The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-27
SMUGGLING RING.
Charges Against the Portland
Customs Officials.
SPECIAL AGENT TlMcLE's STORY.
1ho I0oooeo HRo0te - Csot1aboo4
ChlDeoe go Opau0-lnvese1Gas1og
Illegal LanAing ef Coolies.


Special Agent Tingie, Of the treasury de-
partment. says that the government has
good case against the ex-officiais OF the
customs service who have been indicted 1t
Portland. Or. Notwithstanding that the
indicted men claim that the action against
them vas inspired by political motives.
the purpose being to Dust them from
Office, - Republicans. and put DEM
ocrats IN their places. Mr.. Tingle,
who 10 himself Republican. says that
this allegation Is untrue. He says the de-
partment has been convinced for several
months that there vas ring Of smugglers
in the Northwest Ever since Inspector
Noyes was sent there to investigate and
reported that the Portland collector and
his subordinates were implicated, and
since the reports Of inspectors Wood and
doubt that the right parties have been
caught. Mr.. Tingle says he regrets as
much ~ anybody that be had to perform
the disagreeabie work OF detecting these
officers in dishoues: practices. but he was
the cases to the end.
He says the collector at Portland must
have received about $50 q head for each
Chinese smugg.ed In. There were LOO
Chinese brought in in all. and the revenue
derived by these enterprising treasury
officials must have amounted in all to about
$S5 900. II 10 believed that the majority
Of these Chinese were admitted on froudu-
lent afiidavits, but the amazing thing
about the whole smuggling operations Of
the customs officials is that they not only
required the Chinese who were candidates
far illegal entry to pay $50. but the Chinese
who under the law were entitled to enter
had to pay as well. Mr.. Tingle says that
at Victoria the smugglers had . regular
headquarters. where bogus affidavits werc
made out and signed with fictitious names,
acknowledged before . mythical notary
public and . counterfeit notarial, seal az
fixed. In q great many cases the photo
graph was also attached a. Q means Of
Identification.
Tingle estimates that there we're &, 500
pounds OF opium smugeled in. the duty
on which would have amounted TO $l02,
coo. 1t was very difficult to catch the
boats with contraband stun on board.
Several times they were searched, but they
had unloaded In the river. The govern
ment has been working on this case dill
gently for months, and only sue
ceeded at last In making cases
against tho fifteen indicted men by
means Of some guilty ones who
volunteered to turn states evidence.
When IL was found by the others that
these had turned against them, there
seemed to Be q general desire among the
dishonest officials to become witnesses for
the government. in the hope that they
might be granted immunity from punish
ment. Several members Of the gang al
most fell over one another In their desire
to become prosecuting witnesses.
The report Of Chinese Inspector Scharf,
on his Investigation of the fraudulent
entry Of Chinese ct the port Of New York,
has been received Ut the treasury depart
ment, but no report from Collector Hen.
bricks as to Inspector Scharf's allegation
Of collision by New York officials has
yet been received. 1t is alleged here that
the customs officers at New York have
been extremely lax in issuing Chinese
certificates. and that whenever treasury
agents or inspectors have undertaken to
investigate the matters, they have in
variably been given cold shoulder. This
state Of affairs is said to apply to no par
ticular administration. To some extent
the same condition of affairs, 1t is said,
exists in other cities. where customs
officers seem to think the treasury agents
have no right to investigate their acts.
NEw YORK, July 26.--The elimination Of
the dispute between the local customs Of
ficers and Special Treasury Agent J.
Thomas Scharf over the alleged fraudu-
lent entry Of Chinese at this port may be
looked for in few days. Mr.. Scharrs
appointment bears the date Of July 1, and
already he has unearthed several
alleged cases of fraud Inspector
Scharf has succeeded In OBTAINING six
more Chinese. whose admission had been
recommended by Deputy Collector Gun
ner. and he filed a protest against that
officers method of doing business. Tho
Chinese arrived on the steamship Seneca
from Havana and were provided with con.
suiar certificates, which Mr. Scharf saws
are irregular, but which have heretofore
passed with the officials. One example of
how Chinese are being admitted here il
sufficient; A certificate for tn HI Lieu
described the person for whom it was is.
sued at 25 years old. and five feet three
inches in height. After looking at the
certificate and asking a few questions
through an INTERPRETER. Deputy Collector
Gunner was brought to send the man
ashore, when the inspector protested and
he Vas detained.