The morning call., 1894-01-10
THE OPIUM GANG.
Another Man Taken Into
Custody.
SEIZURE OF THE EMERALD.
How the Government Worked
the Case.
A SCHEME WITHIN A SCHEME.
The SIoop's Contraband Drug Was
Stolen by the Crew, Which
Led to an Exposure.
\ SCHEME WITHIN A SCHEME.

and George Wichman upon warrants
sworn out by one Chappelle. private de-
tective and United States Deputy Mar
shall, charging the parties named with
being mem bers of a band of smugglers,
who, having bad control Of the sloop En-
erald, had smuggled into this port during
the past twelve months several tons of
opium and some twenty odd Chinese
laboreTs. The arrests were made upon
complaints sworn to by DR.. Stephen A. d.
Young and A. j. Smith. The first-named
informant claimed 10 have received his in
formation from a young man by the name
of Frederick Miller, who was arrested
several days ago for smuggling. while
o. Smith claimed to have been a member of
the crew of the Emerald and in fact the
owner of that craft.
In addition to Wichman and Green wald,
warrants were issued for George NJ
Thomas ana Z. w. Mclean. About 10
o'clock yesterday morning Thomas walked
into the United States MarshaPs Office and
surrendered himself. Mclean is still
being sought for.
The story attached to the arrest of the
men named dates back many months.
Over year ago Sam Ruddell was notified
Lli6b CGILdIu pei oOuS ilflUR III d lOuEiUG-
house over the drugstore on the corner of
Post and Powell streets were engaging in
smuggling opium. a watch was kept on
the place, and two trunks. containing sew
eral hundred pounds Of the Victoria drug,
in hve-tael tins, were captured one day,
but no connection could be made between
the drug seized and the men suspected.
Nothing more was done in the matter of
the suspects at Post and Powell streets
until last Septem Der, when 2. 5. Chap
pelle reported 10 Sam Ruddell at the Gus
tom-hOuse that in hunting up another case
he, Chappelle, had gene to lodging house
and while there had overheard a converse
ton between white man and Chinese
concerning the smuggling Of SIS, 600 worth
of opium. Ruddeu at once placed the
matter IN the hands of his assistants, under
control Of Inspector Norman. With Chap
pelle's assistance they located the man
who lad been talking to he Chinese in
the lOdglng-hOuse and identified him as
Louis Greenwald, one OF the men who was
engaged in the smuggling Of opium cap
tured at Post and Powell streets. a watch
was at once put on Greenwaid. He defied
detection for time, but his companions
with whom ne had frequent interviews.
were carefully noted and their names Sc
cured.
Along in September last Ruddell was
notified that Green wald, in company with
other persons then unknown but 'sus-
pected, was fitting out a slOop to go to
Victoria, B. c., and engage IN the snug
Cling trade IN opium. The news came
late, and the slOOp was away before the
customs officers could locate il, and Green
waid Laid low" as the saying is, during
its absence.
Inspector Norman and Chappelle kept
watch upon the men. and Inspector Charles
A. NOyeS was put on the case to find the
vessel. In October last Norman reported
the names OF the men whom he believed to
be engaging IN smuggling, and during the
same month Inspector Noyes reported the
vessel as the sloop Emerald, but nothing
was done toward the capture of the men
or the vessel until in Decem Der, and mean
while lt was con stantly landing opium
and Chinese. No blame for the delay can
attach to either Norman or NOyes, as the
former was engaged in other duties and
the latter was at work in Oregon.
The last trip which the Emerald made
was a disastrous one for ali concerned in
the venture. The crew on board the
slUop consisted of a. j. Smith, who owned
the SlOop, two sailors named Voss and
Svenson and cabin boy and cook named
Miller. On the last trip in the crew be-
came dissatisfied with their share Of tho
profits, and VOsS and Svenson mutinied
but not openly. Miller joined them later
on and the three devised q scheme 10 get
away with the cargo consigned to Green
wad and his friends. The cargo for the
slOOp had been picked up here and there
along the coast. where the boxes contain
ing the opium had been Landed by GOLFERS
and other vessels coming down from Vic
tOTa. There was nothing about the egg
cases, cracker boxes, coal-oil cans, etc,
put aboard the Emerald here and there
along the north coast, wherever she
landed. to Indicate that their contents
were contra band opium, and the crew
ohnor n ,ffc to
The little sl0op made strange maneuVers
but who is TO say that her owner, Smith
who was aboard, had not the right to sail
her as he pleased. Somehow, however
the sailors aboard the Emerald became
aware OF the fact, and OF the last trip
down, in December, Miller, Voss and
Svenson undertook to take possession of
the cargo OF cOntTaband opium and land it.
VOss and SvensOU we're caught in Sac
Tamento and with them 1900 pounds of con-
traband opium. They were brought here
for trial on the charge of smuggling and
the opium brought with them. Their en-
ployers gladly put up bonds for their re-
lease on preliminary exam nation and let
them fee to British Columbi where they
would be out Of the way in ease Of INQUIRY
as to where and how they secured the
opium found in their possession
But these same owners had forgotten
Miller, the cook and cabin-boy, who was
also in the plot to steal the cargo and who
had succeeding in getting to San Francisco
with his share of it, Fortune followed
Miller and he succeeded in distressing of all
of the opium which he had brought down
without detection, but he couldn't stand
prosperity and proceeded TO have a rovaI
good time with the proceeds of his knaverv.
The good time" landed him On the verge
Of delirium tremens and be consulted DR..
Stephen a. D. Young, who had been the
physician of his family for six years. In
a burst of confidence he told Young all
about the smuggling business, and in re-
turn Young give him brandies to settle his
nerves and wrote to The United States Dis
trict Attorney to inform him of his dis
covery.
All this time the customs officers had
been watching Green wald and the friends
whom he visited, and Noyes and others
had been watching the Emerald. On ac-
count OF Voss. Svenson and Miller having
stolen the cargo Of struggled opium Green
wald and his partners had nothing to sell
and consequently had done nothing to give
the officers a chance to nab them. They
were content to lose the cargo and when
they had bailed out Voss and Syenson.
the men who stole it were satisfied and
were preparing TO take another chance
but they entirely forgot Smith. the owner
of the slOoD that had heen usad M, +hn,,,