New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-25
THE FRAUDS BEGUN IN 1885.
INCREASING UNDER DEMOCRATIC RULE

a REPORT on THE OPIUM INvEsTIGATioS-i"H
PRESENT CUSTOMS SERVICE AT FAULT
The Spansh Consul General, de Tornos, received
e6icial information from Havana yesterday 'i,"0
the Spanish customs officers wero aooo' W o"n0
.6.ot,ve measures in regard to the opium frauds.
Thov will ares, ali of the consignees who swore
hefore limited States Consul Williams that they
lad received the opium, and will also seize and
Nh.l all of the vessels in turn upon which the
or;um WAS reported to have been shipped to
Havana.
One of the firm Of McKessOn & Robbins called
unon Collector Magone yesterday and denied that
that house was guilty of fraud on the Govern
ment He said that the firm sold the opium and
shipped for the buyers, who should be held IT.
sponsibie
FACTS AGAINST THE CUSTOMS SERVICE.
The following Is the report in part, Of Chief
Special Agent Holahan on the opium frauds. Mt
Holahan took 1t to Washington yesterday 1t
specially calls attention to the fact that the
frauds began in 1885, the first year of the Demo-
cratic Administration, and that the shipments TO
Havana increased in $50 255 per cent over
what they were In 1888. 1t also gives credfe
for the discovery Of the fraud not to the special
detective officers of the Treasury Department
but to the Spanish authorities in Havana" The
report says:
These facts have been ascertained after careful ex-
animation during the past nine weeks on all ships and
ETC. from suspicious wrong doing the part Of certain
prominent and wek business firms In this city, by
which the Government has been defrauded out OF hou'
sands OF dollars duties and also confirmed by an
on oial statement Collector OF Customs at Havana
This statement shows that during the ten months from
January to November l. 1887. there were entered at
the port Havana ut 1897 pounds OF opium imported
from NowYork, while during the ssme period there
were 80 l42 R pounds withdrawn from the United States
bonded warehouses at this port for expectation to Havana
These figures show difference Of go 744 1-2 pounds
have not yet received from the Collector at Havana
statement concerning the mportaons during the years
1884 1855 and 1885, but from the ocia papers before
me- justified in presuming that the fraud Will reach
at least 80 900 pounds Exhibit A, which Is enclosed.
contains Of the exporters and the amount OF
their alleged expectations during the years above alluded
TO- In presenting this statement call particular atten-
ton to the increased Withdrawals Of expectations from
year TO year. will be that in 1884 the amount
was but 977 12 pounds 1855 10 500 Ia pounds 1856
ls OFT Ia pounds and in 1887, S4,42s pounds or In
other words increase in 1885 over 1884 OF 90 per
cent 1886 1885 Of 266 per cent and decrease IN
1887 as compared with 1850 OF 2s per cent
SPANISH OFFICIALS DISCOVER THE FRAUD
This decrease 1887 undoubtedly due TO the fact
that In the month Of october Of that year the customs
authorities Havana found secreted In the sarete ART
Of the stewards quarters OF the steamer Cenfuegos
1900 pounds Of opium which was not mentioned In the
sps manifest The vessel hbeled and hne OF slooOo
vas imposed This unlocked for event evidently warned
combination to suspend operations and as result
during the remainder OF the year the number OF with
drawas or export entries were three, all OF which,
ind we're properly manifested and landed.
Exhibit b. contains list OF the export entries with
al the dates pertaining hecto Of opium alleged to have
heep Skinned 10 Havana The Collector at Havana did
not furnish information IN his statement OF the three
shipments December but the merchandise was
properly upon the ships shippers manests
am inclined believe that the goods in question were
entered since the my request the Spanish Gov
SOME OF THE FIRMS ON THE LIST.
The following the firms mentioned in Exhibit A.,
with the crude opium in pounds exported to
Havana in the several