The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-07
A CHINESE CONSPIRACY
500 CELESTINLS SMUGGLED INTO
THE STATES.
Sensational Developments Expected
by Federal Oiiicials-Where the
Chinese Merchants were Sent To.

| Developments OF u sensational cnar-
acter are expected in the investiga-
! ton now being conducted by special
agents and employees of the United
/ States Treasury Department concern
/ ing the alleged unlawful landing of
! Chinese at Port Townsend.
The evidence taken before Commits
! sioner Kiefer has tended to arouse
public interest to a pitch equalled on
! ~ by the sensational unearthings of
the Chinese and the opium smugglers
six years ago resulting in the seizure
of the steamer Haytian Republic, and
of the trial and conviction of num-
! Der of treasury officials.
The publication of the reflections on
! EX-Collector Saunders. contained in
the letters and alleged to have been
written by zee Gee to his Victoria
and San Francisco correspondents,
has likewise aroused the friends of
the eN-collector. who declare that he
is being made the butt of personal
spite and persecution on the part of
two of the treasury officials, who have
been active in digging up evidence
! tending to show the existence of an
organized band of men engaged in
abetting the illegal entry of Chinese
! immigrants.
None of the officials engaged in
! preparing the case for the govern
ment can be induced to discuss the
matter. Referring to the published
attack on one of the officials, another.
! who is certainly free from motives of
the character indicated by Mr.. Saun-
ders' defenders. said sententiously:
"From the futter that has followed
the first days testimony in the case,
it might seem that some one had been
hit" With this the officials lips shut
up like a clam at high tide.
While Mr.. Saunders friends are now
claiming for him complete innocence,
which has not yet been questioned by
the government, the startling fact re-
mains that 500 Chinese immigrants
obtained entrance to the United
States through Port Townsend, as
merchants, during the four months
ending August 1.
Taking the evidence introduced by
the Government in the Gee case for
what it purports to be, it would seem
that he combination employed in the
business of assisting in the unlawful
landing of Chinese had determined
to make the most of the opportuni-
ties at its disposal during the admin
istration of Collector Saunders. Of
the 500 thus landed as merchants"
17j went to Portland, 80 came to Sc
attic, 81 were consigned to Port Town
send, 80 were distributed between the
towns of Helena, Mssoula and Butte.
and Walla Walla got "a and Spokane
but 40.
The unusual number of merchants
obtaining entrance into the country,
as revealed by the records at Port
Townsend, had the effect of arousing
the suspicion of the officials at Wash
ington that frauds were being perpe-
trated on the government at Port
Townsend. Without doing anything
likely to alarm the conspirators the
Treasury Department at once set to
work to ascertain the exact condition
of affairs. Events were allowed to
move slowly, lest the guilty ones
might take fright and cease their
nefarious work. The most experience
ed and trusted men at the disposal of
the assistant secretary, having charge
of the customs, were called in, and
reports from this district were thor
oughly scrutinized The local agent
of the department, Leslie Collum, was
instructed to examine the records at
Port Townsend and report with the
utmost dispatch the results of his in
quiries.
1t was not long before the assistant
secretary was in possession of alarm
ing evidence. The facts as they APP
peared were laid before Secretary
Gage. \ consultation resulted in the
summoning of George w. Whitehead
from New York, a special agent. vino
has had twenty-five years experience
in the department, and who inspected
this district only last winter. Special
Employe Lewis of New York was de-
tailed to assist Mr.. Whitehead. They
arrived in Seattle lately, and
without telling any one of their mis-
sion, although it was known to the
officials they set about gathering
evidence which was expected to throw
some light upon the transactions,
which then appeared questionable in
the eyes of the authorities, if not act
ually criminal.
How successful they were will only
be know when the full case for the
government is shown in the federal
court. That the officials named have
found work enough to keep them
several weeks, and as they show no
indication of elaving, it is apparent
that they have learned enough to
warrant further and thorough pros
ecution of the inquiry thus begun.
zee Gee is well built, oily looking
Celestial, with shrewdness sticking
out in every line of his countenance,
and the cunning of his race cleaning
from his two dark, almond shaped
optics. He looks well fed and pros
porous, and is evidently an intelligent
and ambitious man. His letters indi-
cate confidence in himself and his
surroundings, and a thorough famil-
iarity with the rules and regulations
of the customs service. The case has
reached eliminating point with the
discovery of the discriminating letters
in the store at No. 23O Washington
street, Port Townsend. When their
contents were made clear through the
/ n me, I.,tt Ion, N