The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-12-09
Tug EIeu Sent Out to Intercept
Suspicious Schooner.
KAHOOLAWE ASALANDING PLACE.
Customs Authorities Get Ahead of the
Newspapers for the Nonce-Maneu-
Vers of "a Suspicious Vessel as Seen
Near Makena Interview at Maui.

For once the Customs authorities
fitted and sent out an armed expe-
dition that the newspapers knew
nothing of until many hours after.
Recent advices from the Coast
stated that a schooner, supposed
to be loaded with opium, was on
her way to some point in the
islands. In order to circumvent
the smugglers the Customs officers
concluded to send the tug Eleu on
a cruise in the hope of catching the
schooner. Last Thursday prepara-
tions commenced, and early Friday
evening saw everything arranged
for the expedition. Several Gus
toms guards, with Captain Elvin,
lately a gunner in the National
Guard, were armed and taken
along. Pilot Macauley was in
command. The tug went out about
I o'clock Friday night and headed
toward Molokai. q
Late Saturday afternoon a report
was current that Diamond Head
lookout had telephoned that the
tug, with a schooner in tow, was off
the Heads. This created a great
deal of excitement, especially along
the water front, and in short
time the different wharves were
crowded with expectant people.
Investigations proved the report to
be erroneous.
Up to a late hour last night
nothing had been seen or heard Of
the Eleu, and she is not expected to
return before this afternoon, as her
orders were to cruise about Maui,
Molokai and Kahoolawe, and on
to the big island before returning
In connection with the mission
of the Eleu, it may be mentioned
that suspicion has been directed
for some time to certain local par
ties as being interested in SNUG
Cling deals, and it is believed one
of those interested gave the officers
hint of the schooner which is sup
posed to be coming this way.
Coupled with this is an account in
a Coast paper that a vessel recently
cleared from Victoria, British Co
lumbia, ostensibly for some south
ern port, but would, after getting
out to sea, undergo a change by
being painted and renamed, make
for these islands.
1t is believed that the island of
Kahoolawe affords excellent oppor-
tunities for the safe landing of
opium, and the appended inter
view with a prominent citizen who
is acquainted with the surround
ings there certainly bears the state
ment out.
What a lovely place the island
of Kahoolawe is for landing opium" "
said a native resident of Makena
day or two previous to the de-
pdIluT6 OI IIl6 hludu OH uSl UP
to Honolulu. The story which
the man had in mind when he
made the remark is substantially as
follows:
About a fortnight ago, just as
day was beginning to break, two
foot-sore travellers, who had just
reached the foot of Miller's hill,
near Makena, noticed a small two
masted schooner lowering about in
the vicinity of Kahoolawe. The
master evidently had no intention
of visiting Maui, for he kept as near
to Kahoolawe as it was possible to
do with safety. Very soon four
men put off in a boat, finally
rounding the point and out of sight
OF any observers from Maui. In
the course of a half an hour the
boat returned with the men work
ing like beavers to reach the vessel
in as short a time as possible.
The appearance OF the occupants
of the boat was foreign, but on ac-
count Of the uncertain light and
distance from the observers on