The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-25

Imitation Jumps Of coal have also been
made for this purpose, and these, painted
black, have been almost impossible of de-
lection. 1t was good joke on the SNUG
glers, however, when one of These got
lost IN q load OF coal, and the fine cigars
which IL contained ultimately went up in
smoke through the furnace of the steam
er.
Not long since successful diamond
smugger W ho had grown gray in the ser
vice. and who was SO smart that he never
was caught, brought over from Europe
diamonds valued at over 500, 600. he
concealed them in the floor of his state
room by artistioally saving out piece
of it and permitting threm to remain
there until the sailing of the steamer on
her return trip. He landed from the
steamer, and when his wife went with
him to bis state room to bid him good
bye on his return voyage he gave her the
diamonds, and she not only got safely on
shore with them, but disposed of them
for their full value in few days after
Diamonds have also been smuggled in
the hollow legs of dolls and in toys of
various descriptions. A gentleman's sill
yer or gold pencil case may contain
stones of value securely put away inside,
and knife handles have been known TO
contain them.
OPIUM SMUGGLING.
Opium smuggling is great business on
the Pacific coast, and, Notwithstanding
the tireless efforts of the Treasury Depart
ment officers, this business is still carried
on to an extent that is astonishing.
Opium is of two kinds-prepared and
crude. The prepared can be used for
nothing but smoking. On this there was
duty of S12 pound under the McKin-
ley tariff, but 1t has been reduced to s.
by the Wilson bill. The treasury officers
admit that practically all the drug
brought into the United States while the
Mckinley tariff was in force WAS SNUG
gled. At present with the duty at one
half of the Mckinley tariff. smuggling
still continues, as prepared opium can
be purchased In Chinatown for little
more than the cost price in Hong Kong
or Victoria, B. c., where it is manufac-
tured. Most of the opium Struggled into
the country Is manufactured at Victoria,
and it naturally gets across the line by
the nearest and most available routes.
Puget sound, with Its many harbors
inlets and streams, affords landing places
for all sorts Of smuggling vessels, and its
numerous islands, with rocks and crags
and dense woods, offer the smuggler
safety from pursuit Not only do these
heavily tirnbersd localities afford conceal
ment to the smugglsr himself. but they
also enable him to safely store away his
contraband goods when holly pursued.
One of the most common receptacles for
getting opium across the line is the or
binary traveller . trunk, which is checked
as baggage and generally gees through
unsearched. Satohsls and small parcels
Of every description are also made use of
by the smuggler, and in one instance an
old piano was stripped of its inner parts
and filed up with cans of opium valued
at $1,000. Even the most innocent look
| the SIN ugglers.
| To a man the Chinese crews on the
steamers plying between San Francisco
| and Mexico. South America and China,
are smugglers. They hide their contra
band goods in the oldest places imagine
BILE and get them ashore past the eyes of
the customs officers in ways that almost
battle detection. They have Brought
opium skillfully stuffed in bannas still
hanging to the stalk and in oranges. A
Chinese cook walked ashore with several
loavss of bread filed with opium. Chin.
ese have been detected with boxes of the
drug deity bound in their queues or tied
under their arms. Every bit of baggage
and every article they take ashore is a
hiding place.
CHEATED THE GOVERNMENT. +
In one invoice of "chow" or chopped
vegetables over $40, coo worth of opium
was oonsdoated, and in one lot of "hard-
ware samples seizure Of the drug val
ued at 81. 900 was made. At that time
Secretary of ths Treasury Folger was of
the opinion that one ring of smugglers
during it's existence had cheated the gov
eminent out of more than 81, 600, 900. In
one venture syndicate with 500, 600
capital made $500, 900 In SIN juggling opium
from Vancouver. and during the trial of
smuggling case in San Francisco a
United States treasury officer testified
that during the previous ten years over
s6, 600, QUO worth OF opium had been
struggled into San francisco.
The Chinese resort to all manner of de-
vices down to false heels and soles to
their shoes. Some time ago $500 worth
was seized in the fhump'' Of an alleged
humpback. A customs boat is nearly
always stationed under the wharf during
the stay OF China steamer, and from
time to time the off GERS see planks.
pieces of soantling and tins with floats
attached thrown overheard for some wait.