Wichita eagle., 1886-08-24
9ai1Y eagle
OPIUM SMUGGLING.
INGENIOUS TRICKS BY WHICH ILLICIT
TRADE is CARRIED ON.

How the Dru. is Brought to San Fran
cisco-Details of the "Shaft Key Trick
Slowing Contraband Opium-various
Other Schemes.
1t is believed by those who are acquainted
with the subject that at least two-thrds of
the Struggled opium brought to this port is
carried by the transpacitic steamers. OF
which there are two each month from Hong
Kong Thousands of pounds of the contra
band" are slowed away in the steamers
before their departure from Hong Kong, and
are carried ashore under the noses, so to
speak. of the customs officers. A reporter
who has made study of this branch OF opium
smuggling, has been SO successful IN discover
ing the means adopted for keeping ''the stuff'
hidden from the eye of the searcher as TO be
able to give an extended report on the sub
iect. The list will, however, be confined to
only the more peculiar and interesting plans
of secret stowage.
For wears what is known as the shaft key
trick" has been worked on one of the steamers.
A shaft key is made Of polished steel, and is
about one foot wide at the top and taperins
down to about eight inches In width at the
bottom, being of proportionate thickness and
about three feet in length. The key used in
the propeller shaft is of solid metal, but the
smugglers employ hollow dummy Of exactly
the same size, and made to contain thirty
pounds, or about $500 worth of prepared
opium. The cover is carefully adjusted and
the sides are held together by rivets having
sunken heads. To look at the dummy key
one would think twice before undertaking to
lift it. and vet it could readily be raised by
one man. With two customs officers at the
end of the gang plank, however, the dummy
has been known to task to its utmost the
strength of four able-bodied men.
SLOWING CoNTRABAND OPIUM.
On the steamer City of Toxic there were
holes drilled in the iron floor and covered
with sheeting, which were used for many
years for slowing contraband opium The
holes would contain in all about 500 pounds
of the drug Although the searchcrs fire.
ouently passed through the long alley, and
sometimes beat the ends of their sticks over
the cached" goods no discoveries were ever
made A steamers shaft alley is dark, mar
row, low-roofed and altogether Eninvitlng
place in which to conduct official inspections,
and for this reason, although frequently used
for the purpose mentioned the finding OF
opium there is of rare occurrence
From the shaft alley opium is frequently
taken ashore by means of carpenters saw
horses. A hole running nearly the whole
length of the sawhorse is cut i'll its under side
and covered with piece Of wood which tits
tightly into its place and is held by two
screws From eight to twelve pounds OF
opium may be carried off the steamer in this
manner. and there have been few instances of
detection.
A ''boiler stick as it is sometimes called,
is employed in similar manner. The stick
is heavy piece of wood, used as rest or
lever in repairing boilers 1t can be easily
duplicated bv a hollow stick, in which small
cans or intestines containing opium may be
placed and taken ashore Is often as ten times
a day. This means of smuggling the drug
ashore was extensively employed, until on
one occasion, a few years ago, boiler maker
CARRYING stick down the gangplank STUN
bled, and. the opium falling out, was quickly
pounced upon by the customs officers.
VARIOUS OTHER TRICKS.
After that stick smuggling" was aban
doned, but changes in the customs forces
about the docks have encouraged its employ
ment recently. 1t is looked upon as one o.
the safest means of getting opium ashore
next to paying duty or standing in will
the searchers. If discovered the smugglel
can throw his stick overheard, when it sink
from the weight of heavy metal placed in tbs
ends Then, too, if the government
watchers are observed to be unusually
anxious about making a seizure, sounC
stick may be allowed to pass through thei
hands. and, having disarmed suspicion, tn
smuggler may, half an hour later, take al
opium stick ashore.
On the side-wheel steamers extra paddles
were always taken along, to be used IN cas-
of the breaking of any of those III the wheels
Although none might be broken on a trip
the persons having opium secreted aboar'
and who were DESTROYS of getting it ashor
would break or splinter some of the extr
"paddlcs," and by following them out ant
filling them with .'contraband' would secur
the safe passage of their contents by Throwing
them overheard, when they would be picke
ND by confederateS in small boats.
Sometimes when boiler tubes are being re
placed by new ones quantities of opium ar
tallSn ashore after having been packed in tn
middle of the tube When a large humble
of tubes are to be taken from STEAMSHIP
this system of smuggling is found to wor
very well. for after having inspected the frs
two or three lots the searchers naturally II
lax their vigilance, and twenty or thirt
sfxed" tubes are then easily passed
Only q Few of the thousand and one near
of Guiding the watchful officers have bee
mentioned, but enough has been given
show to what an extent smuggling is carrie
on, even with the employment of these NEAR
described.-San Francisco Chronicle