Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-19
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FROM SEATTLE
Sequel to the Hamilton Case Opium
Smuggling on Puget Sound.
Inn 4
To the Editor of The Free Press:

To the Editor of The Free Press
When my first letter was written about
Alfred Hamilton, who was recently hanged
at " hatcom, Wash, for the murder of -.
NJ. Woodbury. Of Barre, VT, | had no in
tcntion of inflcting Il serial story on the
jrc1dcrs of the Free Press. IT was reason
abe to suppose that the moment Hamilton S
body was consigned to pottcr's field the in
cidcnt was included among those RELOCATED
to the background. 1t gems, however,
that the end Is not yet.
Hamilton murdered n man named Jack
son several years ago near little island
at the entrance of Deception Pass This
incident called attention to mysterious do
ings at that vicinity and eventually
brought Ben TIRE, a pioneer of Island coun-
| ty. under the surveillance of the federal
and state officers. He escaped all efforts
| to trap him, although IL became definitely
known that he gave food and shelter TO
| II milton and his gang of Sound pirates
land hsh-trap robbers. Furthermore the
Iofliccrs became convinced that the trait c
| in human flesh, or Chinese smugglcrs as
some people call it, frequently passed dan
gerously near to Ben Tres desolate little
spot at the entrance of the most danger
Gus tide-rips in Puget Sound. (Whcn the
| tide is full any of the Sound steamers may
pass through without danger but mo-
mcnt later it may seem as If he'll had itself
let loose the foam and woe to the steamer
which attempts to gain time by this short
cut
| re has lived so long within speaking
distance of this wild and narrow channel
that his name is indelibly associated with
it and its many STANCE stodics. But no
sooner had Hamilton run his race than the
cards took a turn for IRE. He was arrest
ed few days ago on the charge of re-
icciving stolen goods that is the technical
charge; in reality it is claimed that he
had given food and shelter to what is left
of the Hamilton gang, receiving in turn
a portion of their il-gotton gains. accord
ing to the report of Sheriff Weedn of
Island county. 1t is claimed that ire was,
at FIRST willing to plead guilty. but that
his friends persuaded him to fight the case.
The old pioreers do not like to see one Of
their number branded with the fclon :
stripes.
No matter whether IRE is guilty not
there is something pathetic in the running
OF his last race. only a few years ago
he was known the richest man of Island
county. lie had houses and land galore.
Then came that crash which made paupers
of millionaires the world over, and poor old
l'rc went down with the rest. His town
lots were worthless.
The officers say that IRE confessed to
harborlng the Hamilton plunderers but
discaimed participation in their acts in
any way, shape or manner. He told them
birds of the darkness; he said that he was
afraid Of his life and when they came to
him he dare not refuse them shelter. II
he had shown any resentment they would
have thrown him into the mad watcrs
which swept pass his door. The pioneers
say that the old man is not guilty ana
have put up his bonds. He is now at lib
erty awaiting trial.
The profits of the Hamilton ring will
never be known, but here is something
which will give you an idea of what SNUG
Cling on Puget Sound means One snug
glcr While on trial admitted that he
smuggled $4,000 worth of opium alone in
les than three years. Seattle. Portland
and san Francisco must have opium. You
have 40 idea how much of the insidlous
drug is used on this coast Those who use
ii arc constitutionallY opposed to paying
duty when the rich brown stuff is worth
anywhere from S to sl2 n pound; they get
the drug and Uncle SIM gets practically
no duty Truly there is no telling how ex-
tensive the opium smuggling is.
Most of the opium is put up in small
tin cans, and taken from Victoria, f. c.,
to some point on the shore Of Puget Sound
this side of the line 1t is cached and later
, taken up and brought to Seattle whore 1t
i, sold to the Chinese. II it is not dis
posed of here 1t is taken to Portland ard
San Francisco. Sometimes there will be a
, smuggling ring which has its head in Vic
, tcria, p. c. and maintains stations in all
the big cities along the coast The profits
. are big but sooner or later the goVernm. nj
officers break mp tire nest. Frequently the
, smuCglers will throw overheard valuable
- Cargocs rather than be caught rod-handcd
one of their tricks to evade detection is
to drag the opium in the water. If they
can get into shallow water it is possibl,
to drop the opium in such place that i
, may be found later.
smICrlpr SpCreted 81 00D worth n