The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-22
TEE OPIUM sMuGGLERs.
Some Personal Sketches About the
Leaders OF the Gang.

Leaders OF the Gang.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Dec. 2l.-An interesting
story is printed this morning OF the opera
tons Of the opium smuggling gang, one
Of whose leaders, Capt. Durant so mar
rowly escaped from the custom officers at
Sand Beach, Mich, n week ago. The cor
. respondent says Durantand his lieutenant,
Charles Weitzel. are living in style at the
best hotel in Sarnia, and are lionized los
the residents OF that little Canadian town.
The correspondent had n long talk with
them yesterday They have been
smuggling opium for the last two ycars
and have successfully landed hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars worth Of the costly
drug on the other side without being de-
,cctod. But the last consignment they
took over was discovered and seized by
government detectives, and ii came near
costing Capt Duant his life. -Four dc.
tcctivcs waylaid him in the woods at
night, took him at great disadvantage,
and tried their best 10 end his life by
standing ten feet away and firing twenty
shots at him in rapid succession. But
Capt. Durant has n charmed life, and
he made his escape without in.
jury. Just how Capt Durant be.
came a smugglor, says the correspond.
Ont, is not known, and hc will not tell. In
fact, he at first vigorously denied that hc
had ever engaged in such dangerous and
adyenturcsome business. Finally he quail.
ifcd his denial by saying that he had
never seen IN ounce Of opium In his life,
and II he had ever had anything TO do
with transporting large quantities Of drugs
across the border, IL was his own personal
business. One thing he was sure OF. and
that was that although he had once been
arrested for smuggling aud acquitted for
lack OF evidence, he could openly defy the
Government officers 10 prove him guilty.
But everyone around Sarnin knows him 10
bc one OF the most daring smugglers who
ever exchanged shots with custom.houso
officers. They know also. that hc is one
Of the trusted agents Of n rich syndicate
that was organizcd several wears ago ior
the express purpose Of smuggling opium
-..lnto the United States from Victoria, II. &.
Tic syndicate has S5,OOO.OO0 behind II,
aud is largely controlled by Z. j. JOslyn,
OF Victoria.
Joslyn, among the smurglcn, Is known
M Boss Harris. He il immensely rich,
aud makes no effort 90 conceal the fact
that lac il the biggest smugglcr in the Do-
n,inion. lie always has a large bank nc
count here, and lac has told the cashier of
Que Of the leading banks that lac and his
ass1ciatcs had made millions out Of opium.
AZ an illustration Of the big money 10 be-
made out OF the business. ho said he
brought down consignment Of opium
from Victoria 10 Sarnia aud employed two
men to carry IL across the river 90 Port
Huron, whence Il was shipped 10 Caliior.
mia. The men carried th5 drug. which
was packed In tin cans, In their coat pock.
cts aud rode across the uvcr on the regular
passenger ferry boats. Although customs
officers are constantly stationed ON the icr-
iics, the men who transported the drug
were not detected and the entire consign-
ment was carried over In less than a week.
Within four weeks from the time the drug
left Victoria by this circui.1us route Il
was safely delivered nj San Francisco.
The United states Government was de.
lraudcd out oi sl00,0 600 duties, aud "li0s'
Harris pockotcd $4,000 for his share OF
profits. Outside Of money risk he takes
no chances. That II, while lac h willing
10 risk the danger Of having n valuable
consignment conliscaicd, ho never ven.
lures acruss the border, for he knows that
big price has been put upon his head.
People here like him very much, for he
spends his money freely among them. Al.
most any OF them are ready and willing ut
all times to render him assistance In secret.
ing contraband goods 80 ~ 30 throw the
detectives of the track, and he pays well
for their services.
Another active member Of the "Baris
gang, as NJ. Josl yn's syndicate Of expert
opium smugglcri Is generally called, oper-
atrs under the assumed name Of Spencer.
lie attends 10 shipping the goodsi from Vie.
toria. A rich SAN Francisco merchant is
spd 10 be prominently identified with the
syndicate A man Tor many years in the
employ OF the United States Government
rs an interpreter is another member. A
Toron'o Chinanan and Opium Pete" OF
San Francisco, comprise tho rest Of the