Evening star., 1895-04-04
S MUGGLED OPIUM
Customs Officers Become Suspicious Of the
Low Prices Asked
The Matter Being Investigated-Ef-
forts to Trace All the stun Here
to Its Source.

The notice Of the Washington custom
house has been called to rls suspiciously
low price which is being charged for opium
In the Chinese quarter of the city, and
Capt. Matthews, special agent, who Is
known around headquarters as ''the opium
man." is at work on the case. His atten-
ton was attracted to this circumstance
several months ago. and, although he has
worked hard during that time, it is thought
that very little evidence has been secured
which warrants the conjecture that the
stuff is being smuggled. If 1t is being
brought in surreptitiously 1t is probably be-
ing landed from the river, as Washington
ts one Of the easiest places to the smuggler
are few, and they are not 1t is said, so sus1
p1ctous as are their brothers in those ports
where smuggling is>always looked upon as
q probability. Although the officials are
exceedingly reticent, yet 1t is known that
efforts are being made to trace to it's source
all the opium which is being sold In the
city. This Is an arduous task.
A Star reporter talked with several Of the
omcers on the subject Of smuggling, and
the result makes plain that Jealous though
the customs men are, Washington and the
Potomac river would be pleasant places for
the accomplished smuggler to practice his
profession.
Only One Officer on Duty.
Up to few weeks ago there was but
one officer to attend the opening of bond
ed cars at the two railroad depots, to watch
all the excursion steamers that they might
not exceed their registry limit and to keep
an eye on all the craft on the Washington
and Georgetown fronts. When a vessel
would come in from a foreign port her
manifest would be called for at the capes
and turned over to the custom authorities
here. Then a watch would be set on the
vessel to see that nothing should be landed
not contained in her manifest. These craft
come mainly from st. Johns with laths,
from Port Spain with asphalt and from the
Bahamas with fruits or vegetables. When
private yacht, or what is thought to be
private yacht. comes, very little care is
given to the case. 1t Is the easiest thing
imaginable to land dutiable goods from the
ice craft running down from the Kennebec
and the Penobscot. or the lumber craft
coming up from the south. The contra
band goods could simply be transferred
from the vessel clearing from the foreign
port to the coastwise craft, and it is prob
able that no questions would be asked.
Those ships which come up from Florida
ports with lumber and shingles are Pc
Culiarly dangerous as smugglers. Even
though all these ships were watched close
ly, the stuff could be landed down the
river and shipped by rail. 1t Is understood
that the internal revenue officers are alert
and are keeping close tally on the cigar
and tobacco factories of Richmond, Balti-
more and Washington.
What the Police Say.
According to the statements of the po-
lice. the Cinnamon are not suspected of
smuggling. but are suspected of vio-
lating the law in failing to pay the tax
on an opium compound. 1t is said that the
Cinnamon buy the genuine article and
then make compound that they sell at
much less than the price charged for the
genuine article. Under the law this prep
aration is taxable the same the pure
opium. The first complaint made against
the Cinnamon was more than year ago.
but no arrests have been made in this city,
although 1t Is suspected that some of the
local celestials are violating the law. Sew
eral arrests were made in Baltimore few
weeks ago.