The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-25

Washington. Aug. 24-Probably the
most important arrests ever made in
4 connection with the ss4saegl ing of Chi
nese across the Mexican border into the
! United States were made yesterday in
/ Arizona, when William A. Hoey, col
/ lector of customs at Nogales; B. f.
Jossey, an immigrant inspector; Frank
/ How, a Chinaman living in Nogales,
and another Chinaman living at Clifton.
/ Mexico, just across the border from
/ NOgales, were taken into custody by
/ special agents Of the treasury and Sc
| cret service operatives. Other arrests
! are expected to follow within a day or
two. It is stated that with two or three
exceptions the whole customs and i'm
migration administrations at Nogales
are involved.
Some time ago an official of the treas
ury department, having NOgales as his
headquarters, wrote to the department
that he had reason to believe that the
official force at that point was corrupt.
and that Chinese in large numbers were
being smuggled across the border for a
consideration. A secret service opera
tive was sent there at once. and plans
laid to secure evidence against the per-
sons under suspicion
Several Cinnamon were furnished
with money and sent on to buy their
was accomplished without difficulty, the
price demanded being from $50 to 5000.
The secret service men also arranged
with one or two employees, whose hon
esty had been tested, to go into the
collectors Office at a certain time and
demand a share Of the money being re-
ceived from the Cinnamon, and to be
admitted into the combination, so that
they might get their share Of the pro-
ceeds from future deals.
This was reluctantly agreed to, and
considerable sums of money were
handed over in the presence and full
hearing of a secret service man who
had previously secreted himself in
nearby Office closet The officials soon
found that Cinnamon who presented a
certificate marked with the letter A
were allowed to proceed without ques-
ton, while those having certificates
that did not bear this cabalistic mark
were turned back without ceremony.
Later on it was developed that the let
ter A. on a certificate indicated that
the amount demanded had been paid
Several Cinnamon were sent through
with the requisite A mark on their
certificates made by one of the secret
service men.
The utmost care and secrecy was
maintained from the first to secure pos
tive proof against each man under
suspicion. A special United states dis
cute the persons arrested HOey was
appointed collector about q year and
half ago. His home is Muncie, Ind.
JOssey came from the state Of Wash
ingtOn-
When Hoey received his appointment
he came to Washington receive in
structions as to his duties, and at that
time Secretary Gage took occasion TO
talk to him on the subject Of the duty
Of public officials. He was cautioned to
avoid every temptation TO wronsdolng,
and that to a certain limited extent. the
honor of the government was placed IN
his hands. Secretary Gage explained
that his predecessor at NOgales had I
been displaced because of certain al (
legged violations Of the civil service laws I
and regulations, and warned him that I
his administration of the office must /
at all times be clean and above sus- I
picion for his own honor and that OF |
the country
The number of Cinnamon who have 1
bought their way into the United states I
through the alleged conniyance Of the /
NogaIes officials Is not known, but II IS /
believed to be large a special agent /
has been ordered 10 NOgaleS to take /
charge of the Office If he finds It neees-
SaTy.