The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-24
CLEVER SMUGGLERS.
An Important Seizure That Was
Made Yesterday.
The Importation Ct Opium in Trunks Checked
as Baggage From the Northwest Re-
ceives a Sudden Setback.

Inspector Pattison Of the Custom-house
service yesterday made capture Of contra
band opium, which, owing TO the circum-
stances connected with il. proves TO be one
of the most important seizures of that kind
mado for many years.
That opium in quantities was constantly
brought to this city without any duties
being paid on il mas been known TO the
custom authorities for long time.
In vain did they exercise all possible yigi-
lance the willy smugglers seemed TO battle
ali their efforts.
Small captures were made on ocean
steamers occasionally, it is true. but IT was
painfully apparent to every officer in the
Custom-house that there was an organized
scheme in operation by which much OF the
valuable drug reached the city and was re-
tailed here right under their noses.
Collector Phelps passed many sleepless
nights trying to find the mysterious gate
duced, and his trusted lieutenants eX-
hauSted their skill in vain in endeavOring
TO locate the men who are engaged in this
illegal traffic.
The finding OF two trunks full Of opium
on the steamer Umatila Oh Saturday. and
some anonymous correspondence addressed
to Collector Phelps, led TO the final discoy
cry OF a well-OrganiZed plan of smuggling,
which has been successfully operated for
very long time, and Patts0n's seizure OF
yesterday is the first result Of this dis
cOveTy.
Two old leather trunks filed with about
$1,000 worth of opium, packed In 5-tael tins,
were captured, and the way ii was done
was as follows:
HOW IT WAS DONE.
From information received Collector
Phelps had reasons 10 suppose that great
deal of opium came 20 this city packed IN
trunks and yalises, as baggage of Imaginary
travellers.
Some individual in Port Townsend, Sc
attic, Tacoma, or any other Of the North
western cities, would purchase or borrow
railroad ticket 10 this city and check the
trunks, etc, as luggage. The checks given
him he would send by mail or express to his
accOmphce here who presented them either
in person OF through one OF the transfer
companies at the baggage window in this
city and had the trunks conveyed to some
uptown place, where the opium vas trans
Ierred TO wherever 1t was TO be sold.
The method of smuggling was an easy
one and il took long time 70 discover II,
because baggage from one American city to
another is not subjected to any custom sur
VIGILANCE, il not being liable to duty,
One Of the men mostly suspected OF carry
ing on this unlawful trade was lodging
house keeper by the name of II. Chiffey,
who rents rooms at 403 Powell street, and
who quite frequently of late presented
checks for the baggage Of people who ne
said were living ia his house.
Ii was he who yesterday was caught and
arrested By Inspector PattiSon.
One Of the employees OF the American
Transfer Company called at the baggage
window Of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company at the foot of Market street about
3 o'clock yesterday afternoon and presented
two checks calling for trunks Of a Mr. Simp-
son, which he had orders to take to Chit
fey's lodging-house.
Inspector Pattison, who was on duty wait
ing for some such occurrence, Immediately
followed the eXpTessman, md as soon as
the trunks had been delivered al 403 Powell
street he made himself known to ChffeY
and opened one of them.
WELL-GEoUNDED SUSPICION.
1t was found that his suspicious were
well grounded, and that the old leather sar-
atOgas contained nothing but unstamped
opium.
The trunks were seized and Chiffey was
placed under arrest on charge of snug
CLING.
When Pattison arrived at the Appraisers
building with his prize there he was warmly
congratulated by the officials for having
been instrumental in laying bare one of the
most dangerous methods to rob the Govern
ment OF It's lawful revenues ever discovered.
Collector Phelps said that the Importance
OF this latest fBd VIII result 10 making the
psuedO travellers from the Northwest more
careful in the future, and viii break up a
ring Of smuggleTs which heretofore did an
immense business.
Cbiffey, when seen by a CALL reporter I'm
tie United states Marshal's office, pretended
to be entirely innocent, and said he did not
know what he was arrested for.
The prisoner claimed that man by the
name Of Simpson had engaged a room in
the house on Sunday night, and had given
him the trunk checks with instructions TO
have his baggage brought from the depot
yesterday.
Simpson, who, according to the officers, is
q myth, Is said by Chiffey 10 be q darkroom
piexoned stranger, about 10 years old, d re-
cent arrival from Port Townsend and q
stranger in this city.
The officers say that former cOnsignments
OF trunks, shipped as baggage like those
captured Yesterday, were sent to Chiffey's
clearinghouse TO fictitious persons by Yari-
Gus names.
The opium tins in the trunks were care
fully packed in shaYings and wrapped in
brown paper.
Some Of the Custom-h0use officials are Of
the opinion that the District Attorney made
a mistake in charging Chffey with SNUG
CLING and that he~will find it an easy matter
to ESCAPE punishment on such charge,
because bringing opium from one American
city to another is not prohibited by law.
The charge, they contend, should be only
that Chifey had unstamped opium In his
possession.
District Attorney Garter says that Chill
fey Will have to prove that the opium in
these trunks Is rot smugged before he can
escape conviction ON the charge now against
him.