The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-07-10
IDENTITY
"LARRY" KELLY AND "RED" KELLY
TWO DIFFERENT MEN
Brief Sketch of the Operations of the
Two Smugglers -"Red" Kelly Said to
Have Been Partner of the Alaska
SmugGlsr Holt, Killed by Cobleptz.

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the arrest of Smuggler Kelly, refers to
him as the notorious "Larry" Kelly,
whose operations on the Sound have
extended over many years and who
has several times been in the tolls of
the law and served several terms of
imprisonment. The Reveille's error is
one that has frequently been made.
The Kelly captured ct Kanaka bay is
known to the officers as Jim" Kelly
and "Red" Kelly, though why he
should be called "Red" is not striking
ly apparent from his appearance.
Larry Kelly lived for years at the
west end of Sinclair, or Cottonwood,
island and owned considerable
amount of land there, the greater part
of which, if not all, he sold to the
present proprietor of the Reveille few
years ago. He had considerable trouble
there with his Indian wife, or she with
him, and they separated, he going his
way and she hers. His way led him
back and forth in his fast sailing sloop
between the Sound cities and Victoria,
one way sin ballast" and the other
way with Chinese and opium-some-
times one, sometimes the other and
sometimes both. 1t used to be said of
him that if closely pursued when en-
route from Victoria with cargo of
Cinnamon under the matches Of his
craft he would call them up one at
time and dump them overheard, but
this story lacks verificatlOn though it
is we'll calculated to appeal to those
who delight in hair-raising tales. A
few months ago Larry was arrested in
Portland with about $500 worth of
opium in his possession and lenient
judge decreed that he should sojourn
in the county Jail for few months.
He is probably out by this time and
again engaged in his favorite occupa-
ton.
"Jim" Kelly began his career as
smuggler on the coast of Maine many
years ago, handling whisky principally.
When it became too uncomfortable for
him there he came to this coast and for
considerable time operated success
fully in Alaska, when the importation
of liquor into the territory was prohib-
tied, but by no means prevented, by
statute. He claims to have been part
ner of Smuggler Holt who was killed a
number of years ago by Customs In
spector CoblentZ, who was appointed
warden of the penitentiary at Walla
Walla by Governor McGraw and COM
mitted SUICIDE there upon the discovery
of his connection with the jute mill
frauds. Coblentz shot Holt on board
his schooner near Bainbridge island,
opposite Seattle. Kelly says that it
was cold-blooded murder and that be
was q witness of it from distance, but
did not appear against Coblentz be-
cause of bis own completely in the
frauds charged against Holt. About
three years ago warrant for Kelly's
arrest on the charge of arson was issued
| in Port Townsend. Kelly declares he
wasn't guilty, but there were reasons
why he didn't care for a trial and he
"lit out" He was on his sloop in the
harbor nere when an officer arrived on
the Thompson looking for him, but in
stead of waiting for the officer to call
upon him he meandered out into the
country and, after the manner of candi-
dates for office at election time, "put
himself in the hands of his friends.p
A little later the then deputy collector
at Roche Harbor surprised him asleep
in his sloop at the north end Of Henry
island, but there was no evidence
against him which would justify his
arrest or the seizure of his sloop for any
violation of the customs laws and MOTH
ing was known there then of the
charge against him at Port Townsend.
He says he was warned at Victoria
that he had better not take the trip
which resulted in his arrest aud that
even after he reached Discovery island
he wanted to take the Cinnamon back
to Oak bay, but they urged him 90
strongly to come on that he consented,
only changing his original plan about