Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18

New YORK pier LOOKS sAeptiSany
at the home coming Million
airess and her 10 trunks. /
It think that I have listed everything l
bousht in Paris" Mrs. Jones prevaricates
brayely. gritting her teeth and biting her gums
in an effort to look cool "You see that have
put down 1000 worth Of stun.
In one hand the inspector holds the aeciaIa-
ton she had made on shipboard. admitting the
purchase of few frocks and gloves. In his
other is o confidential report from United
States Treasury agent in Paris. giving long
list of Jewels, furs, dresses and other Things
that she had bought In the French capital. the
exact date and place they were purchased and
the price paid for each article. :
The Treasury agents report had come By
mail. but to make sure that the customs service
would have . special reception committee to
greet her he had cAbled the name Of the boat
the miIii0nairess had sailed on The cable
passed her the frst day out at sea.
And you did not buy . Russian sable coat
over there?" the inspector insisted politely.
ton of the magnificent garment that he would
have been able to recognize it on a dark night.
mo, didn't" snapped Mrs. Jones. losing her
temper. but determined to 90 through with her
smuggling. 81 bought the coat here fn New
York before left. You can see the name OF
the New York house in 1t.
Il ON afraid that I must send all your
trunks to the custom house for complete exc
animation" the inspector finally announces,
after many vain efforts to get . complete and
honest declaration from her.
MRS. JONES storms and RACES, but the IN
spector is inexorable. and few weeks
later the newspapers carry a brief item, some
thing like the following:
The United States Customs Service has re-
eeived $780, 900 from Mrs. Jones, repre-
senting the duty and fine on undeclared jewelry
and clothing. Mrs. Jones, whose husband made
q fortune in "the Street." arrived from Europe
i'm February with purchases valued at only
$4,000 on her declaration form. Information
from Paris, however, led to the detention OF
her baggage at the New York custom house.
A complete inspection Of her 10 trunks revealed
sable coat Is dresses. 10 pairs Of silk stockings,
40 pairs of gloves. 10 handbags and number
q other souvenirs Of her trip.
why did that customs man pick ON me
when every woman on the ship was smuggling
i'm something's" the lady angrily demanded Of
her husband afterward and puzzled over this
mystery for months, although the answer was
Is obvious as the nose on her face.
In all probability the saleswoman who sold
her the Russian sable coat and all the others
who had sold her things In various shops had
Immediately rushed down and tipped OF the
United States Treasury agent. Under United
States customs law informers are paid IS per
cent OF the amount recovered by the Govern
ment from persons caught trying to smuggle
goods into the country, and q few thousand
dollars represents an extravagant fortune to o
Partisan shopgirl. ~.
II the girls in the shops fail to report expensive
purchases, the hotel concierges or porters surely
viii, thanks 70 information passed on by the
hotel maids and Wallets The concierges also
krnnay tb1a t1oAv Issva
on what ship.
In fact, . wealthy woman Is watched so
CLOSELY by this army Of spies that when she
gets back to New York the customs service will
know how many new silk stockings she bought
IN Europe.
"But do the clerks In all the expensive hat
fur. dress, jewelry, lingerie and novelty shops
In Paris know that the Omitted States Treasury
agent win pay big rewards to any one who WIN