The San Francisco call., 1897-09-18
Puget Sound Customs
Scandal Grows
ApaCe.
The Ex-CoIleCtOr to Be Called
Upon to Explain His
Methods.
In Pushing the Investigation Sps-
cial Ag ant Cullom Is Settling
an Old Grudge.

SEATTLE WASH, Sept. 1.-THE scan
dal in the Puget Sound customs district
which the United States special treasury
agents sprung yesterday at the prelimin-
ary hearing of Yee Gee, ex-Collector j.
Saunders Chine interpreter, is growing.
The special agents at work on the case
refused to-day to say that warrant would
be sworn out for the ex-Collector, but 1t
was stated by another Government official
in touch with the movements OF the
agents that the ex-Collector would soon be
called on TO give bonds.
Ex-Col!ector Saunders wants the special
agents to cause his arrest at once. He
says the delay is iniuring him and that
the sooner he is arrested the sooner he
will be able to establish his innocence.
If the Government officials fail TO act
against the ex-Collector his counsel Will
endeavor 10 prove his innocence by tax
ing active part in the defense OF lee Gee.
Saunders friends say that it has not been
established that Yee Gee wrote the letters
in evidence. Gee says that lie did not
write them and denies that he ever
brought a Chinese into the United States
by illegal methods. His friends say the
Government cannot prove that the letters
are in his handwriting and claim it is not
likely that he would allow such incrimin-
ating evidence 10 lie around where
treasury officials could seize 1t.
There is no doubt that the wholesale
smuggling of Chinese has been going on
for a long time. Friends of the eXCol.
lector who are in the customs service say
that t. records at Port Townsend show
that upward of 1900 alleged Chinese mer-
Giants have entered at Port Townsend
during the past year. Every certificate on
file has written across 1t in red ink, 'Ac-
cepted J. c. Saunders" Collector Saun-
deTs did The writing.
II is. admitted that Yee Gee could have
deceived the Collector, but If he did there
are customs officials who were IN the deal.
Ii is generally believed that Yee Gee has
been crooked, and that he has made over
5000, 900 out OF his work. He received on
an average 500 for each Chinese, and 1900
is the mum ber il is supposed he landed.
Yee Gee is 4 clever rogue. Government
officers arrested him once for sweating
opium stamps. but the case fell through
in the Grand Jury room, and Yee Gee
escaped.
Ii is expected that, as a result of the
scandal, in addition to numerous arrests
President Mckinley will remove most of
The customs officials, all of whom are DEM
ocrats. They nave been fighting for long
time. Leslie Cullom, Special Treasury
Agent, was very intimate with ex-ColIector
Saunders in times past. Now they are
enemies Saunders' friends tell this story {:
Two years ago Cul!om conceived the
notion that he would like to succeed
Saunders as Collector at Port Townsend.
Before this could be done he must cause
the deposing of Saunders.
He formulated charges against the
office of Saunders, claiming among other
things that the office was extravagantly
conducted, too many men being en-
pioyed and too high wages being paid |;
and he made direct C arges 10 the
Treasury Department at Washington
City against two of Collector Saunders
deputies, accusing one OF being a horse
thief. and claiming that he was already
under indictment for that offense in an
ad joining State.
| Saunders was notified by the depart
ment, a hearing had, and Cullom was
turned down. Since then the men have
! been enemies. Cullom IS back OF the
present investigation.
| Enough has been learned by the Gov
! ernment officials to convince them that
| the business of unlawfully landing Chi
nese has grown TO enormous proportions.
In many cases the Chinese landing at Vic
| bOIIa, anu NAO NcAO DIOuEnt 1CiC ou buC
| steamer Kingston, were supplied with a
| list OF questions and answers and thor
! oughly drilled, so as to be able to answer
| in telilgently. The questions were made
! to fit the locality from which the immi-
grant represented that he came. This is
a trick with men engaged in the unlawful
entry of Celestials. The immigrants are
! quick TO learn, and in surprisingly short
time they are able to answer the questions
f1uentiy and without hesitation. especially
when aided by a rascally interpreter.
The strongest part of the case against
| Saunders is that he should have permit
ted the landing of such a large number OF
immigrants in so short time. In cases
where everything is not clear the Collect
or's duty is to telegraph to the city in
which the immigrant alleged he last re-
sided and obtain information tending 10
prove or di>prove the representation
made. Why this rule was hot followed in
the cases now uader investigation is a
question that will be answered IN Fed
eral court
/ E<I NJ