The Elbert County Tribune

STRATAGEM OF SMUGGLERS

Italian Street Musicians Carried Dutiable Goods in Their Accordions.

Smuggler's wit has invented a new strategem in fraud. On both sides of the Franco-German border in the Alsace region are hundreds of Italians employed in the metallurgical establishments, and as it may be accepted as a maxim that wherever there are Italians there also are strolling accordion players. The presence of these players excites no surprise on either side of the border.

It occurred to an Italian with smuggling instincts that in this fact lay rich possibilities. He had an accordion especially constructed with chambers for carrying cigars and brandy from the German side, and taking back expensive laces from the French side. The man is an accomplished player, and on Sundays he combined smuggling with amusements, playing bewitching dance airs over the border, to which his companion confederate innkeeper, through whom contraband goods were exchanged.

The traffic had gone on a long time unsuspected, and might have gone on indefinitely had not impunity at length raised up a fatal presumption. On a recent Sunday evening the smugglers actually emptied their loaded accordion in sight of the customers in the bar, and one of these, a retired French customs officer, promptly informed his colleagues.