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Copyright. 1913. by the Star Company. Great Britain Rights Reserved
Why Crime Does Not Pay
How the “Queen of the Burglars”
Smuggled Chinamen Into the United
States and the Daring Methods She Used
Written by Sophie Lyons
No. 21 of a Series of Remarkable
Revelations by Sophie Lyons,
" QUEEN OF THE BURGLARS ”
Sophie Lyons
Copyright, 1913, by the Star Company.
A GREAT many men and women who
would scorn taking a penny not
their own In any other way think
there is nothing wrong in defrauding the
Government by bringing valuable goods
into the country without paying duty.
I used to have that feeling myself, but
now I see that the smuggler is not one
whit less a thief than the man who robs a
bank or picks your pocket. In some ways,
Indeed, the smuggler Is far more culpable,
for he is usually well enough able to pay
the Government’s tax. while the burglar
and pickpocket are often forced to steal
in order to keep themselves and their fam
ilies from staving
Smuggling was. of course, a necessity
to a criminal like myself, who operated in
both Europe and America. When I re
turned to this country with a satchel full
of stolen diamonds it was out of the ques
tion to think of declaring them, even had
my conscience inclined me to pay Uncle
Sam his duty. To have done that would
have been to Invite arrest, for in many
cases detectives on the trail of the missing
gems arrived on the same steamer
with me.
1 couldn't begin to estimate the total
value of all the stolen goods I have smug
gled into this country, but it must have
been several hundred thousands of dollars.
Smuggling with me was for a long time
only incidental to my other crimes. It
was only natural, however, that the repu
tation 1 had in the underworld for clever
ness In eluding the customs officials
should spread to other circles and lead to
my services being sought by men who
make a business of smuggling. >
When 1 first went to live in Detroit 1
look a trip to Chicago, and in looking
about the place went into an antique store
to see the curiosities.
While there a man came in who knew
me, and he Introduced me to the pro
prietor of the place, who was a chinaman.
My friend in Introducing me said I lived
in Montreal, and this seemed to interest
the Chinaman very much. My friend
made a small purchase and went out of
the store, leaving me there alone.
The Chinaman talked to me about his
antiques, and suggested that 1 call to sea
him the following day. He said he had
irk nds in Monlreal and would like to send
them some little presents through mo.
This Chinaman's store was on South
Clark street, and 1 was stopping at tho
Grand Pacific Hotel.
After leaving the store I called on the
man who had introduced me and inquired
about the Chinaman. My friend assured
me he was a very wealthy man and had
a great deal of Influence with his country
men.
At my hotel I found a ticket for the
opera awaiting me, and when 1 went there
that evening I found my 7 Chinaman and
two of hts countrymen sitting in the box
where I had a seat. Ho greeted me, and
after a lot of here and there chatter in
vited me to dine with him after the per
formance at a Chinese restaurant, which
1 agreed to do.
in the restaurant he told me that he
would like to get me to bring over several
of his friends from Canada to Detroit. 1
asked him to explain how I could get his
friends over. He said:
"You can get him over to Detroit in a
boat, and then take a train to Chicago."
"But suppose I get caught," 1 replied.
*'t would be fined and probably have to
go to jail."
"If you are caught,” he replied, “I will
pay the fine—there Is no prison penalty
for smuggling a Chinaman ”
Then I began to dicker with him on the
price I was to be paid. I asked a thou
sand dollars, but he demurred, and we
finally compromised at $700. He wanted
to hold the money until I had safely de
livered the Chinaman, but I would not
consider this, and refused to undertake
the job until the $700 was handed over to
me. He came to my terms, and handed
me the money, along with some articles
of clothing to be used by the Chinaman I
was to pick up In Canada
I went home to Detroit and began figur
ing out how 1 could get this Chinaman
safely Into Chicago. 1 was always on the
alert to make money, but this particular
job was one I had never before meddled
with, and I did not see my way clear with
it. I hated the idea of being arrested with
a Chinaman. It took me a week to make
up my mind, but I finally decided to go
after the Chinaman and do my best.
I went over to Windsor, Canada, and
met the Chinaman who was to come with
me. I had a letter of introduction to an
Americanized Chinaman, and he turned
over the fellow 1 was to handle. That
night I brought my man over in a rowboat
and placed him in one of the houses I had
built on my rear lot. A day or two later
I took him safely to Chicago, and the
Americanized Chinaman was so grateful
for my work that he gave me a number of
valuable presents
This was my first experience In smug
gling Chinamen, and my success encour
aged me to further efforts
A few weeks after my first job I re
ceived a letter from my Chicago Chinaman
asking me to undertake another smuggling
operation This time the contract, called
for seven Chinamen Instead of one The
Chinaman promised me $500 for each
Chinaman I brought over safely.
