The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-10
UNSTAMPED OPIUM.
Customs Officers Make Large Seiz-
ures Of the Drug.
Chinatown Invaded and Merchants Stores
Radcliffe Mckinley Bill Found to
Have Been Violated.

last night than has been for years. The oc-
cason was raid by Custom-house officers.
Raids by q posse of police officers on tan
games and disreputable houses are usually
sufficient to create a wide disturbance in
the Chinese quarter, but an organized raid
by the officers of the Custom-h0uSe directed
not against low places, but carried on
among the Well-known merchants was
something extraordinary and was calcu-
lated TO shake Chinatown TO its very center.
AS result there was CONSERVATION among
the denizens of Dupont street, which in
creased after they had discovered how well
they had been taken in. They were totally
nnprepared for visit of this character and
did not learn its significance until it was
over.
Naney Gaskill, Deputy Surveyor of the
Port, was the organizer and leader of the
raid which was made under the Mckinley
Bill. This bill provides that all opium i'm
ported after its passage shall be stamped,
and authorizes customs officials to seize all
unstamped opium imported after the act
went into effect. Tie act went into effect
on October 6, 1890.
ONE HUNDRED DAYS GRACE.
The customs officials allowed one hundred
days TO pass before they began TO see that
the law was enforced. 1t was thought from
experience and information furnished that
this period would be sufficient for the Chi
nese merchants to dispose of all OF ium
previously imported. Then it was deter
mined to descend on the merchants dealing
III the drug, and see how the law WAS being
observed.
Accordingly, Varney Gaskill organized a
strong force yesterday. and detailed his men
tn OF q o. 81 al
the force that were to search the stores OF
Chinatown. The greatest secrecy was OBJ
served regarding the expedition, as il was
not desired that the Chinese should have
any idea of the descent which was to be
made upon them. The object of the raid
was 10 seize all unstamped opium imported
and landed since October g. 1890. Each Gus
toms officer was well armed and provided
with dark lantern and a probe. The force
was composed as follows: Narney Gaskill,
5. j. Ruddell, W. f. Chapman, L. G. Holmes,
w. j. Shepman, T. V. Childs, L. +. Crit
tenden, ID. j. O'Leary, j. Greenan, +. L.
Challoner, R. T, McGinnis, E. V. Atkinson,
f. w. Barry, a. UP and ID. j. Ahern.
ALL RAIDED AT ONCE.
Varney Gaskill, who was in command,
detailed his men at eleven different stores,
where 1t was known the merchants dealt in
the drug. The object was to search as
many places as possible before the Chinese
could gain an idea of what was up ana get
AHC uhoLdHlptu ppihIH Oul VI Lilt way. w uen
the order to begin search was given all the
places were raided simultaneously. The
Z lnese acted as If they had been struck by
a small-siZed cyclone. Resistance was made
IN several cases, but when they recognized
that their places were being raided bV Fed
eral officials and not by ordinary police Off
GERS they submitted. When Varney Gas
XIII flashed his large gold badge in the faces
OF several Of the merchants they stood to
one side and let his searcherS do their work
without interference.
a GRATIFYING RESULT.
The result of the raid was most gratifying
to the officers, and they were ali juUiant
over the success they had met with. AL
most S46,O worth of unstamped opium was
seized. at 10 Waverly place Inspector
McGinnis found 200 packages Of what was
supposed to be five-tael boxes of opium, all
unsiamped On examination the boxes were
found 10 be filled with a preparation Of flour
and water, darkly cOl0red, and resembling
the drug. The proprietor OF the store when
caileu on Tor Az explanation OF this singular
lacl, stated that he had specially prepared
the drug lOr white man, who was going to
ship 1T to Honolulu. The white man had
told the Chinese that he wanted to get even
with man in Honolulu who had cheated
him.
Ofher unstamred opium was found as fol-
lows: At l0l4 Dupont street, 2l27 five-tael
boxes; 122 Wayerly place, Tan Lung 81 Co.,
100 fvr-tael boxes; 1888 Commercial street.
Bow Wing Chung ~ Co, 694 fivr-tael boxes
1O4 Commercial street, Quong Wing Kee &
Co., 300 hve.tael boxes; 904 Dupont street.
Quong On Tai IL Co., 420 five-tael boxes;
~ Sacramento street, Tai Young Chang &
Co, 90 tive-tael boxes S11b Dupont street,
Wing Chin " Co., $50 hve-iael boxes; 700
Dupont street, Man Lee q Co., 254 five-tael
boxes 20 Commercial street, KWong Lung
Hing ~ Co, 50 tive-tael boxes. The total
number Of five-tael boxes seized was 1893,
weighing about 1880 pounds. The opium is
valued 1T from SIT to $50 per pound, and
the total seizure was estimated to be worth
S46,600.
BRIDE OFFERED.
At 904 Dupont street Inspector Barry. who
ied the searching party, was offered 800 if
he would let the Chinese proprietor get
away with the unstamped drug. His offer
was refused and the drug confiscated. As
the drug was seized in the different places
It was taken to l014 Dupont street, where
Inspector Chapman vigilantly guarded what
his brother officers had confiscated After
the raid all of the seized opium was gath
cred at 1Gl4 Dupont street, and placed in
charge OF Inspectors Barry and McGinnis,
VINO Meia given Instructions not to allow
any one to see or handle the drug. Deputy
Surveyor OF the Port Gaskll Will
turn 1t over to Collector Phelps to-
day, and the latter will see that
the law is properly enforced 1t is
not thought that all of the opium seized
/; Lai;e.iNs 49, " INC pCFeIiuenl, as IL
Is believed that in some cases it can be
proven by the Chinese that the drug was
imported prior to the going into effect of
the Mckinley bill.
THE PROOF WITH THE CHINESE.
The burden of proof, however, rests on
the Chinese merchants. The raid will also
have the effect of making the Chinese know
that their stores will be carefully watched
by the Customs officers to see that the law
is being faithfully observed.
Alter the raiding party left Chinatown,
the streets in that section were thronged
with excited Chinese merchants, discussing
IN their own tongue the unusual proceed
ings Of the Customs officers, who had entire
charge and control of the raid.