The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-26
A MISSING SKIPPER.
Suspected of Smuggling With
a Mysterious SlOop.
A CACHE OF STRUGGLED OPIUM.
Omcers on the Trail - The Skipper
Fights With His Pals and Foul
Play Is Suspected.

Morrison, suspected opium smuggler,
who arrived in Seattle from Victoria the
evening of March 2, and is believed to
have had 175 pounds of prepared opium
with him. He has not been seen since the
morning of March Z. and the police are in
cllned to believe that he has been made
away with by two of his associates.
Just at sunset on the evening of March
Ia very neat four-ton sloop, worth about
$500, sailed gracefully into the harbor and
dropped anchor in the slip between the
City dock and the Oregon Improvement
Company's coal bunkers. The sloop was
owned and commanded by C. E. Morrison,
who has lived on the Sound for many
years, principally on the Canadian side.
The sloop, though it had no name, was
rugged up as a fishing boat, and had all of
the best and latest appliances for seining.
Morrison went on shore a few hours
after casting anchor and proceeded to get
on drunk. He frequented Whitechapel
dives and saloons and was frequently seen
by Officer Powers, who has Jackson
street beat. The officer supposed him to
be an honest fisherman, however, and
never molested him. About II o'clock the
night of March Chinaman approached
the officer and said:
You see old man2''
The officer looked in the direction indi-
Gated and saw Morrison in the doorway of
Gee Lees Chinese store. He was casting
suspicious glances up and down the street,
but his scrutinizing eye failed to detect the
officer and the Chinaman on the opposite
side OF the street, for they were in the
shadow of a doorway. The Chinaman
continued:
He alice same smuggler. He likee sell Gee
Lee lis pounds opium. He show Gee Lee two
fve-tael cans opium las night He sell 'em l75
pounds for twelve dollahs a poundl
This was astonishing to the officer; but
the Chinaman went on to explain that
Gee Lee had several times purchased
opium from Morrison, and that Morrison
brought in several thousand dollars worth
of opium every month. AS an excuse for
giving the officer a pointer the Chinaman
said:
Gee Lee no like me; nolike Gee Lee He no
belong to my lodgei
The officer saw Morrison 90 into the
Chinese store, and waited until he came
out Then he followed him down to the
sloop. Morrison got on board, and the
officer hurried back to Gee Lees store He
that Morrison said the opium had been re-
moved from the sloop in order to avoid
suspicion, should the customs officers
swoop down on him, and that the dope
had been cached above high tide near the
bunkers. The Cinnamon in Gee Lees
place all looked innocent when the officer
entered, and, fearing he would spoil an
important catch should he act hastily, he
did not ask any questions, but retired
quietly.
At 9 o'clock Morrison again appeared on
Jackson street, accompanied by two tough
looking young men. One of his COM
panions sails under the cognomen of 'The
Black Kid" and was a partner of Fred
Kline, alias Dutch Fred" who was sent
to the penitentiary several weeks ago for
committing a series of purglarles. The
other young fellow is not known. The
trio went into the store and came out
again in half an hour. They started down
the street together and the officer
followed. At the corner of Commercial
and Jackson street several sailors were
met and one of them struck 1.-THE Black
Kid" and Immediately a general fight
took place. in which Morrison and his
companions got decidedly the worst of it.
The officers kept out of sight and made no
| arrests. The fight broke up, but the old
man did not go down to the water front.
He went to the Never Touched Me"
saloon and drank heavily. He renamed
| in there until o'clock with The two young
men.
Officer Powers then went off duty,
changed his clothes and returned to watch
the trio. but they had gone. He learned
that Morrison had been seen going into
| Gee Lees store at o'clock He searched
| the store. and in the third story found the
| old man asleep in room. There was no
struggled opium on the premises.
The officer went home at 10 o'clock, but
before leaving his beat he notified In
| spector Ben Thompson. Deputy United
States Marshal West and several other
officers of the old mans presence and told
| them all he knew of the case. Morrison
was seen at IL O'Clock in company with
his two companions. Since that hour he
and his unknown companion have been
| missing. 1.-THE Black Kid" was not
around for several days, either, but he put
| in an appearance week ago and has
| taken possession of the sloop, which still
remains in the harbor.
The affair is very mysterious one and
| the officers are at loss as to the best
method of getting at the bottom of the
case. Inspector Thompson and several
| other customs officers have watched 1.-The
Black Kid" night and day, but they have
no evidence against him.