1 then asked him how much I would get
in case 1 lost some of my cargo or did not
succeed at all in the work. 1 would not
take the job unless he agreed to give me
$200 for every Chinaman in the crowd
whom I lost, and $500 for every one I got
in. He agreed to my bargain and 1 pre
pared for the work.
The seven Chinamen were to be ready
for me at Windsor, just across the river
from Detroit, and after I received infor
mation that they were waiting for me, I
crossed over to take them in hand. The
Chinamen were boarding at a Chinese
laundry, the address of which had been
given me, and I went there with my letter
of Introduction.
I was not cordially received by the
laundryman, who was anxious to keep his
seven men with him as long as possible,
because of the board they were paying. 1
made a fuss with this man, and he finally
let me have four of the Chinamen. My
boat was at the dock, and I had two men.
in It waiting for me. On such a big job
as this it was necessary to have some
help, especially in keeping the Chinamen
quiet, and preventing them from jumping
out of the boat. We got the four China
men over to Detroit fn safety, and I placed
them in hiding in my house on the rear
lot. A night or two later I got them all
on a car and landed safely in Chicago and
received my money. I then went back for
the other three Chinamen, and found, to
my disgust, that the laundryman would
not let them go with me. He even called
in one of the Canadian police and wanted
to have me arrested as a smuggler, but ft
was not against the laws of that country
for me to smuggle Chinamen into the
brakeman a twenty dollar bill. He threw
the money in my face, and I picked up
the bill and put it back In my purse.
"This Chink is a swell,” sffid the brake-
man. "and I suppose you will get a thou
sand out of it; you can afford to give me
more than twenty.”
"I don't have to give you anything,” I
replied, "So please go away from here and
don’t bother me.”
The brakeman went off scowling, and
shortly after the conductor entered I
complained to the conductor about the
hrakeman’s treatment but he paid little
heed to me. The Chinaman was sitting in
the seat in front of me. where I could
keep him under my eye Shortly aftermid
night the brakeman came in again and
said:
"1 see you still have the Ch-ink v th you.
In a little while the Government inspector
will be around, and both you and the
Chink will land in jail."
“All right,” I said, “when the inspector
comes in 1 will explain matters to his sat
isfaction.” But I was quite upset over the
prospect of meeting the inspector.
A few minutes after the brakeman had
passed the conductor came through the
car, and I stopped him. saying:
"Mr. Conductor, I understand the inspec
tor will be in shortly. Have you any idea
what will happen to me and my friend
here ?"
“Why,” he said, “I have no doubt you
will be arrested.”
I then asked him where we were, and
he said we were in the woods a few' miles
outside the city limits.
I immediately jumped up, pulled the
stop signal of the train and whipped out a
revolver, which I pointed at the conduc
tor. I told him not to stir or 1 would put
a bullet in him, and I then grabbed my
Chinaman and jumped off the car when it
had stopped. The ground war covered with
snow and it was early in the morning and
quite dark. 1 did not know where to go
with my Chinaman, but after looking
around a bit I saw a dim light in the dis
tance, and we trudged for it. When we got
near the light I found it was a farmhouse.
I told my companion to stay a little
distance behind while 1 went up to inves
tigate. I peeped through the window and
saw a farmer in his bare feet lighting the
fire. I went up to the door and rapped.
The old man came to the door, and I went
inside. I told him I had got lost in the
woods and offered him ten dollars if he
would hitch up bis wagon and drive me
Into Chicago, which
was several miles
off. He agreed to do
this, and after finish
ing his work about
the fire he dressed
himself and called to
his wife and told her
he would be gone an
hour or two.
How Sophie Lyons Smuggled Chinaman from Canada Into
the United States.
1—She Finds the Chinamen in a Laundry at Windaor, Canada. 2—They
Dreaa Themselves in American Style. 3—She Brings Them Across the
Lake. 4—Arriving in Detroit, the Chinamen Are Boarded in a House
Built for That Purpose. 5—They Take the Train for Chicago. 6—
Sophie Lyons Is Paid the Price Agreed llpnn t-- the W«rk.
United States, and he could not do any
thing. 1 finally got them safely to Chicago
and then went home.
There was an influential Chir.aman over
in Canada who wanted to get o Chicago.
He had lived in the United States, but had
gone back to China on a visit and found
it impossible to return to this country.
My job was to show him the way Into his
old place of residence. I rowed him over
from Canada in my boat and we got
aboard the train for Chicago. We hadn't
gone far when the conductor ordered us
out of the swell parlor car into one of the
coaches, and we hadn't got comfortably
seated there when a brakeman came in
and spotted us.
