Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-16
EASTERN HAPPENINGS.
Customs Officers Make a
Discovery.
OPIUM SMUGGLING.
Several Large COnsignments Cap
tured-The Sullivan -Kilrain
Biuff-Other Items.

I Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
PORT HURON, Mich, December 15.-|
For some time it has been we'll known
here and at other points along the border
that big consignment Of opium was en-
route through Canada, and that an effort
would be made to smuggle it across the
border somewhere in this customs dis
trict. Yesterday afternoon four customs
officers were dispatched up shore with
instructions to look after the consign-
ment of the drug, which would be landed
probably at Sand Beach or near there.
The plans of the officers were success
fully executed in 80 far as securing the
drug was concerned, but no arrests have
yet been made.
The opium was landed from little
schooner near Port Hope and hidden on
shore, the schooner at once putting back
to Canada. The officers found the opium
last night, but a confederate who was
guarding it escaped. The opium, valued
at 500, 900, was brought from Vancouver,
B. G. 1t is believed Labelle, the famous
smuggler who recently escaped from the
United States officials after he had been
arrested here and was being taken to
Detroit, is engaged in the present enter
prise. Arrests are almost sure to follow.
LATER REPORT.
A later report says the officers while
miles from Sand Beach, heard horse
u ohipu onI r,oorp;1ol kI,o rsIor - r.
Harry Durant, who was arrested in con-
but escaped on account of lack of evil
dence. When ordered to halt he fired
at the officers several times, then
jumped from his horse and escaped into
the woods. The officers searched for
him for some time, but were unable to
find him. Then they followed his trail
in the direction from which he came,
came, and after considerable search
struck cache near the road, from
which they unearthed a number of cases
of opium valued at between SIS, 900 and
$4,000. Durant is supposed to be at the
head of gang of Canadian smugglers
and every effort will be made to run
them all down.
ANOTHER HUGE CONSPIRACY.
ST. PAUL, December 15.-The Pioneer
Press says United States secret service
officers here are on the track of gigantic
opium smuggling conspiracy. They have
learned that an organized and we'll
equipped band of smugglers for years
has been operating across the northwest
ern border. One of the gang WAS arrested
secretly at Denver, COL, and made full
confession. Acting upon the information
given him, the Deputy Collector at St..
Vincent, Mimi, went vest to point on
the Dakota line, Wednesday, and inter
cepted wagon load of eight hundred
pounds of crude opium. The whole out
fit was seized. The driver of the wagon
was arrested Last night the Govern
ment detectives left st. Paul for the north
to arrest the man to whom the opium was
consigned.
THE DENVER CAPTURE.
DENVER. COL, December ia. C.
Nelson, alias ]. M. Leonard, is the
name of the man arrested in Denver,
charged with opium smuggling. On
Tuesday last Mark Harding, a special
agent Of the Treasury Department, re-
ported to United States Marshal Hill
that he suspected Nelson's presence in
this city. Harding had copy of way
bill from the st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Manitoba railway for some freight
shipped a. Battineau, Dakota, for this
city. The consignors claimed that the
freight consisted Of household goods.
This consignment was directed to A. G..
Nelson, Denver, COL, and weighed $50
pounds. Deputy Marshal Currier pro-
ceeded to tine Union Pacific freight office
for the purpose of making the arrest
when the goods were called for. On
Wednesday stranger with ill fitting
clothes asked for the goods
consigned to Nelson, and he was
placed under arrest. Nelson's
trunk at the Metropolitan Hotel was
subsequently searched and found to con-
tain 147 packages of prepared opium,
containing seventy.three pounds. No
compromising documents were found on
Nelson's person or among his effects,
except some cards of Chinese merchants
in San Francisco. The prisoner, without
knowing his trunk had been opened,
said he was awaiting his household
goods to reship them to San Francisco.
Aside from this, ne was absolutely non.
commital, and would not say a, word
even in his own behalf. Nelson is we'll
supplied with money despite his tramp
like appearance, and had $175 in his
pockets when arrested. The prisoner
waived examination when arraigned be-
fore the Commissioner, and was taken
Friday night by an officer to st. Paul.
These particulars did not leak out until
to-day.