The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-10
MORE0FTHEGANG ARRESTED
Opium Smugglers After Eyadinp OF.
fcers for Long Time Come to Grief.
The Capture Of Labelle Alias Winters Leads
to Important Results-HOw He and Others
Got the Drug Through the Country.


here FRIDAY morning, by the federal authorities.
proves 20 % OF even greater importance than
"as AZ nrst thought. from the fact that it has Al,
ready led to the exposure and arrest Of the lead
ers OF gang Of smueglsrs who have been oper-
atins along the Canadian border for years II
mas long been known to the Treasury Depart
ment that gang was smuggling large amount.
OF the drug into the country, but until ths arre.t
here al efforts to break up the traffic have been
unavailing- Not until yesterday did the SEQUEL
TO the capture OF the opium and th.
man who called himself Winters beeom.
known. IL seems that for Eve
weeks pastl James McHale, of Chicago
and William Hussey. OF New York. suscial
agents OF the Treasury department, have been
on the trail of a ton OF opium which left Vic
torias B. c., about May 8, consigned 70 Fran
fon, ls7 Church street. Toronto. the Eastern
aest Of Opium Pete" the head Of the ciean-
tic opium smuggling ring of San Francisco. Cal.
IL arrived at Toronto on May Is Several days
sgo LOoo pounds, valued at $4,000. were
shipped to Mooretown, Ont. few miles
below this point. where it was run across tho
river by small boats and delivered 10 feucs bv
the name OF RED" Saunders who kse,s a
small grocery two miles down the river. Tba
consignment was taken the same night 70
Smiths Creek, . ANAL station on the Grand
Trunk railway. whence il was shipped by ex-
pres 70 the ;. Winters. a. Indianapolis
Inc secret officers reached the grocery only a
few minutes after tho shipment had been mada
and upon learning ct the express Office that the
consignment bad been expressed to INDIANAPOLIS
they Immediately autographed to Collector
Rum 70 arrest the consignee and seize the
goods Early Friday morning the looked for
express package was found at the American ex-
press on1ce, and 1t was not long afterward until
the eonsisnee appeared aud claimed the eoocs
he represented that he was a peddler And that
the goods in the boxes marked ssmerchandises
were his stock IN trade. Nevertheless he WAS
taken into custody, and without any charge be-
ing preferred against him he was locked in the
county Jail 70 await further developments. The
news OF the seizure or the consignment and OF
the arrest of the smuegler was at once tele-
Rraphsd to the collector of Port Huron, and his
suspicious having beer sustained he irnmedi-
stely directed the secret service officers under
MS command to take steps TO arrest the entire
gang 10 and around Port Huron. Early yester-
day morning United States Marshal Hawkins
received telegram announcing that Fred Saun-
ders, the leader of the gang. had been arrested
&C Fort Huron. and last evening another tele-
gram came. stating that Charles Saunders q
brother or the first named, had been taken in
custody at Sarnia. a small town in Ontario,
near Port Huron. where he lived and prospered
dcubredly the ring-leaders In the BUSINESS said
United States Marsfsl Hawkins, last evening"
and the arrest 10 one of the best ever made by
the government for years. Other federal off,
GERS say the Saunderses have been suspected for
years OF being engaged in the smuggling bust
ness, but they we're shrewd that no evidence
warrAnting prosecution could be secured
against them.
is believed to be equally guilty with
the Saunderses. He WAS not intrusted
90 getting the stuff safely across the
line. but devoted himself ntirey to seeing that
consignmente reached their destination in Cali
fornis. after being safely OF American soil In
carrying out his part OF the business he exsr-
eised the utmost precaution. In order 20 avoid
suspicion the stuff was expressed direct
Go California from Port Huron, but always
carried 20 some country town, and then ex-
pressed TO some point a hundred miles
away, frequently in the opposite direction from.
Its real destination. IL is believed that Indian
q favorits stopping point for the
roods and the smueeler in charge.
When the boxes containing the goods reached
their frat destination, beyond Port Huron, they
were taken from the express Office by the man
In charge, and. after being delayed several days,
were expressed 10 California by another compa-
n.y. Thus the line of transit was broken, and it
was almost impossible for the secret officers to
trace the goods 70 their destination.
The man arrested here said his name was
Tot Winters. but Bell--Louis Bell-but
last evening Information was received from Port
Huron which makes IL certain that his real name
Is Charles Labele, and that his homo is in
Sarnia Like the Ssrnderses. he had been
under surveillance for some time. because he was
away from home much. and seemed TO be
ouitr ntimate with the Saunderses When the
the Saundsrses had been arrested
formal charge of smuggling was placed
against Labslle. and he was AR
rsisnsd bsfOr. United States Commissioner
Van Buren,. He did not enter plea of guilty,
bat had no attorney and made no defense. The
government offered Its evidence which was con-
elusive and ne was bound over TO the grand
Jury in the sum or 50, No one offered TO De-
come his bondsmsn, and he was committed TO
iail The government officials &c Port Huron
have requested that he be brought there for
trial with the Saunderses. but he viii likely Do
left here.
Labells does not seem TO be &C all distressed
over his situation. but refuses 20 have anything
at AL TO say 70 reporters. His appearance and
speech indicate that be Is Frenehman. ne
las keen black eye, and has the genuine look
of man who would delights in swindling the
government Of $4,000 revenue by one trip
across the continent. While he would say moth
ing to the reporters more than that be was IN
nocsnt Of the charge. he talked quite freely 10
Collector Kuhn He said to Mr. Kuhn; up
AT Sarnia I became acquainted with man
named Prof. L. Winter He professed TO be
collecting books, and employed me 10 assist IN
forwarding them All no asked OF me was TO
keep my mouth shut and ask no questions.
did rs he requested me. and never had any idea
hut that the books we're in the boxes had In
charge. All had 70 do was 70 receive the goods
here and forward them to Professor Winter,
San Francisco and that was what was about
saine when was arrested The federal officials
do not take any stock in the prisoners story.
They say, in the hrst place,
the principal snueelsrs would not
have taken into their employ man who
did not know what he was doirS. they would
engage one whom they knew was snrewd
enough to avoid detection They would not have
Rad any dealing with stranger In the seoonc
place the plea % Labeils does not agree with
mis- first story. IL he was innocent be would not
have represented himself as peddier wnsn
confronted by the officers at the express once
Now that the smueeIers at the Port Huron end
Of the ring have been secured, tho government
.<irl move on the spectators at San Francisco.
who were 70 recaive the drug and dispose OF IL
so the Chinese a. enormous proht III Is ex-
nected that several arrests will be made there
within aday or two.
..Snuecliug opium must be . very profitable
business suggested . Journal reporter 20 gov
eminent officer yesterday.
s.T,dead it Isl was the reply. IL 10 the
monev in the traedc that induces men to engage