Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-14

and have made a number of creditable
seizures of struggled goods, which, under
ordinary circumstances, would have escap-
ed detection.
Among these was the capture of Milchrist
at Detroit, with no pounds of opium; the
capture of Cassin at Rouse's Point with
10 pounds, and the capture of Hawr and
ms confederate, Guy, at Puget Sound.
Hawr was a notorious smuggler, and has
made a fortune in the business. Another
case was the capture of the Emerald gang
at San Francisco. The members of this
band were convicted and sentenced to six
years Imprisonment. Excellent work was
accomplished by the officers assigned to in
Nestfgate frauds at Puget Sound last year
in the illegal landing of Chinese and the
smuggling of opium. Their investigation
resulted in the seizure of steamship and
the Indictment for conspiracy and SNUG
Snng OF sixteen persons, eight Of whom
were officers or ex-officers of the customs
service, including one collector of customs
and one special agent of the treasury AL
though the smuggling of opium and the
clandestine introduction of Chinese had
long been prevalent in that region, this is
the first instance known where a steam
ship company has had an illegal trade for
us chief and most profitable business.
The COrruptinS Influence.
In reporting this case to the Treasury
Department the special agent who had
charge of it said: These Seaports of Brit
ism Columbia thrive upon profits gained by
violations of our laws. The feeble efforts
made to enforce the laws were laughed at
and the customs officials, on account of
their inferiority in numbers and want of
suitable vessels, have too frequently yielded
to the corrupt influences Of the smugglers
and have thus brought shame and contume-
iy on the public service. The only remedy
for this diSSraceful state of affairs lies in Il
vigorous and hottest enforcement of the
customs laws. But SmugS ling means
of putting on our market the products of
the opium factories of British Columbia
VIII probably continue so long as e-,,um
is virtually offered by the imposition of
duty of twelve dollars per pound. This
duty is a constant incentive to smuggling,
for, while thousands of pounds of opium
are brought in annually from British Co.
lumbia, none of ii has ever been entered for
duty. The present high rate discourages
legitimate impOrtations and furnishes such
large profits to freebooters that the bust
ness of smuggling has been eagerly and
almoSt openly carried on. Customs officers
have been corrupted ard completely de
moralized by the nefarious traffic and 1t
has been found eceSsary to make thor
ouSh reorganization of the service in the
Puget Sound district"
Adventure with SmuggIers.
Probably one of the most remarkable
seizures in the history of the service is
that reported by Capt. Roath of the reve-
rue steamer Wocott. 1t involved the cap
ture of 100 five tael tins CT unstamped pre-
pared opium, by Julius 1psen, an ordinary
seaman, attached to that vessel. The seiz-
ure was made in Deception Pass, one of
the waters OF Puget sound, in May last.
lpSen was on guard In cabin on the north
crn shore of the passage, which has been
placed there for the protection of the reve-
nue. me; on duty in that vicinity at night.
This cabin commanded view of the water
passage. The man on duty there was ex-
pected to keep a sharp lookout on the traf-
hc through the passage and to report all
suspicious circumstances. About 3 O'Clock
on the morning in question Ipsen was
awakened by the barking of his dog on
looking out he saw sloop anchored in u
small cove to the westward of the pass
proper. He watched 1t closely for several
hours after daybreak. Then, disgusting him
self as a wooichJpper. he walked to the
beach, abreast Of the sloop. and engaged in
conversation with two men that appeared
on her deck.
One of these he recognized as notorious
ssrjSSler. They allowed him to 20 on
beard. and he remained there some time
curing which he observed that the cargo
consisted of keg Of whisky and four gun
ny sacks, evidently containing a number of
81 all packages of rectangular shape
These aroused his suspicion, and he was
determined to watch the vessel. The fol-
lowing afternoon about > O'Clock he saw
the vessel attempting TO weigh anchor,
whereupon he embarked in small twelve
iCot roWboat armed Only with revolver
and. on the pretense Of fishing. worked his
way through the Pass. ard dropped along
side of the sl"op. He informed her crew
that he intended to seize their boat where
Epon each of the men drew his revolver.
irse,. however managed to get the drop
on Them.
At the Point of "a Pistol
He fired first at the man at the tiller and
brighten d him so that he was able 70
knock his revolver overheard. and at the
same time to disarm mis- companion At the
Joint of his pistol he made them put the
whisky ana the four sacks I'm his boat
Then he SGT i'm himself, and giving them
his painter, ordered them to tow him
through the Pass. This they proceeded to
do, but on reaching the swift current ana
the wind being fair and strong they chose
a favorable moment. ard cut his paint ar
ana sailed away from him. He emptied his
revolver at the retreat ting figures, but could
rot prevent their escape. Finding himself
mUch embarrassed in his small boat i'm the
strong tide, with heavy load, Ipsen threw
the keg of whisky overheard and made his
way slowly to FidllgO City the nearest
settlement with the rest of his prize
There he got a buggy and drove nine miles
over heavy country road, on a dark night
10 Anacorus. where several officers of the
marine service We're stationed with a
launch.
His vehicle would only carry one of the
bags, So he left the other three with tho
postmaster at Fidllgo City. The WoIcott
anchored off Anacortis the next morning
and lpscn went aboard and reported his
find amounting to 700 pounds of opium
"hlCh, at Sl2 Il pound, was quite a good
prize. Capt. koath reported the case to the
treasury Department entirely true in
his opinion, in all its details and paid y
high tribute to the zeal, energy and high
courage Of lpsen throughout the entire
transaction.
Smuggling and the Tariff
Inc largest seizure of opium ever made
was by Capt J. b. Moore of the revenue
steamer WO!Cott in January, 1856 Actiue
on information he went to Kasa~an bay.
Aiaska,and searched premises said to belong
to Capt. James Carroll of the steamship
Idaho, and found in a storehouse fourteen
barrels containing 30l1 pounds of prepared
opium, the value of which at Sl4 per pound
the then market price, was $I4l44 This
opium is supposed to have been smugglel
into Alaska from Victoria, Il. c. by Cant
Carroll, for repacking and SHIPMENT To
Portland, ore. The next largest seizure of
opium was made in January, lSS2 when
nearly ton, valued at $4,000, was seized
at San Francisco while being landed from
the steamship City of Toxic. This seizure
resulted in the breaking up of large and
influential ring on the Pacific coast COM
posed of capitalists, custom house officials
steamboat employees local politicians and
Chinese.
There is no doubt that the Smuggling Of
dutable merchandise upon the Canadian
and Mexican frontiers has largely increosaa