The herald., 1894-09-21
/ ARE WATCHING FOR SMUGGLERS
A Big Gang Said to Infest
Santa Monica Canyon.
Customs Inspectors Keeping a Sharp
Lookout for the Drug.
A Very Piausibie Theory That the Dead
Sailor From San Mntso Was MUIR
dered by fmugglers to Keep
Him Quiet.

There promises TO develop a very
large sensation in connection with the
arrest OF smuggler Algern. which was
made at Santa Monica csfion the other
morning. That he and the other men
arrested are not the only ones that are
suspected is apparent from the fact that
the force OF inspectors has been greatly
increased eince that event.
In fact the quiet precinct of Santa
Monica cai1on is now getting to be quite
q resort for men who have nothing on
their hands save desire to put in time.
A goody number OF these men, who
wander so aimlessly about under the
friendly shelter OF the wide spreading
oaks. are there for no other purpose
than to watch the movements OF those
who, there iH reason to euspecs, have
other means OF earning livelihood than
ceiling beer and serving lunches to hun
cry wayfarera.
The cafion is quite picturesque spot.
Ii is formed by little stream which
flows down from the mountains and dis
eipates itself with the great big roll of
the Pacific. Its sides rise to O great
height on the north, while those on the
south are more gentle and of rather
easy ascent. The little valley is not
more than a quarter OF mile wide.
Here and there at intervals for q half
mile back from the mouth are q num-
Der OF resorts where beer is sold. Some
have places to dance in, and all are
more or less crude In interior and exte-
rior appearance. The oak trees form
fine shady places to hold picnic parties,
and it is through its attractive features
OF this kind that it has come into much
note. Then again it is almost at the
inshore end OF the big Southern Pacific
wharf. and is the only place to which
those from ships lying at the port can
go when ashore, save they wander down
to Santa Monica, mile or more away.
This very remoteness adds an attrac-
tive feature to those who have besn eu-
gagged in smuggling opium. 1t makes
their efforts difficult TO detect. and until
clue was secured which led TO the gp-
prehension OF those arrested, hardly q
thought, at least by those outside Of the
customs service, was ever paid to the
inotfensive and quiet appearing people
who dwell in the caflon. Now it is
broadly suspected that more than one
of those who have been dwelling there
in peace and in apparent oblivion OF the
outside world could tell of unstamped
opium that has been secreted about the
bills which surround the csfion. They
are said, also, or many of them, to have
taken hand in carting hundreds OF
pounds OF the stuff into Los Angeles,
whom IL has subsequently found its way
upon the market through the Chinese
quarter.
Be this as it may .shere is very strong
suspicion that the real ringleader OF the
gang is at large and the officers are only
awaiting q signal TO pouncs not only
upon him but upon at least dozen 9TH
ers of the gang. Whom the final denoue>
mont doee como it will be quite startling
in it's nature. 1t will show that gang,
living along the coast for long while,
have been Systematically at work in
landing unstamped opium. In all cases
they have had able allies upon the ships
which have arrived from British Co
lumbia ports.
The method of landing the drug is
said to have been novel in the extreme
Those in the deal aboard the vessel
would drop overheard the drug, wrapped
ia an oil skin, while yet mile or more
from the wharf. A buoy would be at
tached to keep it from sinking and
shortly afterwards one OF the fishing
sloops used by members of the gang
would pick them up and take them
ashore, together with their ish. The
fsh would be used for covering up the
opium. 1t not only furnished an os-
teneible occupation but it afforded a
good way to take the stuff ashore, for
no one would think of looking at the
bottom OF basket OF ish for un-
stamped opium.
Among the gang of smugglers it is
said that there are half dozen smart
sloops in addition to the smaller boats
which are used for fishing upon the bay.
One of the inspectors, who has been at
work down there, says that he thinks
the sailor from the steamer San Mateo
was murdered by the gang in order that
he could not tell what he knew. He
holds to the murder theory rather than
TO his accidentally falling off the bluff,
after visiting that section and becoming
familiar with the methods and charac--
teristics of the men engaged in the an
lawful pursuit. IL looked very much
az If the man had been struck over the
head with club. but the coroner's jury
failed to bring out anything which would
throw light ON the subject, from some
cause or another; though bloody
club and a gore-ataiDed hat were found
on top OF the bluff from which the body
fell or was thrown.
The end OF opium smuggling is proba-
bly, very near az this point.