The morning call., 1893-08-30
1T WILL COME IN.
COntraband Opium Found
by Officials.
A Smuggler Caught and Some Caches
Discovered on the Steam Coli
lier MOntSerrat.

For some time the black Hawaiian steam
collier Montserrat mas been under the
suspicion of the customs authorities, and
every time she has arrived from Departure
Bay, Vancouver Island. with d load of
Wellington coal, the vigilant inspectors
have observed every motion of all who
were connected in any way with her.
When she came into the harbOr Monday
night, Inspector Z. T. Mclean boarded
her, and just as she was pulling into Mis-
siOn-street wharf 2 the inspector noticed
that one Of the sailors, Herman Holman,
was not altogether symmetrical in his
shape. He had an unusually abnormal
abdominal development. AIr. Mclean
seized an opportunity to run against him.
whereupOn it was discovered that the dis
proportionate bulge was due to the carrying
beneath his clothing of four five-tael tins
OF opium. Holman was placed in the Gus
tOdy of United States Marshal Long yes
terday morning.
A rigid inspection of the craft was
subsequently, made by Inspectors d. j.
Ahern and r. L. McGinness, and proved
profitable for the Government. MIR. Nc
Glnness succeeded in finding fifty-one tins
of the drug. and Mr.. Ahern got four more.
Some of the contraband stuff-for it was
all good Victoria Opium-was found in the
forward part OF the vessel, some in the
steamers bunkerS and some in the engine
room. The representatives of the Govern
ment took possession of the opium, but as
no one seemed to know anything about
il no more arrests were made.
The days work in the opium line did
not END there, however, for another branch
of the Government service was soon en-
gagged In making seizure in Chinatown.
Information had been given to Special
Treasury Agent Evans that certain Chinese
were endeavOrlng TO get away with a big
lot Of opium in a building on Brenham
place. No time was lost by Mr.. Evans in
procuring a search warrant. and, armed
with that, he went to the place suspected,
accompanied by Inspector NOyes. Assist
ant Internal Revenue Agent Thomas, As
sistant Treasury Agent Charming and
United States District Attorney Garter.
Judge Sweeney of Shasta County. who
happens to be visiting friends in the city,
also went along to see what raid looked
like.
They went upstairs to the third floor of
block known as Franks building" and
the door being barred Inspector Noyes
kicked IL open and seventy-one five-tael
bed in two boxes. There had been three
boxes filed altogether, but the owners
had managed TO get away with a good
share. The opium was at once conveyed
TO the Appraisers building.
altogether the days seizures amounted
to about Sll30 worth.
L. Freer. the man who brought sixty
tins down from Victoria on the steamer
Umatilla in a trunk with false bottom.
and who, after the trunk had been entered
at the Custom-hOuse as household effects"
and the contrabaDd drug had been dis
covered by the examiners, surrendered
himself to the authorities, has been gwen
his liberty on bail. His bond was reduced
from $500 to $50 in view of the fact that
the Information which he seems to possess
will be of some service to the Government,
and John Haekett and j. Nj. Bartlett, of
Oakland, signed as sureties for him. His
preliminary hearing will be held on the
9Th prOX.
Freer's case invites some sympathy.
He is anything but an opum-smuggler,
save that he is, self-confessedly. guilty OF
this one offense. He has wife and a
very sick baby, who have been stopping
with a former employer Of Freer, named
Barker, in Oakland. Collector Wise. Spe-
cial Agent Evans and Prosecutor Garter
will doubtless use him for the purpose of
ferreting out the smuggling operations on
Puget Sound and between British Column
bia and this port, and he will be dealt
with lelientIV