The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-07-08
AMERICAN COLD
PERILS TOURIST
Is Big Hindrance to Travellers
and ExchangeabIe for Less
Than Bank Drafts.
MRS. TENANT IS SEARCHED
Fined for Attempt to Leave Frane&
With United States Coin She
Brought ln-Freneh Law Linn
It's Amount Taken Out.

Paris.-Americans travelling In Eu
rope who persist in the time-honoret
custom of carrying about a certain
amount Of gold may profit by reading
Of the disagreeable experience Of Mrs
Palmer Tenant of Hagerstown, Md
Mrs. Tenant has just returned tt
Paris after eight months of travel
on the continent and In North Africa
with her husband. On leaving New
York last August Mrs. Tenant and
her husband bought a small amount
Of gold to use in any emergency II
case they arrived in an out-of-the
way place where checks and letters
Of credit did not pass current.
Mrs. Tenant kept 500 in gold
pieces In IN envelope In her dressing
bag. She passed through various Gus
tom houses without any difficulty OF
delay save for the usual formalities
On arriving at Bellegarde on the
French frontier on her way to Geneva
a few days ago Mrs. Tenant fell int
the hands Of the only woman inspec
tor in the B~ellegarde customs. This
woman, after being assured that Mrs
Tenant had nothing dutiable to de
clare, started to make a minute ex.
animation of the contents Of Mrs. Ten.
nant's dressing bag and picking UT
company found the five $40 American
gold pieces, which she Immediately
confscated.
Forced to DIsrobe.
She then ordered Mrs. Tenant into
an inside Office to be searched. Mrs
Tenant and her husband protested
strongly and pointed out the fact that
they were not carrying French but
American gold, which they had brought
into France. Protests were Of 40 avail
and Mrs. Tenant was forced to dis.
robe down to her last garment. The
woman inspector ever tore the lining
out Of her hat and raj her fingers
through Mrs. Tenants hair.
After their trunks were examined
In a vain quest for more gold, the
Tenants were marched by a hall
dozen officials to the project Of police
who took the American gold, figured
out a very low rate Of exchange and
gave Mrs. Tenant French notes fol
her gold. He then fined the American
woman so francs for attempting tic
carry gold out of the country. Mrs
Tenant was so upset by her expert
ence that she paid the fine lest any
further indignities be offered her, and
continued on to Geneva with her hus
band after four hours delay.
Subsequently inquiry has developed
that the woma inspector at Belle
garde makes a speciality of gold dig
ging, whereas the male inspectors al
Bellegrade usually make only a mos
cursory inspection, and, in most cases
pass trunks without opening them al
all, after making the usual inquiry as
to dutiable tobacco, liquors and per
fumes. An American woman with two
children had $3.50 In American gold
taken away from her recently by the
same woman inspector at Bellegarde
American men carrying gold pieces or
their watch chains have been similar
ly relieved.
Gold lss Hindrance.
The French law prohibits any per
son taking more than 5000 francs il
currency out of the country. Gold Il
not only a hindrance to a traveller, but
1t is ex%changeable at a lower rat,
than a bank draft. Paris banks recent
ly paid 1895 francs for American dol
lars In the form of bank drafts OIL
travellers checks, but only 1920 franci
for American gold. Travellers coming
from Germany who admitted to the
customs officer that they were In pos
session of more than 5000 marks wert
invited to hand over the surplus or g,
to jail. In each cas- they were giver
a receipt for their money and In
formed that they could redeem 1t wher
they returned to Germany.
One American, who innocently TOLD
a German inspector that he had only
$500 but that its equivalent was II
German marks, had to turn yer al
but about $50 with which to make hi
way as best he could south, through
Switzerland, to catch his steamer. Thii
incident happened at Basel, where
the German inspection Of trunks II
most minute. Anything bought In Ger
many and not declared is confiscated
The immense purchases by foreigner
In Germany has brought about tn,
most rigid scrutiny Of baggage.