"You've got a swell Chink there." he
said Where did you get him?"
I laughed knowingly and handed the
The horse was brought out. and every
thing in readiness. 1 w r ent over to the
clump of bushes behind which the China
man was concealed and brought him over
to the wagon. The farmer was astonished
at the sight of the Chinaman and inquired
who he was. I told him he was an actor
on his way to the World's Fair in Chicago
and was to join a Chinese company of
players there. This satisfied the old fellow
and the three of us got aboard.
We drove along the unfrequented roads
so as not to meet any inspector who might
be hovering in the district, and soon were
safely landed in Chicago. I received my
payment for the Chinaman, and went back
home to Detroit.
A year passed before I again took up
business with the Chinamen The Chicago
Chinaman had another job for me. and I
w-ent out there to talk it over with him.
Since my last experience a number of
smugglers had been arrested, and I was
not so anxious to take up the work which
wag now becoming more hazardous. When
I started for Chicago at that period, there
were twenty Chinamen in the Detroit jail.
They had been caught while being smug
gled into this country and were being
held while arrangements were made for
their deportation
When I reached Chicago the Chinaman
told me what he wanted done, and prom
ised to pay me $5,000. He introduced me
to another Chinaman, who he said was an
officer of the society for the care of friend
less Chinamen, and this man desired to
visit the Detroit jail and talk with the
Chinamen confined there. To get $5,000
for getting a permit for, a Cninaman to
visit the jail seemed an awful price to pay,
and I guessed there was something' be
neath the surface which I could not
fathom. No Chinaman is foolish enough to
throw away money so carelessly as this
fellow 7 seemed to be doing. But my agree
ment was to get this Chinaman into the
Detroit jail, and I went about that job
awaiting developments to show me what
the real motive was. When the China
man and I arrived in Detroit, I thought it
safest to get out at a station before the
regular stopping place. The next morning
I went with him to the jail where the
twenty Chinamen were, and I left the
Chicago Chinaman talking to his compan
ions behind the bars. He visited them
several times during the next few days,
no doubt prompting them in the parts they
were to play later on, and a day or two
before the plan was to be carried out he
gave me the details.
It seems that there were a number of
Chinamen in Chicago who wanted to pay
a visit to China, and, naturally, wanted to
save the expenses of such a trip. The
scheme was to substitute these Chinamen
for the ones who were going to be de
ported, thus allowing those who wanted
to get into the country a chance to stay
here and at the same time allow the other
Chinamen to go back to China at the
Government’s expense.
On the day set by the authorities for
the shipment of the Chinamen they were
taken out of the Detroit jail and put on
a special car bound for the Pacific Coast.
When this car arrived in Chicago, the pas
sengers had to be transferred to another
car, and there was a wait of an hour or
more.
At the Chicago station there was a great
throng of Chinamen on hand to say good-
by to the unlucky fellows being deported,
and many of them had baskets in their
arms filled with fruit and presents. As
soon as the Chinamen got out of the car
there was a rush of the Chicago Chinamen
to shake their hands and kiss them and
hand them the presents. The police depu
ties in charge of the job looked on amused
at the love-making of the Celestials, and
after a reasonable time twenty Chinamen
went back into the car, bound for China.
“I immediately jumped up and whipped out a revolver which I
pointed at the conductor!”
During the mixup the Chinamen who were
being deported had slipped into the crowd
and changed places with the other China
men who wanted to go back to China.
The car started off and the Government
sent back twenty Chinamen to China,
but not the original consignment that had
left Detroit. It paid the fares of those
who had wanted to go back!
In the course of my smuggling experi
ences I ran across many engaged in the
same traffic. It was a profitable line of
work.
Nevertheless, I don’t know of a single
professional smuggler w r ho really had any
thing to show for his work in the end.
Their earnings, like those of other profes
sional criminals were invariably squander
ed.
My experience in smuggling only served
to convince me that CRIME DOES NOT?
PAY. SOPHIE LYONS.
What the Stars Predict for September
T HE luminaries are fortunately con
joined wibh Jupiter in the lunation
for September, w-hich gives prom
ise of improvement over the present
month. While diplomatic problems will
continue disturbed, a more agreeable at
mosphere will attend affairs of state. This
may be regarded as merely a lull in the
storm—a more amicable trend to matters
previously precipitated. Venus sits very
benignly in the quarter of foreign relations
and circumvents much of the ulterior ac
tivity of Neptune in the same angle. This
latter shows machinations against our na-
'ional integrity, but unsuccessfully directed-
Uranus nearing the horizon indicates
an unsettled condition of the public mind,
with a general protest against machine
methods in politics and a clamoring for
new systems of public policy. This will be
emphasized In fusion campaigns under
the banner of reform, and factional differ
ences will be practically eliminated. The
conjunction of Sun-Moon with Jupiter is
essentially an aspect of adjustment, and
the candidates who represent this policy
will receive popular acclaim.
