The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-10-02
TWO SMUGGLERS ARE DROWNED
How jim Harvey and His Partner
Lost Their Lives.
story Told By a ChInaman Who Knew
All About Their
Secret Trip.

some months ago the Times pub
| lished a small item stating that two
! well known Victoria smugglers mad
| been drowned Off the coast of Hawaii
At the time it was impossible TO OBJ
| tain any Information, those who knew
all about the matter being as dumb
as CLAIMS when the subject was men
| toned. However, these matters can
not remain secret forever, says the
Victoria lB. c. Times of Sept. 22d.
Among the passengers from Homo
lulu by the WarrimOO, which arrived
here several weeks ago, was a China
man who probably knows more about
smugglers and their ways than any
other man in Victoria. He tells the
story OF how Jim Harvey and his
partner BilI-nobody ever knew his
other name-together with a kanaka,
were drowned. The Chinaman, Bill
and Jim had been partners in many
schemes to defraud the United States
and other national revenues. For
years the three lived together in a
house adjoining the rice mills, and
many night they crossed the Straits
in larger vessels, such as the Halcyon.
All sorts of inducements were offered
the Chinaman to divulge some of the
secrets of the gang, but all to no avail.
As he said, GAS long as Jim and Bill
lived he would tell nothing; but now
they can't get into any more trouble"
il was over the cargo of "dOpe'
taken 20 Honolulu by b. G. schooner
that the two old smugglers and their
L..
schooner left northern river with a
cargo of salmon, but it was generally
known that mixed up with tn esalmon
was lot Of opium. Just before reach
ing Honolulu this opium was cached
in the sea about ten miles from shore
and twenty-five miles from port. Jim
and Bill had been waiting in Honolulu
for long while for the schooner, and
when she did arrive they were out of
money. As he had done many times
before, the Chinaman advanced them
money with which to buy a boat.
This was early in March. One even
ing about o'clock, Harvey, Bill and
q Kanaka diver left Honolulu harbor
in the small boat intending to go out |
and get the cached opium. They |
were warned that the boat was not |
safe, but they were men who knew no !
fear and laughed at the fears of their |
friends. They had not been gone |
long, however, when terrible gale /
sprang up which lasted all that night |
and for most of the following day. |
The Chinaman, fearing that his two |
friends had come to grief, started out |
to look for them as soon as the storm /
subsidized. He could find no signs of
them, and although he remained in
for four months he heard |
more of them. Pieces of their
boat were picked up along the coast,
which confirmed the fear that they
persisted shortly after leaving Homo
lulu.
1t was suggested to the Chinaman
that perhaps Jim and Bill had secured
the opium and made off with it, but
he would not listen to any such sug-
geStiOns. Jim, he was sure, would not |
rob him of his share of the proceeds, |
and besides he was sure that after the |
men had been drowned others went
)ut and got the opium. In fact he |
says a man after the accident bought |
1 boat for 500, and after securing the
opium made the former owner a pres
mt OF the vessel.
''Me and Bill" as Harvey and his
partner were known, were perhaps
wo of the best known smugglers on
he coast, and although not as well |
Known the Cinnamon who tells Of
heir deaths, was their partner in most
# the many schemes in which they
rave taken part during the pass ten
years. The white men had been to-
,ether for upwards of twenty years,
md had an interest in most of the big
rips made on this coast, including
hose made by the celebrated Halcyon.
They did the actual work while the
men most heard of did the buying at
and selling after the opium
cached its destination.
Most of the men designated as snug
,lers have known for long time that
Harvey and his partner were drowned, |
'ut like men of their kind they are
lot given to talking about their eX-
llOits, even after all has blown over.