Year: 1874

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Diamond Smuggling.


The Boston Commercial Bulletin, in
an article on smuggling at New York
relates the following story:


"There is a very important traffic car.
ried on in diamonds over the various
European lines to this country, and as
the duty upon them is ten per cent. ad
valorem the sharpest watch is kept upon
those suspected to be engaged in it.
By means of agents abroad the Collec-
tors Office has often information by
cable of the departure from the various
ports of suspected diamond smugglers,
and is prepared to intercept them. In
nine cases out of ten the stones are con-
cealed upon the persons of the passen-
gers. When this becomes certainty,
or what is supposed to be certainty,
the passenger is arrested and taken to
the Searchers Bureau in the custom
house. Here, if, found necessary, the
party is stripped to the skin, and his
clothes examined inch by inch, seam by
seam; the heels are taken from his
boots; his hair and beard are combed,
and every means taken to discover the
hiding place of the secreted treasures.
Once this mode OF search used to be
tolerably successful, but now it rarely
serves any purpose except in the case of
raw recruits to the smuggling ranks.
An old bird is caught with chat but
once.


"a New York Jew, who was reputed
to be in the business of smuggling da-
monds, used to cross the water on the
Cunard line from three to four times a
season. Two years ago, in the early
part OF the season, he was seized upon
his arrival and taken to the searcher s
room. Nearly thousand dollars
worth OF precious stones we're found
secreted in the lining Of his boots. He
returned to Liverpool by the same
steamer, and four weeks after again land
ed upon the company's wharf on North
river. he was again seized and subiec-
ted to the same rigorous search, but
with no success, The man took it smil-
ingly and philosophically. When he
took his leave he said: Better luck
next time, gentlemen. | shall go back
by the same steamer on business, and
when l return you can try it again.


"The officers mentally determined if
he did they would try it again. Upon
inquiry it was found that he really had
engaged a return passage, having held
his stateroom for that purpose. Two
hours before the sailing Of the steamer
he was driven down to the pier in his
carriage, his wife and daughter with him
to see him off. When they returned
they carried with them over ten thou
sand dollars worth of diamonds which
had lain secreted in his stateroom dur
ing the whole time the steamer had re-
mained in port Before his return to
New York the COLLECTOR was notified by
one of the revenue agents abroad that
Max Fischer would return by the -,
which would leave Liverpool October 70,
with several thousand dollars worth OF
diamonds. In due time the man arrived,
and for the third time was escorted before
the searcher. He was evidently not
nrenared for such persistent attention:
He seemed nervous and agitated, and
finally attempted to compromise. be
was politely informed that that was out
of the question. he was again put
through the searching process. his
pocket,book, which was first investlga-
ted, revealed memorandum showing
the purchase of eighteea diamonds OF
various sizes and prices, amounting IN
ali to $4,000. When this came to light
the man begged vita tears to be allowed
to compromises. A deaf ear vas turned
To his entresties. His coat was removed
and the lining examined. Nothing
there. Then the wsiEtcoat. AS the
searcher passed his practical fingers
along the lining his heart gave Q trre-
mendous thump as be recognized the
feel of something pebbly, like little rows
of buttons. The garment was hastily
ripped, strip OF 'ehamois skin with
drawn aud unrolled, and there they lay,
one two three and eighteen All there.


"'You can put on your coat and
vaistcoat again, Mr.. Fischer, said the
searcher, blandly. Good day.


Without a word the man departed,
took a horse car home, kissed his family,
ate rousing dinner, repaired to the
bathroom, and, after soaking a rather
capacious plaster across tue small of his
back for few minutes in warm water,
peeled it of, and with it eighteen dia-
monds. of various costs and prices.
What the searchsr and collector may
have said or thought when they found
their seizure 10 be nothing but clever
glass limitations, worth from ten to
thirty cents each, nobody knows; for
although the seizure was loudly heralded,
the finale was never made public. A
lady in this city, moving in fashionable
circles, wears a valuable diamond which
was imported in the cavity OF a double
tooth, said tooth being in the mouth of
gentleman of New York 1t was placed
In its rather unromantic hiding place in
London, and safely covered with bone
filing, which was displaced after the