There will be interesting happenings in
scientific and literary fields during Sep
tember, an invention of note will be her
alded and there will also be marked ac
tivity in ecclesiastical circles.
The public health will be jeopardized
in the first half of She month, febrile, pul
monary and stomachic ailments prevail
ing, and many cases of ptomaine poison
ing will be reported The death rate, how
ever, will be below- the average, with a
general health improvement ofter the full
moon on the 15th.
Congressional activities and Cabinet
policies will be approved, and military and
naval movements will succeed, although
a casualty affecting the latter is predicted.
There will be a concerted effort on the
part of tihe interests to bolster market
values preparatory to unloading present
accumulations, furthered by improved
money conditions and currency legisla
tion. Some definite reactions are to follow,
however. Benefits will be accorded public
institutions, crime will be noticeably less,
and the law courts will temper justice
with mercy.
The President and Eastern executives
will be worried over impending difficulties,
despite the present even tenor, hence
vigilance and caution will characterize
their official acts. Any threats against
the Monroe Doctrine, however, will be
confronted with confidence and maintained
to the point of belligerency.
Particular events of interest may be
looked for on or near the following dates:
September 1.—Casualties on the Ivater
and in parades will mar the festivities of
Labor Day. Weather fine, with northeast
winds.
September 2-—Approval of a traffic or
taxicab ordinance; some popular adjust
ment of this nature.
September 3.—An electrical storm, with
premonitory symptoms of the equinox. De
struction by tidal waves; a humid atmos
phere A mysterious murder puzzles the
authorities.
September 5.—An important diplomatic
transaction effected; a healthy impetus in
the executive department of Government.
September 6.—Storm areas much dis
turbed, with spasmodic evidences of same
between this and the 15th. Excitement on
the Stock Exchange centres about tins
day.
September 7.—A Newport function at
tracts notice. Weather fine on this and
the following day, with an active and ris
ing market on the 8th; a public bequest
will be announced and monetary affairs
greatly benefitted.
September 10.—A lower temperature;
death of a public official and a church dig
nitary. Depressed market conditions.
Wharfage property endangered. Govern
ment affairs temporarily disturbed.
September 11-13.—A prominent social
function; a diplomatic entanglement sat
isfactorily settled.
September 15.—Marked atmospheric
disturbances, with full moon on the equa
tor; storm centres intensified, and seismic
shocks reported; a dangerous period for
mariners.
September 16.—A special meeting of the
President's Cabinet; international amities
affected. Unusual market activity. High
winds due to sun conjunction Mercury, a
condition tibat extends practically to the
20th.
September 23.—Sun on equator at the
moon’s quarter accentuates the weather
disturbances. This is a critical point of
the month in more ways than one, with
Industrial unrest as a feature.
September 24.—A more tranquif period
begins; a prominent engagement or mar
riage announced.
September 26-27.—Marked political ac
tivity. A pronunciamento from a Mayoral
ty candidate meets with approval. Much
cooler weather at close of month, with
new moon at an eclipse node on the 29th.
Jupiter will prove a benevolent factor
throughout September in tihe lives of those
born around the close of February, April,
August or December, or in the early days
of September or November. Good health,
fortunate prospects, new friends and fa
vors may be confidently looked for. Jupi
ter is termed the "greater benefic,” and
begets noble impulses, actracts prefer
ment and inclines to generosity and ex
travagance. The eligible of the fair sex
born at these times will have new admir
ers and marital opportunities during next
month.
Saturn influences will prevail next
month for those born between the 8th and
11th of March, June, September or De
cember. As nature evolves according to
pieordained law, it would be foolish to
run counter to her methods; therefore,
the best course for these natives is one
of non-resistance; avoid initial effort, at
tempt to force nothing, postpone import
ant matters, as no headway will be accom
plished, and beware of colds and stomach
troubles.
Unwise changes and investments will
inconvenience those born near the 25th
of January or April, or the 28th of July
or October; the fair sex will have domes
tic or affectional disturbances; iconoclas
tic tendencies will also show themselves
in these lives.
Advancement in the coming year of life
if born between the 8th and 11th, the 16th
to 22d, or in the last week of September
Domestic difficulties if born around the
3d. 4th or 12th, but business prospects
good; ill health and bereavement if the
natal day be near the 10th or 22d. Radical
changes in tihe next twelve months if born
near the 27th.
Persons born in August may expect to
receive presents during September.