could not rick him that way. Over
there he is daZzled. He may realize
it afterward, but then he remarks phi
losophically that he went over to
spend money anyway.
"The man nearly always pays the
duties imposed. He knows the risk he
runs. But with the woman it is diff
ferent For many years she escaped
easily. The past year. however, has
opened her eyes. 1t has been demon
strated that none is safe"