The morning call., 1892-10-10
A FRUIfLESS SEARCH.
Sixty Custom Inspectors Raid
WaShhouses.
HUNT FOR SMUGGLED OPIUM.
The Officials Succeed in Finding Only Two
Cans of the Contraband Drug-The
Chinese Had Warning.

Yesterday morning sixty OF Collector
| Quinn's deputies, armed with dark lanterns.
candles and authority, made a search OF all
the chinese washhOuses in this city In the
nope OF finding contraband opium
Some weeks ago lot of unstamped opium,
which had been seized by the Government,
was stolen from the CustOm-house ware
rooms. and few days later 142 cans OF the
stolen drug were discovered and rescued In
the China washhouse at 1863 Minna street.
This led the authorities to believe that the
Chinese were using the 'out-of-the-w
"ashhouses for tie purpose OF hiding
struggled opium. and a raid was planned.
The arrival of the now famous smuggler,
the yacht Halcyon, in this port on Saturday
morning, and the report that many thou-
sands of dollars worth OF c0ntraband opium
mad been landed from that vessel, deter
mined the officers to lose no time in search
Ing suspected places, and it was decided to
Start on the hunt yesterday morning.
Every pTecauton was taken TO keep
the intended raid secret, even the men
VINO were to take part in 1t being Kept In
ignorance OF the nature of the Sunday work
they were expected to do, but notWihstand-
ing the precautions taken 1t was known In
Chinatown on Saturday night that rald OF
some sort was 10 be made IN the near iutnre
Ior Chinese said to CALL reporter: lou
come up with INSPECTORS t0-mallyr Ia
splectors come to-mally," and be grinned
knowingly
AT $3.50 o'clock yesterday morning the
internal revenue and customs inspectors.
numbering sixty odd, assembled III Col
rector Qulnn's Office, and were told on In
squads OF fourS, and each squad given
Certain number of washhOuses 10 overhaul.
ne men were cautioned to work rapidly
Y pOSSlhip
thorough search of the places assigned to
them.
The men went to work with Will, and
they gave the washhouses turning over
from basement 10 garrett. With one or TWO
exceptions the Chinese threw open the
doors OF their houses and aided the officers
Ia Their search, doubtless knowing that 1t
would be a fruilless one.
AT 60712 Post street the sensation OF the
DAY occurred. Shortly after the squad of
othcerS had entered the washhouse at that
number TWO policemen ran up Post street
at luil speed, followed by about 200 men,
women and boys. The policemen dashed
Into The washh0use, and, seiZng the IN
spector nearest them, placed him under ar
rest, when that officer exhibited his badge
ana was at once released with profuse
apologies. 1t seems that there have been
number OF hoodlums entering the houses
OF chinese on the pretense of being sanl-
tary inspectors. but really to steal anything
they could lay their hands on, and the chi
nese Imagined the customs inspectors to be
another gang OF thieves, and warned the
police.
Tired and dirty, awfully dirty, the sixty
men dropped into Collector Quinn,s office
about O'Clock last night. and one after an
other reported mo find" With the excep-
ton OF two cans Of unstamped Opum dis
covered In Sam KEGS place at 300 Iehama
street and two unstamped boxes OF cigars IN
another place, The raiders had their labor
for their pains"
Ii is believed that the Chinese, having
been warned Of the ntende d raid. removed
all the smuggled and stolen opium to
place OF safety Saturday night. and the
correctness OF this supposition is demon
strated by the unusual amiability OF the
Chinese whose places were raided and their
cheerful willingness 10 have the officers
look everywhere In most cases they even
aided the officers in their search.
Collector Quinn was dissatisfied, but not
discouraged, at the result of the raid, and
Will try it over again before long.