Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-10-31

matter VI IdCt, ne nam OOu&nC them
at all yet; he was only looking at them.
don't be a boob m pay the duty.
Just pass 1t through without saying q
word. If you have any trouble here's
my card. Thatn fix 1t all right, old
man I'd do anything to please q friend
and save him some money"
But Bradley was not q fall guy; he
was a wise guy. Why" he asked him.
self, has that fellow. on such short
acquaintance. offered to betray the
government and help me to escape
payment?"
He couldn't reason it out satisfactor-
lily. There. however. was the name on
the card and the official position. II
think there's a job in it, Bradley said
to himself at last. I'll look out"
The day he landed in the United
states he made his declaration that he
had nothing dutiable. The inspector
passed his baggage, put on it the Off
cla! rubber stamp. marked it. 20. X
and Bradley turne to leave the dock.
II beg pardon" interrupted another
Inspector. but we want to see you"
The interview hat followed was in
private.
Did you declare everything?'
asked h inspector again.
...Everything," repeated Bradley.
Aren't you satisfied"
We'll, we have information to the
contrary. Well have to search you"
All right" agreed Bradley cheer
fully. That's your business. l suppose.
I'll help o all / can. Only hurry it
up
The rest OF the interview consisted
IN going straight to fundamentals and
searching Bradley clear down to the
skin. His baggage was all tumbled
out again. Yet there wasn't n thing
that the most experienced experts
could find.
A Match for the Customs Spy.
Just then a special employee came
into the room. Bradley looked at him
sharply. He knew him. But the man
evidently thought he could browbeat
Bradley.
Why" he announced. 'Tve got a
copy of the invoice Of the goods you
bought. You told me yourself you had
bought Them
Bradley looked him square in the
eye. Yes. this was his obliging friend
Of London and Paris. who had advised
him to smuggle and had given him his
card. The piece of pasteboard was not
burning n hole in Bradley's pocket.
He said nothing, but listened quietly.
Then he turned cody to the inspec-
tor who had searched him.. Are you
through" he asked.
Yes, We're through. We give In
now 10 ms man."
Well announced Bradley. 4 won't
pected he was a crook. and 1 never
bought the stuff I told him about"
There a nothing to do but let
Bradley go.
That night. at home, he handed his
wife a, splendid piece Of diamonds and
Fifth avenue take notice. Bradley had
handed the jewelry to n friend on
board the ship who would not be sus-
pected. The friend was far uptown
when h skin-searching was in pro-
gress.
Bradley handed Y e to me the
little bit Of pasteboard that had passed
to him in Paris. 1t bore the name,
beautifully engraved:
H. w. FLEMING
Special Employe, Treasury Department
Customs House, New York.
The truth was out at last. One OF
the cleverest rocks who ever took adj
vantage of an official position had
planned out a most extensive system
of blackmail. reaching across an ocean
between two continents, and involving
no n knew how many dupes in and
out of the service.
Tho Customs spy's Methods.
The CRATER whom l had run to
cover vas what is known as a special
the civil service rules. Among other
things, he had been sent owe to
Europe to scout around and find peo-
pie who were. purchasing expensive
jewelry and gowns.
That was all right. But it had
proved too tame for him. He soon
evolved a method all his own. He
would cultivate the acquaintance of
people, would i%nsinuate himself into
their friendship. Then finally, when
the right time came, he would induce
them to come in without declaring
their goods. The final act was when
he caught them in the very deed he
and received his share of h 'moiety"
for the seizure as q good and faithful
servant Of Uncle Sam.
Another of his methods, 1 found, was
to get the sailing lists OF steamers.
Then he would look over the names of
the hotels at which they stopped. He
would watch them and find out wheth-
err they were buying considerable
amounts of goods. Then he would hand
his card to them openly. showing his
official designation as a special en-
In without paying any duty" he would
say, Just remember me. I oversee
the boarding officers. you know. They
all know me, and they'll do anything
for a friend OF NINE"
Fleming would get them all before
they were ready to sail for home. He
would meet them socially, would call
on them at their hotels, rope them all
in without a suspicion on their part
of the collision to commit fraud in
order that he might catch them. Then
he would get them whep they landed
with the goods he knew all about.
Finally he would get his moiety. 1t
was neat. Besides, on the surface 1t
made him look like the real thing to
those who didn't know. He was q ter
ror to all smugglers.
E Hll> 49, a> E.Nl