FEMALE SMUGGLERS IN NEW YORK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1773, 22 February 1888, Page 2

FEMALE SMUGGLERS IN NEW YORK.

Indignant woman is not a pleasant psrson to run against, and usually people give her a wide berth ; bat went on the docks of New York for a kuropeau steamer, and you find her not iv (ho singular, i>ut iv tue plural number, In lorm r yearß (says the *• Frovdence (X.1.) Journal," it was an ea*y nutter to rush throiigh a few (1) presents, fifty or so. •Now, with the advent nf women on thd docks as iospecireases a *iad change has come o'er the s,..ir.t of the fuir traveller's dream, iheee inspectresues are twentythree m number, uuder the charge or Mra Mary i_. Williamß, chief of the bureau. They range m a;e from sixteen y<iars to that point whoie women stop having birthdays. Their hours at the barge office on the Battery are from nine and seven a.m. on alternate weeks to six p m At this season they are rushed, Sunday being the busiest day. A competitive civil service examination, such as any pupil m the upper grammar grades could pasa, _eoareß a. position aud a aalary of uiae y<hree d illaio a month. Wh-.n a vesad is sighted off Fire Icuand, its arrival is wired to the barge office. At the Narrows the Uußtom*ui-use officiala bo<*rd tbe threat Mteam.r, and otuers, with inspectre^B.s, prepare tv meet ber wnen satety tied to her lan ong. At one end of the gorge ousl. fi_ted-*»p eaioon the men m brass bottons and white oaps with gilt insignia, Boat themselves, and m Indian file the passengers oome up to the impromptu docka.

" ¥our name ?" as_s the officer. " J Helene Jones V. Iso muuh'ia honest. •• Alone or ivitu ao escort ?' Here comes ihe run. If unattended, her ladyship m_st submit to the hundred eyes of ihu female Argua detailed to ms^tjot, the luggage of ladie. travelling alone. It wl.h a genuemau tai. is .-.voided, aud although ano has tramped ail over the OonUueut, and booghc from every shop m J-iundoo and Pans without any aid, the result just being pulled up f .o_i the cold of the ship, at the present moment she fiuda male protection a moat desirable thing. Her answer, truthfully or no, goes down, and the next interrogation is regarding the number of trunks, boxes, parcels, aud jjaokages. Taey must all be enumerated, " Dig dux, hula box, handbox and bundle." '•Dutiable or non-dutiable?" she ls asked. JNiue oases out of tun, she amitiugly sayß she naß nothing at all upon which duty oan be charged lv her judgement. Subsequent events prove that differences of opinion still exist m this oolct, cruel world, whera aa unfeeling Government persists m levying a tax ou female frigem. Mademo.Beile is then passed to to. t> nun opposite and signs her name co this paper, she uas thus sworn to possessing no dutiable artiole. lf uqueam.en sue may reply tbat she has a foW trifles, and is asked to name them and place upon, these a vamacion. Seldom Is the true coat given, and,often sale bills are produced (kiudly arranged by parties across), substantiating ber 'statements. Tne queetiouiug olosoa with a number handed her on a oneque, corresponding to that on her swvrn deposition. With It goes a circular informing oue bribery is puu.shab.e. Tbd steamer reaches ber pier.

Mile Jones, In a new seal j.oket and Parisian bonnet, briugs dowu numberless amall parcels, ncr steward, gracious uuder m fin A kip, m the rear with poitmauteaua, rug., aud umbrellas. !3he emoraoe. waiting adnitr.rs, announces she " had a perfectly mvely time : actually gained sixteen pounds?' this last faotcorroborated by an apparent increase m volume and *u.g~t ti <me_ow her dress -improver has swelled, but she accounts for this as ihe very latest from Uegenc street fashion models. Bat keys art* called for. ..he is most voluble, too much so tor the cool miss m ulster now controlling ali Delongiiigs, To tbe h-nd bag first dives the wojnau official. Ufothing there. Her steamer Uuuk, Also empty, void of auy | thing suspicious, although a nlght-dre.s Cisc is poked into, toilet bag and boxes uitto. QUI nihil. Rugs, fur cloak and umbrellas are opuned. Miss Jones started wiih note, she now oar. lea f-ur of a recant make. Tney pass. A second Key opens a huge Saratoga and eaoh tray cornea under inspection. There is muon head-gear, auspiciously new, but it goet> a* personal be.ongiugs. Lingerie comes Under insp-otion, but aiso passes. Dce-ses of iate make are tossed aalae and into eaoh corner go the quick hands. Aul something hatd -a atruok ! A box. Oat ttcomos m a j.ffy. Oover torn off aud through the paoidog comes a pair ot lovely vases. These are quietly laid aside. During this' the owuer is ali the time giving iniormation, historical, of the origin and cause of eaoh article, But Mihb Inapeotresß is cooler then tbe traditional oucumber. Ano. her trunk is unstrapped and nn. looked. Dresses, dresses, every wuere, fcome but quarter made and one of ai-.ens.onstw.ee Mile. tieleoe'BSiz-. Tbe keen eye of tha examiner observes this, and tbe garment goes on top pf the box, followed by a gentleman's mackintosh, and later a lamp iv royal Worcester, the vaae of the lamp stuffed with lace. Gloves are plenty, but give way to a silk skirt. On the principle of set a thief to oatoh a thief, put a woman to fathom a woman's ways, and you / need not be surprised to see the luspeotreas hold up the skirt to the light, rip open one of the gores, and show round atcer round of heavy jet stitched inside, The pile is now is goodly siz3, its owner tearfully exclaiming: It's a shame; they're oniy presents from friends m England !" JtJut the Inapeotress heeds her not, but goes for the * appraisement with the deposition, whioh she has all the time held iv her band. Mile Jones btglue to breathe esßy. Pollteiy aha is asked to place a value upon the goods and she does so. Juat as she is shaking hands with herself and wondering lf she wiil have enough left m her porfcemonnaie to. put up at the Brunswick or the Fifth Avenue, she ie Invited Into a room on the dook. F.reweil to all delusive hope. Pandora never left it In the box to be so cruelly crushed. A personal examination shows silk petticoats with braid and bullion, and lace ornamentation Her pockets, jewellery by the yard, and m her baok hair, when unbound, are found two shining diamonds. The anatomy of the bustle should be reeds or springs, with a tiny cushion of hair. But here is a piece of velvet whioh she oould not duplicate ln the States, and a scissors thrust m the cushion stabs three meereobaum plpeß ! Behold her shorn and ia fljods of tears.

Sue calls a cab, or someone doeß for her, pays the duty on her little pile, amounting to about three-fourths ot their real worth, and loses what is taken from her peraon. The next day she writes to some New York paper anathematising the Govern merit, and ihe protective tariff, and' thinks she has done 1 nothing at ali illegal.