The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-11
OFFICIAL THIEVES.
Corrupt Revenue Service
of the North.
INSPECTOR MOVES RETURN.
He Has Forwarded Important Informa-
ton to the Treasury Department
at Washington.

Customs Inspector Noyes returned from
his trip TO the n rth in quest of opium and
Chinese smugglers yesterday morning.
Mr.. Moves has forwarded his official re
port to Washington, and in il has given the
Treasury Department some new facts of
smuggling. which will probably open their
eyes.
The inspector Is not in a position to tell
all he found out just at present, but gave
THE CALL man TO understand that things
are in a very unsatisfactory condition in the
Northwest.
One of the principal cases upon which tile
officers were engaged was the recent impor-
tation of sixiy-seven Chinese across the
border and the opium smuggling by the
steamer Haytian Republic.
As an outcome of this investigation Dep
uty Spec al Agent of the Treasury Cardinel
of the Northwestern District has been dis
charged, and other officers in the employ of
the Government who have been derelict of
duty and suspected of conspiracy with the
smugglers will shortly follow in the wake
of Mr.. Cardinel,
Il have made thorough investigation of
the affairs of the opium and Chinese rings"
said Mr.. Noyes, land l only wish it were in
my power Of authority to tell you all, but of
course you understand my position. | must
wait at least till my reports reach Washing
ton"
trunk system operated through the aid of
employees of the Canadian Pacific rail-
road?" was asked.
Mr.. Ncyes smiled knowingly and nodded
in the affirmative. Yes" he replied, 4
have found out great deal about it."
The trunk system is a scheme devised
by the smugglers to ship opium in drum
merS cases on baggage checks To Chicago
or Detroit. where the drug is reshipped to
all parts Of the United States.
\ baggage-master on The Canadian Pacific
has been suspected of manipulating these
cases. and Is n member of Victoria gang
OF smugglers. Evidence has been accumu-
lated against this man sufficient to cause
| his discharge from the railroad service, hut
| the custom house officials are waiting for n
chance To catch him on United States soil.
"HOw is Puget Sound defended against
| the cOntTa6andSts? was the next question
| put to the Inspector.
ION, we have allittle tug or revenue launch
up there that does not amount to anything.
There Is not tirst-cass cutter in north
ern waters, and the smugglers have things
their own way. A good revenue steamer is
needed there very badly"
In Speaking of this same service Mr..
Evans, special agent of the treasury, said
that he was unable TO depend on the rev.
enue cutters for any aid in suppressng
smuggling. The vessels are subject 10
orders from Washington. and so much time
IS expended on red tape that by the time a
cutter gets ready to move the smuggers are
miles away In tile case of the Eliza Ed
wards, that brought Chinese to Monterey
some seven months ago. the officials were
obliged to keep track of the vessel by hav-
ing the ighthouse-keeDers telegraph her
position all along the coast. y o cutter was
at hand 10 seize the smuggleT. Mr.. Evans
and Mr.. NOyrs are both of the opinion that
the customs service IN the north is de-
bauched.
In Speaking of James Lotan. recently
appointed Collector of the Port al Portland.
Mt. Noyes expressed it as his opinion that
he was an upright officer, man of deter
minatiOn and one who would eventually do
much toward breaking up the smugglers
ring III the north. MI. Mulkey at Tacoma
mas done good work and was instrumental
IN the breaking up of a number of small
smuggler organizations recently.
Ihe officials make no denial that quanti-
ties Of opium and number of Chinese are
being steeTed across the borders daily, but
IN the existing circumstances it is impossi-
bic 20 stop the traffic.
Energetic and faithful workers like Mr..
Noyes, Evans aud Mulkey are greatly handi-
capred by those IN the service who stand in.
Mr.. Moves hints that his report 10 the
Government Is strong blow at this fra
ternity and the public may expect to see
some interesting developments shortly.
1t has been discovered that Chinese
lamps and opium caches have been made
On the islands in Puget Sound, the SNUG
glers not even taking the precaution to
establish their quarters on Lulus Island, a
former rendezvous in Canadian waters. A
regular boat patrol system would have to be
organized to dlslodge them and keep small
sloOps and steam launches engaged in the
Illegal traffic and owned by British Column
bianS from making a dash for the American
side and hiding their cargoes on an island
That their accompces in Washington State
may get at them without any comparative
trouble.
1t is calculated that ten pounds of opium
is smuggled over the northern border to
every pound on which the duty is paid