The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-06


Custom House authorities. The
writer tells something of Browns
movements while on Maui. Collector
Castle declined to give any informa-
ton regarding the contents of the let
ter, because, as he stated, it might in
terfere with the ends of justice. Mr..
Castle would not say just how long
Brown was on Maui, but it is sup
posed he remained on the island for
about three weeks.
How he landed remains a mystery.
A man who knows Brown stated that
the latter would not remain in Homo
lulu long, and it is just possible that
he will leave on the Australia unless
something unexpected should happen.
This man, whose mysterious advents
puzzle the authorities, does not seem
to worry about anything. He usually
transacts his business outside of Ho-
nolulu, and drops in here for good
time. 1t is noticeable that when he
does drop in, the opium market takes
a drop at the same time. Whether he
has anything to do with the market
or not, is not positively known here.
Since his arrival the best opium has
gone down in price, and is now being
sold for ST. pound. Some time ago
he was in Victoria, living OH his
ranch, as he expresses it; and while
he was there a man named Jesselyn,
a well-known opium smuggler, was in
Honolulu. JOsselyn, under the name
of JamisOn, represented himself to be
a commercial traveller. His baggage
consisted of four trunks, which he
claimed contained samples of goods
from the houses he represented. He
did not succeed in getting his trunks
through the Custom House, although |
he made repeated efforts to do so.
1t has been stated that Brown knew !
of Josselyn's presence in the city and |
to prevent the bogus drummer |
from making too much money, he |
dropped a few lines to- the custom |
house authorities. JosseIyn got wind |
of this in some way and skipped out |
for San Francisco. The trunks were
afterwards opened and found to con-
tain opium, the lot being worth sew
eral thousand dollars.
While Josselyn was in Honolulu it
is believed that he made arrange
ments for the sale OF future shipments,
which were to be made by himself,
Mclean and the others.
The San Francisco Chronicle of a
late date says that an official COM
municatiOn addressed to a representa-
tive Of the United States was sent
down by the Australia. 1t is copy
of an indictment found by the Fed
eral grand jury in San Francisco
against Even w. Mclean and a.
SvensOn. Mclean, who is so badly
wanted for trial, is an old hand at
smuggling, and has been connected
with every conspiracy of that kind
organized in San Francisco for many
years. Svenson, as far as is known is
a beginner in the smuggling bust
ness
Information was recently received
from the Government agents in the
north, says the paper mentioned, that
the snIugglers had chartered a vessel,
loaded ii with salmon and a large
amount of opium and had sailed for
Honolulu.
The vessel chartered by Mclean
and his associates Is a British sloop of
tons and is called the
Norma. About year ago the Norma
arrived in Honolulu from Japan with
"A cargo of curiOs. From Honolulu
the vessel went to Tahiti and there !
secured cargo of cocoanuts for Vic
toria. At the latter place the vessel
has laid idle until chartered by Me-
Lean.
When the Norma left Victoria for
Honolulu the only members Of the
ring on board were Nc
Lean and Svenson, the latter acting
As the captain. While there is large
quantity of opium on board, it has
been secreted, and unless the vessel
was under suspicion and subjected to
a thorough search, it would probably
escape detection. There is q fair
cargo of salmon, which can be dis
posed OF at good profit and at the
same time be used to cover up the real
business of the vessel.
Deputy Collector of Customs Me-
Stocker of Honolulu, who has been in 5
his city for several weeks gathering
Information concerning smugglers,
mas been informed of the character OF =
he Norma and the men and board.
When Mr.. McStocker came from
he brought with him about
sc, 900 worth of opium which had
,een confiscated by the Government.
lie expected to sell 1t here, but has
lot succeeded in doing so. The local
ealers would not buy, although the
tuff was offered at a price which bare
Y covered the duty on it. {
The vessel referred to was formerly
wned in this city by Captain Walker.
I was learned yesterday that a MEM I
'er of the McLean-Svenson ring is at
resent in town. He arrived by the !
australia. The Norma will be heard
next.