The morning call., 1892-07-06
CONTRABAND OPIUM.
The San Benit0 Suspected of
Having 1t Aboard.
The Queer Little Visitor That Hovered
About the Ship for Two Days-slow
Officials

The collier San Benito sailed from the
Long wharf at Oakland yesterday afternoon,
and 1t is believed that she carried away
with her a large amount of contrabapd
opium which the smugglers aboald had no
opportunity to land. Either that is the
case, or. as the newspaper men believe, the
opium was landed in broad daylight early
yesterday morning.
The San Benito was for a long time the
subject of close supervision by the customs
officers upon her arrivals here. On two
occasions search of the vessel was re-
warded by the discovery of large amount
OF unstamped opium hidden away in the
Dunkers. and the vessel came to be looked
upon as one well worth watching.
For some UNEXPLAINED reason Of late the
close supervision over the ship while in
port mas been relaxed, and as a result it is
not improbable that some of the crew have
resumed their smuggling operations on an
extensive scale.
On Saturday night last information
reached 1HE CALL that there was contra
Dand opium aboard the San Benito. The
customs ofncers were at once notified and
reporter was sent to Long wharf, where the
vessel was discharging her cargo into the
coalbunkers. to watch for a seizure.
QUEER LITTLE BOAT.
Early Sunday morning queer little boat
cross between fishing-smack and a river
duck boat, sailed into the little cove near
the wharf where the San Bcnito Law and
came TO anchor None of the employees
about the wharf had ever seen the boat be :
lore and the fact of it landing in a place
where Doats OF Its size never land on ac-
count of the rough water and exposed posi-
ton was Of Itself a suspicious circumstance.
All DAY Sunday the little boat took the
Duheting OF the waves, when it might. had
It's owner so desired, have been anchored
In sheltered place, aud all day Sunday
three oil the crew of the San Benito hun o
around the decks of the big ship and
watched the little boat. 1t was an urusual
thing Tor so many OF the crew to remain
aboard when they had shore liberty, and
when 1t was found that they spent the whole
OF the Fourth OF July loafng around the
vessel the watchers began to suspect that
the three seamen and the little boat were
probably waiting for q favorable oppor-
tupity TO unload the contraband opium from
the big ship into the little one.
All tnls time, however, there was not a
single Custom-house officer around. aboard
or even near the San Benito.
THE SAN BENITo UNGUARDFp.
From saturday night midnight until yes
terday afternoon the vessel was unpuarded
Yesterday afternoon a force of customs
omceTs were sent over to search the San
Benito. They found the vessel ready to 90
to sea. and the little fishing smack had
quietly sailed away early yesterday morning.
No seizure was made and no search of the
vessel attempted, as the officers were satis
ned that the opium had been landed. If
they could have seen the winks and prins
exchanged between the members of the
crew when they saw the officers arrive at
the wharf, they would have been even more
certain than they were that the opium. il
there was any aboard, had been sent ashore.
From parties who spend 10 hours out of
| "a On Long wharf every day In the wear
some strange stories are told OF boats ieav-
ing the coallng schooners and steamers hail.
ing from Tacoma, Seattle, Nanaimo and
Other northern ports ar midnight or In the
early morning and rowing away to San
francisco. Neither storm, nor fog, nor
| wind stons these midnight excursions, and
the employees on tile wharf have long won
| dered why II was some effort was not made
| to find out what sort of cargo the rowboats
| carry on their secret trips.
Long wharf presents the smugglers with
excellent opportunities for carrying on theil
trade. and 1t Is possible 1t will in future re
ceiye more attention from the officers.