The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-02-11
ARMS OF THE REBELS.
The Notorious South Bend Gang
Carried Them to the Islands.

uS NOtOTlOub oouth Do"N
Carried Them to the Islands.
A gentleman whose business has
brought him into contact with the
customs officials has just returned
from Victoria, and he tells rather
startling story regarding the ship
ment OF forty cases OF arms on the
notorious smuggling schooner South
Bend to the Hawaiian Islands.
He says: During my residence in
Victoria and the surrounding towns
last October l saw great deal OF
the band OF smugglers who have
their headquarters along the Sound.
1t was there / met Billy Stewart,
who is known in Honolulu as
"Opium Brown" and Jack Forbes,
alias Jack Reagan. These men are
well-known opium and Chinese
smugglers, and are the owners OF
the South Bend. 1t was they, you
remember, who brought down from
Victoria twenty Chinese two years
ago to be landed in this city. 1t was
alleged that when the schooner
reached the heads the captain found
out in some mysterious manner that
the authorities were watching for
him, and as he did not care to re-
turn with the Chinese he ordered
them all thrown overheard. That
was the current story.
"At the time there was good
deal OF talk over the mysterious dis
appearance of the Mongols, and
since then the Chinese Of Victoria
refused to hire either Stewart or
Forbes to transport coolies.
"About the I'D of October, / was
walking under the Esquimalt bridge,
near the terminus OF the Esquimalt
and Nanaimo Railroad. In the re-
cesses Of an arch I noticed a pile Of
cases carefully covered with canvas.
Each case was about four feet in
length and foot square, and, l have
since learned, containing rifles and
carbines. | made the find about 4
o'clock in the afternoon.
"At that time the South Bend was
at anchor in small inlet known as
Seihle's cove, just outside Of the
main harbor. Late in the afternoon
about 500 pounds OF opium packed
in clothes baskets was transferred
from the store of Fook On Song a.
Co., the most prominent dealers in
opium OF the Northwest.
"The baskets were all placed un-
der the bridge near the arms, and
that night the drug and the cases OF
rifles were transferred to the South
Bend in a small row boat. She left
Seihle's cove about midnight, and
for the first time in the history OF
her smuggling cruises the owners,
Stewart and Forbes, went aboard the
schooner and took charge OF the trip
all the way to the islands, where
they landed off the west coast Of the
island OF Lanai.
"The arms and opium were snug
gled ashore and stored on Chinese
plantation directly opposite where
the schooner anchored. Stewart
and Forbes are still in Honolulu.
"Both men are notorious SNUG
glers and swindlers, and are wanted
by the authorities OF Seattle auC
other Northwestern towns. For ,
number OF years they have beer
openly engaged in opium and Chi
nese smuggling and have succeeded
in accumulating considerable mon
ey."-S. +. Chrenicie. ......
A Victoria despatch Of January 2
soys: The steamer Maud, from th'
West Coast, reports having fount
near Long beach considerable guam
titles OF wreckage, among it tn,
name board Of an apparently lsrg
vessel bearing "Aureola." This i
said to be the name of 4 vessel b,
which a quantity Of military sup
plies was sent to Honolulu. Tn
news is regarded here with consider
able interest, as the vessel may hav'
been wrecked before loading tn