The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-21
MOVE DOEI COOPER SENATORS ARE SWORN IN SbAHE AFTER GHE BUILDERS O BLAME
WANTS TO SEIZE THREE BRITISH
SCHOONERS.
Serious and Suspicious Looking Viola
tions of Customs Law at Waimea
Revenue Cutter Needed.

! There is a big haul for a United
States revenue cutter at Waimea, Ka-
uai The British schooner Charlotte
/ Cox, whose suspicious movements and
violations of customs regulations have
already been described in The Star, has
two companions, both Britshers from
Victoria and both guilty of violating
/ at least two of the customs and naVi-
cation laws of the country Collector
Stackable is powerless to move after
/ them in the ordinary way as he has
! no vessel at his. command
Captain Pond has refused to allow
| the tug Iroquois to go after the schoo-
ners. The Iroquois is really the only
vessel here fit for the job. She has
several one-pounders and could round
up the vessels if they tried to escape,
while other vessels would be helpless
in such a case.
1t is said that district attorney Baird
and United States Marshal Ray made
! formal demands upon Captain Pond for
| the use of the Iroquois, but were refus-
ed, on the ground that it was not pro-
per business for her to engage in.
Use of the tug Eleu has been refused
the collector and the only recourse is
an island steamer. The next one that
/ goes will take customs men to seize the
SchOoners If they are still to be found.
Since the schooner Cox appeared at
/ Waimea two others. the Director and
the Mary Taylor, have made their ap-
! pearances. Both are flying the British
/ flag and both are reported as coming
! from Victoria.
! Efforts were made yesterday by Col
! lector Stackable to get a tug to send to
Waimea and seize the schooners. The
collector tried to get the Eleu, Iroquois
or Fearless. but couldn't get either.
All he could do was to send man to
libel the vessels and try to seize them
/ in that way. Had 1t been possible to
secure a tug, one woulu have been
dispatched with orders 10 summarily
seize the offending schooners and bring
them to Honolulu. All three are liable
to cOnfiscation.
The two laws the schooners have vio-
lated are those relating to quarantine
service and to entries. The statutes
say that all vessels arriving within a
collection district must, under penalty
of forfeiture, report to the custom
house within forty-eight hours after so
arriving. The Cox, Director and Mary
/ Taylor have made no entries, though
they have had repeated communication
with the shore at Waimea. They have
/ not been boarded or given permission
/ to land by any United States quaran-
! tine officer.
Yesterday the collector and United
States district attorney Baird had a
conference on the subject of the school,
ners' actions AS a result Captain
Pond of the Iroquois was asked If that
vessel could be used for the customs
service. The captain replied that it
could not, as the rules under which she
works forbid such work. When seen
this morning Captain Pond said that
under the law he could not allow the
use of the IroQuois as a revenue cutter.
She is naval vessel under the navy
and SlIrVnNinp dppg
The Territorial authorities were ask
ed about the Eleu, but superintendent
of public works, McCandless refused to
let her go. She is owned by the Ter
ritory of Hawaii. The Fearless might
have been chartered but she was too
busy.
United States District Attorney Baird
was asked this morning about the
course to be pursued with regard to the
three vessels and he stated that under
the circumstances the only thing was
to send a customs official to Kauai to
libel them, and that this would be done.
The situation shows the need of a re-
venue cutter here" said Mr.. Baird
These schooners are guilty of viola
tions of at least two laws regarding ar
rivals of vessels, but the revenue cut
ter we ought to have to send after
them is lacking. They have ignored
quarantine laws and have failed to en-
>
of their arrival within this collection
district What other laws they may
have violated we cannot tell.
IF man is sent to libel the vessels
there is no telling of course whether
he would be able to hold them or not
They might start for Honolulu with
MIN in charge and instead of coming
here fetch up somewhere in Alaska
That is why there ought to be a reve-
nue. cutter here"
II the collector is able to catch the
schooners they will be seized and
brought here and their owners will be
lucky If they are not confiscated by the
government.
The acts of the Cox, Director and
Mary constitute the most serious viola
tions of customs laws that have oc-
CURED since American laws went into
effect here. 1t is not known whether
any intentions to smuggle are the cause
of their ignoring wel-knOwn laws, but
the arrival of two more Immediately af-
ter the Cox makes the case very suspi-
cious. All three of the sChooners might
have landed quantities of dutiable
goods or many Chinese from British
Columbia.
1t is now a week since the arrival or
the Cox at Waimea. AS stated in The
STAR she reported herself as sealing
schooner bound for Japan and calling
at Waimea for water. II is said that
there was mail waiting for her at Wal
mea, showing that she had planned 80
call at Waimea when she left Victoria
IT the vessels are seized there will
probably be appeals to Washington on
the ground of ignorance of the law. and
if no effort or intent to smuggle is
shown, the penalty may be lightened.
HAS FEW EQUALS.