The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-12
A FIGHT FOR BLOOD.
Customs Officers Desperate
Struggle With Chinese.
LED INTO A sMuGGLERS' TRAP.
InSearch Of Opium, They Have to Fight
for Life-Two Cinnamon and q Wo-
man Badly Wounded.

A desperate hand-to-hand fight with
knives and hatchets occurred yesterday
afternoon about O'Clock at 5l2 Washing
ton street between customs officers and
Cinnamon who were suspected of snug
Cling. Inspector G. U. Mcbride had
narrow escape from death and All How,
the well-known Chinaman, All 4une and
All How's wife are in a precarious condi-
ton at Grace hospital. After the fight the
customs officers seized what was claimed
to be 375 pounds of onium, valued at
$1,000, but it transpired upon an investiga-
ton that, with the exception of eight
pounds, the catch was not the drug, but
merely molasses and tar mixed together
until it resembled opium in both weight
and color.
Several days ago Collector WATSON was
notified that All How, of Seattle, was en-
deavoring to dispose of 375 pounds Of
Struggled opium. which he had concealed
somewhere about the premises of Quong
On Chong, who conducts general mer-
chandise store at SO Washington street.
The collector Immediately notified Deputy
Mckenzie of the rumor. Inspectors Nc
Bride and Johnson and Special Treasury
Agent Mulkey have since been working
carefully on the case. Mcbride accompanied
by tall, red-faced. powerful young fellow,
who acted as a 'stool-pigeon," played the
role of buyer of smuggled goods. and fin
ally succeeded in convincing the willy
Chinaman that they meant business. All
How claimed to have the 3775 pounds of
prepared opium put up in five-tael cans.
making a total Of $50 cans, and was willing
to part with it for IS per pound. Consid-
erlng the fact that struggled opium can al
ways bring from $l2 to SIS a pound, the
officer began to suspect that he had,
in the vcrnacular of the smuggler, "struck
FROST, +" but he did not give up the under
taking. He managed to have talk with
All How every day, and yesterday morn
ing called on him, and, flashing $1,000 in
bills before his greedy eyes, said that he
wanted to see the opium before he agreed
to take it. How hestated a moment, and
then told Mcbride to call around at
o'clock in the afternoon and bring the
5000 in gold instead of bills, as it would
be easier and quicker to count.
Inspector Mcbride hurried back to the
customs-house, and Deputy Collector Nc
kenzie aided him in putting up some
bogus rolls of money. They got lot of
iron washers, each the size of twenty
dollar gold piece, put them in rolls as
banks have money, and then placed the
rolls in small canvas sack. At 2 o'clock
Mcbride, with the washers in his pocket,
accompanied by his ''stool pigeon"
met All How at 5l2 Washington
street. Collector WATSON, who is in town
attending court with Deputy Mckenzie,
Inspector Johnson and Special Agent
Mulkey followed few minutes later and
remained in hiding half block away. At
a given signal they were to rush in, make
the seizure and capture All How and who
ever happened to be with him.
When Inspector Mcbride and his COM
panion reached All How's place, the
Chinaman led them through several small,
low-roofed rooms, up a short flight of
stairs, down gloomy, narrow hallway
and into room about ten feet so uare. He
then turned and locked them in. The
room had neither window nor skylight,
and, but for a small Oriental lamp on a
rough table in the center, would have been
in darkness. Two benches were drawn up
and the men, who were not half as cool as
the Chinaman, were told to sit down. and
they did so. For the first time the in
spector noticed All How's tall, powerful
frame. and. being a short, fat man himself,
he shuddered when he thought of posi-
bic encounter.
An How Immediately proceeded to bust
ness and wanted Mcbride TO count out the
money on the table, but Mcbride refused
and wanted to see the opium. All How
left the room, bolting the door from the
outside, and returned in about five min
utes with four five-tael cans of opium.
Mcbride tested the cans and found their
contents to be opium. Seeing that Nc
Bride was satisfied, All How said:
Now. count the money" at the same
time pointing to the table.
Il want To count the cans first" said
Mcbride. Il want to see that get the
proper number
The Chinaman did not like the PROPOSE
ton at all, but in moment said.
All right. follow me"
He unlocked the door and the two men
followed him down a flight of stairs, along
another hall. through several rooms and,
when All How finally ushered them into
close room which had only one small
window. they had completely lost their
bearings. AS before the Chinaman bolted
and locked the door and placed the key in
has pocket. In the room were two other
persons-one woman. who, All How
said. was his wife. and a tall, muscular
young Chinaman recognized as All Yune.
The opium was piled i'll boxes in the mid
die OF the room and the inspector and his
companion began counting the lay
ers, meanwhile wondering how they
could give signal to those
waiting outside. There was another door
on the opposite side of the room, but it
was heavily barred. Finally the layers
were counted and reported correctly.
Again An How wanted to see the money,
but for obvious reasons Mcbride de-
INJURED, and was anxious to know how
the opium could be taken from the place
Without att-actin., a.tnntlnn Ah En,y