The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-20
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AcCey. ths Foe - snngHisrs<
WassExeros CRY. April H. ISpscsas- -
In bis letter Of Mar 8, 1851, froEn spokane
70 the secretary Of the treasury, Inspector
j. g. Mccoy says:
Il deena il both proper and pertinent IN
this connection. for the information Of de-
pa-sEents concerned, TO call attention TO
ias condas. Of Depsty United States
Marshal Samuel ysnson On the occasion
Of Bodnsn's arrest and prsiiminsrv trial.
He Was arrested By Detective joe. Warren
late on the evening Of DeceEGeer ~. and
locked up II the county jail IL MAS
learned iaere cou-d be . question raised a.
20 toe technical LEGALITY OF his arrest by
Warren. lie being deputy sheriff. The
warrant uas pssced IN the hands OF Deputy
Marshal Slneon On che Siss. with q request
for him 20 serve 1t without delay. This be
cid On January !, taxing tue prisoner
out Of Jail. and when formally sYraigned
and proper commitment issued. he Sill
allowed The PRISONER 10 remain out Of Jail
and 10 60 where he pleased night or day,
attended b. guard. which the prisoner
paid himself. aud when the court held
Bo9man IN s. 600 bond he Was still per-
nittsd 20 go where he listed, and so easily
sent his store of opium ont Of town
''Ais che while the depa,y marshal WAS
loud and persistent in his declarations
that there was no case against Bodman,
and privately urged the United States
commissioner TO discharge him, and ali
this. too. before the deputy marshal had
heard one word of the evidence, and
when the hour arrived for the
preliminary hearing on the 4sh, and
prior TO the delivery of my telegram ask
ing continuance, the deputy marshal
was more urgent in dis dem aSds that
Bodman be Immediately released than
were Bodman's attorneys In short,
by his action he plainly showed
that he Was just As / had been
repeatedly told by a half score of
honest citizens. business men here, fully
IN sympathy with the smuggIers and OPP
posed to their prosecution or to their be-
ing interfered with in their illegal traffic.
THE only witness he WAS trusted to sub
pena he permitted TO get out Of town I'M
Puget sound on the 5ih, and although he
was wired 10 secure the witness and return
with him he failed to do either. This wit
ness was important, ard he is the one
whom il is believed took Bodman's store
of opium out of town. Realizing that l
had not only the potent influence OF the
smuggling fraternity and very strong
firm OF attorneys. but also the active OPP
position of the deputy marshal 10 contend
with. made me feel more strongly the
necessity OF having an attorney to assist
me.
Since the events noted above it has
become noticeable fact that when any
pointer or hint relative to smuggling
comes to the knowledge of Deputy Mar
shall Vinson he makes haste to give it TO
the press. and thus inform interested par
ties and defeat all attempts to make cap
lures as witness the clipped item relative
to boiling opium, herewith inciosed. In
short. the custom officers here regard
Marshal Vinson az the active friend of the
smugglers and the enemy Of the treasury
department"
'Proper investigation will disclose that
Depaty Marshal Vinson is a sub.ervient
tool of those who are known 10 be de-
frauding the government of large sums OF
money by smuggling and other illegal
processes, and that said deputy marshal
at all times evinces far greater desire TO
make fees than he does to bring criminals,
especially the vioiators of custom laws, to
trial and just punishment.
Now. therefore, have to say tha. 30
long as the above conditions exist in the
narshaIs office in this city 50 long will il
be almost impracticable to secure the
punishment of yioiators Of custom laws:
for IL goes without saying that the present
deputy marshal is regarded by the most
honest, upright men | am able to meet
here as being corrupt and as standing in
with vioiators of the custom laws. Now,
do not desire q personal conflict with
Deputy United States Marshal Vinson,
but do desire that you may know that he
is an insurmountabls obstacle in the way
of successfully prosecuting violators of the
custom laws.
1T Is my pleasant duty to bear testi-
mony to the honest, conscientious charac-
ter and TO the efficient aid in many wavs
of Mr.. Al. Shaw. postmaster here; Mr..
A. Ii. Kenyon, United States commits
sioner, and Mr.. Joseph Warren. chief of
the detective association of this city. All
these gentlemen are incorruptibie and are
the friends Of the government. Post
master A. J. Shaw has constantly aided
and is now aiding me with money to pros
ecnte my duties. Not less than fifteen
persons, some of them more or less
prominent in this community, have
engaged in an effort to preiu-
dice the United States commissioner
against me BY going TO him and making
false statements as to what | had said with
reference TO him. No doubt many letters
will reach the treasury department de-
rogatory TO my character and conduct.
Kindly remember the opium ring here is
alarmed. INSCRIPTIONS and v.ndictive.
and utterly dishonest Such men will be
put on the jury when Bodman Is tried In
court, If no change Is made here in the
United States deputy marshal's office.
Now, have strong, wealthy, numer-
Gus and insolent combine or ring OF SNUG
gIers aud their tools to fight and contend
with. and do not desire 10 have the enmi,v
of the deputy marshal here. by reason of
presenting the foregoing facts for your in
formation, so you may fully understand
the situation. Now, / desire to add that
have such knowledge of other parties who
are engaged In smuggling, that were |
allowed opportunity and relief from the
duties of openly inspecting baggage and
freight and from transferring and inspect
ing ireight-bonded cars, as have been do
ing during last month. feel sure | could
make other CAPTURES. Am on to- two out
fits that are bringing opium into and ship
ping 1t from Marcus and other small Sta
lions on the Spokane Falls 4 Northern
railroad. This city is . receiving and dis
tributing point. and the business done
here in smuggling opium Is very large, as
is the number OF men engaged in IL.