The Green Forest tribune., 1916-09-22
Behind Customs Screens
Copyright by W. G. Chapman

VI
 The enrontery of this special agent, you would quite naturally conclude, was ridiculous. You approve of the sort of courage that makes man willing to tackle almost any big task, but you also recognize the limitations Of the individual David with his slingshot had an obvious chance of success. If he could make a scratch shot and land on the coco of MT. Co., Hath he would win. But Special Agent Billy Gard sallied forth nonchalantly against the whole army of Philistines apparently without even slingshot
 The Phiiistines in this case were typifed by the customs crowd of the port of New York. That crowd was a ring within the administration of the affairs of that greatest of gateways that had built up a system for divert ing million dollars @ year from the pocket of Uncle Sam and appropriat- ing the money to itself. For twenty five years the men of this inner circle had steadily strengthened their posi- tiOns, their hold upon those in author iGy. their power 10 shake down im- porters There is a great influence to be wielded by million dollars a year in the hands of willing spenders.
 The development of this condition of affairs was based primarily upon the fact that positions in the customs service are dependent upon politics The men who built up the system of customs graft had secured their ap- pointments because they had political influence. They afterward used that influence and put their easy money back Of it. Their power grew. It made 1t possible for them to dictate appointments more important than their own, even to the collectOrship itself. It made it possible for them to bring about the removal Of any small CT official who seemed to stand in their way. Men not in the ring learned to wink at many things that they saw. When an emissary of the crooked GUS toms crowd went to an importer, even where he was honest. it came to be known that it was wise to listen to any proposal made Thus did the ma chine gather force
 Just one example of the workings of the system. An Italian named Cos tello was an importer of cheese. He was Q successful, enterprising and honest merchant One day he received 8 large shipment from Italy, upon sa.sr s.ze se.sI1sfrfn'r-t-rr @sr-ss s5= s75 when he ,eXpected 5r -iGy a duty Noi { s10000. The cargo was unloaded and weighed by the customs representa- lives. That night an emissary of the | ring called upon the Italian merchant ! He showed the record of weights for the cheese cargo. According to this record Costello would have had to pay a duty of but 5000. It showed but half the weight in cheese that had ae- tUally arrived.
 "We save you $5,000" said the spokesman We expect you to di- vide the profit"
 But I believe in dealing honestly with the government" said Costello. 'T have always done so and have prospered"
 My tip to you said the go-between, is to do as the weighers suggest. They could as easily charge you over weight as underweight. Besides, you will save much money
 The importer, a foreigner, thus ad- vised by representative of the gov ernment of his adoption, took the tip and thereafter profted through this official corruption and shared the duties thus saved Costello received most of his goods as part of what were known as Mediterranean ear goes" cheese, macarOni, olive oil The government was afteTWard found tC have been losing an average of S20, DOC on each Mediterranean cargo that came to port
 The case is typical The represen tatives of the government practical. forced the importers into these decep ttous. The customs service and com mereial New York became permeatet with this sort of fraud
 Henry l.. Stimson was appointe United States district attorney in l99 and determined to clean up these GUS toms frauds William Loeb, Jr, Wa collector of the port, and of the sam mind. The two men got their head together and considered ways an means. A big cleanup followed and i bringing it about the work of Dete' tive Billy Gard played most impo tant part
 This young special agent was tol to go out and master the detail of Ne York customs, a service that was He to him, to come to understand thel so well that he could place his finge on the points where things were goin wrong. to pick out the men in th service who were corrupt, to get h information in such form that it Woul be admissible in court as evidence ar so s.eoIig that it would insure convi tions. He was to do all this in tf face of the unfriendliness of the ser ice he was to study despite all u stumbling blocks that would be put
 his way, in opposition to the dominal political machine of the port, in u face of lack of any special knowledI of the service. Young Gard acceptt the assignment with a grin.
 What are you doing on the custon cases?" District Attorney Stimsc asked three weeks later.
 Going to the baseball games" sa Gard.
 'I hadn't noticed any cargoes beil