Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-07

threw their opium overheard. Hear
ing the splashes, the revenue officers
opened fire with their rifles. Uuable to
make a fight of 1t, the smugglers
sprang into the bay. Billy" being a
good swimmer. struck out for the ship,
two miles distant, while the others es-
capped ashore, coming aboard early in
the morning watch. The captured
boatsmen ashore long suspected of
crooked work, but as nobody could
disprove his assertion that the boat
had been stolen from his landing the
case was dropped for lack Of legal evil
dence. The following day BILLY" was
~accosted on the steamboat wharf by
one of the revenue officers:
well, Billy we almost nabbed you
last night"
But you didn't" said Billy coolly,
$50 the drinks are on you" The ex-
else man grinnel s%heepishly and stood
the drinks.
A great deal of the smuggling was
accomplished by small sloops or
%schooners. They would load at Van
couver, B. c., where opium cost only
50. Sailing down to the islands they
would land their goods under cover
of a dark night. When such an enter
prise was successfully accomplished
the entire brotherhood of smugglers
knew 1t by the change in market, as
the price dropped several dollars.
Billy declared that every ton landed
meant a fall of 81. Sometimes these
schooners were captured, as their own
ers seldom belonged to "the ring"
their intention being to make one
grand haul and then retire from BUSH
ness.
The methods of the men in the inner
ring" were simple enough. A GER
tain merchant would nave a consign-
ment of petroleum or matches or
timed fruits sent to him by steamer
freight. These goods were marked
60 and the revenue officers UNDER
stood. Once ashore the stuff was cas-
lily disposed of.
Billy one day pointed out to me a
small Chinese cigar store in King-st.
That he said, "is All Sings joint.
II deal with him"
The implicit confidence the snug
SlSIS lid0 III lkSll SAl10CSCE :
ates was remarkable. They would
leave several hundred dollars worth
Of the stuff in a Chinaman's charge,
not asking " a receipt in return.
A day or two later John would turn up
aboard the ship, ostensibly to solicit
wash.
How muchee?" he would ask his
creditor, taking him aside.
1.-TWO fifty, John"
John would tumble reluctantly in
some mysterious pocket.
TOO muchee," he would protest.
If he could peat his man down a
few dollars he did so; out if he couldn't
he laid down the full amount in gold.
On one occasion BILLY" was taken
sick in San Francisco, which obliged
him to miss sevral trips. Hospital ex-
penses soon exhausted all his money.
All Sing, in Honolulu, wed him $50.
AS a last hope BILLY" wrote to him,
explaining his situation. BY return
mail he received 500 from Sing. A
note was inclosed, written in excellent
English:
Il send you fifty extra-guess you
will need it. You a pay me back
next trip. SING"
Where the opium is smoked by the
Honolulu Chinaman I never learned.
II heard of only one place in the out
skirts Of the town. the entrance to
which was thru a tomb in the Gene
terry. A grinning skull was carved
over the door. Since the establish
ment Of our government there this
place was raided, together with all
other retreats Of the same character.
But the largest percentage Of the stuff
went to the plantations on the other
islands.