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Story
January 4, 1917
The Crook County Monitor
Sundance, Crook County, Wyoming
What is this article about?
A Mexican merchant on the border evades US customs duties by hiring a carrier to swim the Rio Grande with two vases on his back, delivering them free to an American buyer. (148 characters)
Clipping
OCR Quality
75%
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Full Text
WHY PAY CUSTOMS DUTIES?
One Way by Which They Can Be Evaded, at Least Along the Rio Grande River.
There are ways of evading duty down on the Rio Grande impossible to the port of New York. The Mexican found a way. He was a merchant just on the other side of the Mexican border. He had two vases which had caught the fancy of an American customer, but they were dear, and with the duty added--not to be thought of. The customer told the Mexican so. The Mexican fell five dollars. But the price was still too dear. The Mexican fell again. But still there was the duty staring the customer in the face. Then, suddenly, without explaining how, the Mexican guaranteed that the vases should be delivered, free of duty, on the other side of the Rio Grande--next morning at breakfast time.
"And," the Mexican added, in a characteristic manner, "I will be there to collect."
At breakfast next morning, as the customer was eating leisurely, the senor appeared.
"Where are the vases?" the customer inquired.
"In the next room, senor," replied the Mexican, smiling blandly.
"And the duty?"
"Oh, there is no duty, senor."
"How in thunder did you manage it?" asked the American, amused.
"I paid a cerenser a dollar, senor. With the vases strapped to his back, he swam the Rio Grande. See, senor!"
The Mexican's waistcoat was wonderful ite tie was tremendous. qmis sodeg ware postively ' superhu in oroer te ar n iwnd ihi trou- Mia: xetirdr. cr nm p raded the
One Way by Which They Can Be Evaded, at Least Along the Rio Grande River.
There are ways of evading duty down on the Rio Grande impossible to the port of New York. The Mexican found a way. He was a merchant just on the other side of the Mexican border. He had two vases which had caught the fancy of an American customer, but they were dear, and with the duty added--not to be thought of. The customer told the Mexican so. The Mexican fell five dollars. But the price was still too dear. The Mexican fell again. But still there was the duty staring the customer in the face. Then, suddenly, without explaining how, the Mexican guaranteed that the vases should be delivered, free of duty, on the other side of the Rio Grande--next morning at breakfast time.
"And," the Mexican added, in a characteristic manner, "I will be there to collect."
At breakfast next morning, as the customer was eating leisurely, the senor appeared.
"Where are the vases?" the customer inquired.
"In the next room, senor," replied the Mexican, smiling blandly.
"And the duty?"
"Oh, there is no duty, senor."
"How in thunder did you manage it?" asked the American, amused.
"I paid a cerenser a dollar, senor. With the vases strapped to his back, he swam the Rio Grande. See, senor!"
The Mexican's waistcoat was wonderful ite tie was tremendous. qmis sodeg ware postively ' superhu in oroer te ar n iwnd ihi trou- Mia: xetirdr. cr nm p raded the
What sub-type of article is it?
Deception Fraud
Curiosity
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Deception
What keywords are associated?
Customs Evasion
Rio Grande
Smuggling
Mexican Merchant
Duty Free Delivery
What entities or persons were involved?
Mexican Merchant
American Customer
Cerenser
Where did it happen?
Rio Grande River, Mexican Border
Story Details
Key Persons
Mexican Merchant
American Customer
Cerenser
Location
Rio Grande River, Mexican Border
Story Details
A Mexican merchant evades customs duty by paying a carrier one dollar to swim across the Rio Grande with two vases strapped to his back, delivering them duty-free to an American customer the next morning.