The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-11

~ months imprison-
g. N Ament and ordered to
SE%&&pay fine of $3.50.
His attorney appealed to the higher
Court for mitigation of sentence.
Gilsey was arrested last week on a
charge OF smuggling. He was en-
ployed by ring on the Australia that
brings load of opium every time the
vessel arrives. A boatload Of the drug
was landed near Kakaako by Gilsey
who Immediately planted 1t in the
ground to prevent it being captured
found, the lot amounting to ninety
pounts or $50 tins in all. 1t was taken
from the Australia, but the manner
in which it was done could not be
learned until Gilsey gave it away.
He stated that he remained under the
wharf in a flat-bottom boat while the
stuff was handed down by Smith, the
auartermaster. The latter made fire.
guent trips from the vessel to the
wharf with the opium concealed
about his person. After Gilsey made
this confession the police went in
search OF Smith, but failed to find
him.
Gilsey's connection with the affair
was given away by the men who en-
pIoyed him. In some manner they
were informed that he intended to
keep the opium for himself, and
sooner than allow him to walk off
with their hard-earned stealings, they
put the custom house on the track.
When it was announced that Gilsey
was arrested there were many con-
gratulations between members OF the
crew of the Australia. Gilsey is a
married man. His wife is Portu-
guese, while he is a negro. He
formerly kept restaurant on King
street but gave up business to go as
cook on one of the sugar vessels.
In speaking of the opium rings on
the Pacific Coast a late exchange says
that the facilities of the rings are so
well established and their resources
so numerous that the government
agents are not very successful in RUIZ
ming them down. In this item of
opium alone the United States Gov
eminent has been losing every year
revenue TO the amount of $500 900.
And this, Notwithstanding that the
government maintains small army
of agents, inspectors and secret SER
vice men stationed at various points
along the borders of the United States,
as well as on steamers and railroads.
Prepared opium is manufactured in
large quantities in both Victoria and
Vancouver, British Columbia. Both
cities are seaports, and Vancouver is
connected with Puget Sound cities
and towns by two railroads. 1t is
estimated that ], 800 900 pounds of pre-
pared opium are manufactured in Vic
toria and Vancouver every year.
There are only two entries at the Port
Townsend custom house of duties paid
on opium, q port established about
fifty years ago. Victoria is forty
miles from Port Townsend, and there
are regular steamer connections.
Well-informed men say that one
twentieth OF the opium shipped to
San Francisco passes through the Gus
tom house.
Portland, Ore, is another leading
port, and some of the wealthiest and
most influential Cinnamon on the |
Coast do business there. Only a
small fraction of the opium distrib- |
uted to consumers by them passes |
through regular channels. The trade !
of these China merchants, both in !
that city and elsewhere, is very
widely distributed. Duty is paid on |
nOJ more IMAM lUU,UUU OF the l,ODU,UO0 4
pounds manufactured in Victoria aud |
Vancouver.
Probably the most ingenious method |
of smuggling was that recently pro- |
posed to one OF the United States mail |
clerks on line of steamers running !
between Seattle and Victoria. The |
clerk could not discover with whom !
he was dealing, so cleverly were the |
negotiations carried on. After re-
ceiving a vaguelyworded letter sug-
costing that with his cooperation
large sums of money could be easily
made, his curiosity led him to follow
it up, until he learned de initely what |
the scheme was. 1t was proposed
that he should receive at Victoria a
United States mail sack, which would
contain opium, and deliver it at Seat
tie, not To the regular mail wagon,
but according to special instructions.
He was assured that all other ar
rangements had been made, and that
discovery was practically impossible
if he conducted his part discreetly.
An ingenious mate on a sailing YES
sci fooled the customs inspectors for a
long time after he was known to be
smuggling, but he came to grief when
a quick-witted inspector thought of
the idea of dragging a rope crosswise
along the ships bottom, with the re-
suit that a long sack was discovered