Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 185, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1911 — Hobble Skirt Is Hindrance [ARTICLE]

Hobble Skirt Is Hindrance

Mars Game of Smuggling Across Line From Detroit to Windsor—Women More Clever Than Men. Detroit, Mich.—Hobble skirts and small crowned hats, now very much in vogue, are having a depressinr effect on the Windsor export trade. The walking skirt Is made to fit the form rather closely and a number of Detroit women have found that when the tubular symmetry of the hobble is disturbed by a few bulky bargains, the sharp-eyed customs officers are very quick to criticize. It would be rash and desperate venture for a hob-ble-skirl ted traveler to attempt to smuggle over a woolen blanket, for instance. Only the other day the customs officers at the foot of Woodward avenue stopped a woman and later tt was discovered that she concealed a

half dozen napkins under her skirt “The unfortunate lady doubled one of the napkins twice and I couldn’t help but notice it," said the officer who spied her. Catching female smugglers is difficult work. The women seem to be cleverer than the men at smuggling and they will take longer chances. When they are caught they weep and go into hysterics. “Oh, the women are certainly the clever smugglers.” said Miss Daisy Zuckriegel. who is staticmed at the Woodward avenue dock to watch the women who go back and forth on the ferries. Eight years* experience has made Miss Zuckriegel an expert at spotting smugglers. “How do I spot smugglers T* “Well, there are several ways. For instance, I watch the people going over the river and I generally remember them when they return. If they attempt to smuggle anything over it is an easy matter to catch them. Then we are familiar with the favorite methods employed by smugglers and we know Just Where to look. When two women get off the boat, eating candy with much gusto. I ask them to step into the office without any preliminaries. The chances are 100 to 1 that stuff will be found con cealed about their persons.” “What do they smuggle?** “Why, the smuggle anything tba is movable. Blankets, linen goods, hardware, laces, butter, egga and fowl are brought over by women unObf their skirts.”