The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-07
The Cunningness Of Chinese Prison.
ers Who Battle ths Watch-
fulness Of Guards.
Artiacss Resorted to In Order to
Get Their Favorito
Drug.
II Is Carried In In Every Conceivable Shape
10 tbs FlEtailx In the County
Jail.

WouAN Il
without his dinner than be deprived of hi
regular allowance OF opiun, says tho Sal
Ftoncisco Chroniele. When at large h,
usually manages to satisfy his longing
elthsr by theft or lsgitimately, but wher
arrested and pus in prison his supply of thu
drug IL sum- arialy out off and he find,
himself forced TO Nil sorts of devious de.
vices to crafty his craving for the narcotic
A notabls example is afforded BY the
Chinese prisoners confined in the county
Jail. and the articles resorted to are az
numerous az thsy ars cunning.
Despite the vigilance OF the sherif'e
officers employed in the old building on
Broadway, nearly every day it is found that
some one of the Monaghan prisoners has
succeeded in hiding opium in his cell, II
would seem somotimes az if it must float Ia
them Though the closely barred windows
or be transported in some mysterious way
by superhumnn means. The Jail officials
do not meet inquiries on the nnbject very
kindly, for tho very good reason that they
are not little piquel by the SUCCESS Of tho
Chinese in eluding tho guards and keeping
up the traffic in the drug.
Chisf Hadelor, who has charge Of this
jail, keeps in his private office what might
be called M ''opium Cupboard" 1t con-
tains enough OF what the dictionary calls
"the acqueous extract Of the poppy"to kill
Z regiment. There are several shelves, and
each is mapped full OF variously shaped
cans, boxes and jars, each containing 4
quantity of the common, dark, GnMmy
form of the stuff that the Chinese ordi-
narily use for smoking, but in case Of neces-
sity. IS in the jail, for Glowing. Beaides,
there is 4 quantity or the thicker and
coarser form Of the drug made from 'pipe
scrspinRs." This, too, tho not over partic-
ulsr hssthens uss for chewing, and often
by Intoxicating it while looked up in their
cells they got semi-stupefed. In the cup
board are several hundred cases Of opium.
Every bit of it was found on the persons or
in the possession Of Chinese prisoners
within tho past year. @
When it is considered that most of tho
denizsns of Chinatown who got into tho
Jail first Dass through a course Of training
in the city prison, where opium is supposed
to be kept from them, some conception Of
their ~ahrewdnsss in concealing the drug
may be obtained.
No one can remain in the Jail for two or
three hours any Gay without realizing that
the success OF the Chinese i'll getting hold
OF the narcotic whom in confinement is not
owing to ANY laxlty on the part of the
guards. II an inmate OF ths Jail ID permit
ted to receive a visitor i'll ono of tIa rooma
set apart for that purpose. the prisoner is
searched kefo . being rmi t.
ted to return to his cell. If \ visitor talks
to \ prisoner through tho bars OF "a cell a
the conversation IN order to
p svont the secret passing Of any article
from one to the other. Visitors are adj
only during certain hours in tho
day. and then must register their names
and addresses and submit to all the roxula-
Of tho shorilT.
Every article sentinto the jail is examined
Packages OF smoking tobacco arc
opened and the tobacco itself is loosensd,
and tossed over to see that nothing IN con-
cealca within the punch. All other bundles
Of whatsoever kind are opensd, and even
such harmless looking articles rs apples,
ranges, cigars, and books are closely in
The searching of prisoners, az it is done
It the Jail, is in itself IN art. In the cid
tays tho guards simply went through tho
prisoners pockets and felt OF his clothing I
o see that there were no razors or revolvers 4,
abeut him. Now when a Chinese
nd shipped. Every lit of clothing is e1- t
mined before ho il permitted to dress (
himself and 60 to q cell.
1t would assin that with all those pre- r
no prisoner would be able to keep '
ny opium about him o. to get it after he g
nearly every dsy sons Chinese is g
ound nearly or quite stulifisd by opium I
roves conalusively that the Mongolians Z
re sharp enough to hide the stuff and hold
n 10 it in spite of all the work Of the
yards.
Many interesting stories ara told Of the 4
lays i'll which the pig-tailed inmates elude :.
he eyes and the searching of the Jail II
A fow weeks ago a sad-eyed +,
'hinsse locked in one of the coils was II
isited BY a Nongo!ian friend from Cum
'cok alley. A guard watched the two Fl
'hlle they ohattea. ana saw nothing pass
etwsen them. just before the vieitor left. II
owever, ho passed n handful of cigars to
H. friend, who WAS seen several hours later II
hls cell in 4 state OF complete stupefac-
resulting plainly from too much opium s.
1ewing. CT
The cell was seaTched, but no opium
'und. Finally the guard thought thpt 81
,methine might b, wrong about tho 81
gars, and opened all of them. In ons was
'veral dollars worth of opium. 1t had ::
zen wrapped In tissue paper, and this cigar u:
I'd then been made around it. Chief
adeler said nothing until the visitor from tn
una Cook ALLOW came again TO the jail. "
A1S' Nv RShbGA bpEA0 ClRiTb 10 LIS
lend no was searched and n handful of be
. weeds taken from him. In Thorn more sl
an $50 worth of opium was found hidden.
many weeks the guards wondered 81
Nv \ Chinese prisoner named All Lee got to
9 opium which he used himself and sold
other prisoners. The cell was searched, er
it nothing wss discovered. Tho mans gu
othes were examined, but not a particle OF
the drag wRs concealed anywhere about
EN-. Still All Lee remained in an opium fu
and still the other Chinese had all Of on
Q narcotic they wanted. Finally All Lce lii
10 Maiched INTO a SIDE room and all his
tines were removed. Tbs guards looked
tween his toes and into his ~nostrils. No
ium was there. Then they unbraided N,
> queue and found fully $50 worth of tho 49,
concealed in tbs hair. Thin opium il
the collection in The chiefs cupboard and
a big tin box. Nowadays about tho frat n.
ri OF the outtit Of a Chinese prisoner that -
is the long tail Of hair that T:
ngs to the back of his head. To
M,any other curious hiding places for =.
lum have been cund only after much
'uble. Ons Chinese hid $40 worth of n,
! . sornpinga' on the sole of his foot BY
'tealnx II There with " big patch OF flesh
ored sticking plaster. It was only by &C Ia
'ent that the stuff WIS discovered. The
m was stripped and searched half a dozen .
les, bat none Of the drug was found by
ssarehers. However. the last tims the
'ch on the foot OF the Chinese caught on Bu
AL ~ a door sill and the opium dropped Sej
the floor. ~
the stuff is sewn into tho lining Of gar
nts. concealed in watches and match Ih
mi tpt~ Sy~aa. - " -. -