The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-29
CAPTURE OF CoNTRABANDS.
Customs Officers Arrest Twenty-EiRht
Celestials Near Seattle.

Customs officers Arrest Twenty-EfKht
Celestials Near seattle.
That the statements contained in Cow
Toole's letter to Secretary Foster, concern
ing the smuggling of Chinese into Mons
tana, is justified by the fao.s, every one in
Helena who has given tho subject any
thought, will admit. The only capture OF
c%ontraband Cinnamon over made in Mon
tans. occurred last summer. and that was
due to an accident. Eleven mon were
being brought in a wagon to Fort Benton
when a storm came up, the driver was
killed by lightning, and the investigator
that followed showed that his passengers
we're being amugg'ed from CANADA into tle
sent back to China. Despite this proof
that tho exclusion act was being violated
along the Montana border, the treasury
department. has taken no steps to protect IT
from the inroads of the prohibited Chinese.
In Washington state. however, the treas
to look after the Chinese INK those b
smuggle them in. Though the work of the
agents ia far from perfect, owing to their
small number, nevertheless, they have
made q number of important captures. Ihe
latest of these was lass Sunday. morning.
when twenty-eight o~ontraband Chinese
werc caught by custom officials, near Seat
tie, in which own they are nov con1ned IN
Jail. The capture, one Of the largest ever
made in that district, was the work OF
Deputy Collector Mckenzie, assisted by
Chinese Inspector Mum, Deputy. United
States Marshal Mudgstt and Special Agent
Coblentz. The Cinnamon we're given 9
genuine surprise whom they disco iered they
had been placed under arrest by persons
disguised, as the custom officials
had logged themselves up as Chinese.
A week previous Mckenzie was informed
that an attempt was to be made that night
to land a large number Of pagans in Seat
tie. Thursday night Mckenzie and four
other custom officials had a plan to seize 9
suspected vessel, which was expected. and
chartered a tug for the purpose. About
midnight they saw the outlines OF a small
vessel. which they believe to have been the
steamer Burt, with fifty or seyenty-nve
bands were to be landed. Those in charge
of the smuggler, however. wore as much
on the alert as the custom officials. and
seeing that they were watched, put Oft
down the sound. An exciting chase
ensued, but the smuggler was soon out of
sight. 49,
the Chinese had been landed and were
csmped in the woods near Richmond beach.
ak miles from Seattle, also that they were
to be transported from that place some
time Saturday night or early SUNDAY morn
ing and landed Ill the city. belaeVlnR tnis
to be the plan Mckenzie and the three as
sistants named. attired as described. set
out on foot shortly after midnight for
Richmond beach,. 1t was a long and tedious
walk. and it was nearly two O'Clock when
they arrived on the scsne. Tit officials
found the Chinese in a thicket of brush and
bushes near the beach. They marched at
once among them, and to all appearances
no suspicion was aroused by their presence.
No arrests were made at first. 1t was the
scheme of the officers to wait for the sus-
pected steamer to take the Chinese aboard.
They were then to walk aboard with the
Chinese.
The scheme failed, however, as nj vessel
put in appearance. After waiting for the
s~muggler for nearly an hour they placed
the Chinese under arrest. T~wenty-eight
were captured. Others are known to have
escaped-probably as many as twenty or
thirty. In this connection it is known that
the Chinese had been camped in the yicin-
itv for several DAYS. e