New-York tribune., 1902-03-17
HAWAIIAN OPIUM TRADE.
rSF OF THE DRUG CARRIED BY CHI
NESE TO ISLANDS-HOW SNITG-
GLERS WORKED.
GLERS WORKED.

labor. began to import Chinese coolies. With him
John troasar oTsE many Of his native customs,
aronE them THE use oi opium. Thus was born the
Honolulu opium trade. As shipload after ship
load Of coolies arrived Honolulu the demand
sor the poppy juice Increased proportionately.
II those carry days native sovereign ruled
Hawaii-ruied 10 all outward appearances; but
sharp Yankee merchants pulled the strings behind
the throne. The King was well aware Of it, but
ss each pun poured a shower of gold into his lap
Ne raised no objections. Besices. he had live
interost in some Of the business deals himself
yin the increase of the Chin, Sc population the
white merchants saw a new fela Tor enterprise
the importation of opium.
BUt at trst II did not pay. The bulk Of opium
vas small in comparison its value, and all the
sailors ou incoming ships brought chestfuIs of it,
This competition made protts comparatively small
So the strings were pull. d. and the King declared
opium canrrauaud-to le strictly excluded from
tn country. except medicine. Then the trade
became profitable opium could be bought in san
Francisco FOR from 50 to So a pound, could he
smusE-ed into Honolulu, and there sold for $50
profit Il SD per cent \ fairly good revenue ser
vice killed Of too much competition and SNUG
gAng became a safe and profitable business to the
mem7ers Of The ring profitable TO outsiders also,
but safe
Thc establishment Of the steamship lines be-
tween The Orient and san Francisco via Homo
lulu Was a great blow L. the business The men
in the crews bought their dope in Hong-Kong
for s. pound. and smUEsled great quantities into
Hawaii Prices fell half. and there remained
STEADY
In regard 10 the smuggling Of opium into Hawaii
former quaTtermaster on Pacific steamer gives
the following account from his personal expert
ences:
Some years ago. before the acquisition Of the
Islands hy The United States. I was quartermaster
On d sleaIaeF siF mat made regular trips between
our d number Of men known to the revenue
officers as lracused haRds al importing the
stuff, but 50 cpnninsIy had they operated that
none ot them had ever been actually captured, al
though The revenue officers had made several des-
perale efforts 10 do There was not d soul
aboard the snip that did not have secret dealings
dozen men in particular lhat bothered the ring"
on shore especially. for they were wholesale deal
ers. and, moreover. made no secret OF il.
mate was rerujcd to be The noe daring Of the lot:
He was a quiet little fellow. with a mild voice and
quiet nannei- Billy. as viii call him had be-
quarrel or disaSreernent over a division Of spoIs
5.i Ia eT t i 10 |Llll4L5tW v ~ ana start OUT lnde5
man But that Vas IS far toward his capture
gang. too on several later occasions or their tools
rather. for they never cid their own fighting.
deserted save ~ u.s. By and You'd PACE up
and down the bridge H. eutertaininc me With tales
OF his past life and escapades.
SOM Of the means that he employed in passing
stuff was hacked in small I'VE taeI Caalf poundl
LIs Tesesf...1 -a~-" match boxes on
oaf-Ca F-ls con ea''r n cozen II these tins in
53-aEe .o'e through a. but the top and bottom
thoT5lga.y' bug never for moment suspected the
s7rr-.r+.-r - L'4s G-Ih ~ l'os'u
One nieIi .Bill.r v7e not Ea I-jol,- = va. ,,~
Wat oa deck unt! midnight. BY 20 O'Clock the
oec[e "sFt practically .r'ta. Tho vessel was
G2chored cat somo distance from the vharves
EE-oeE our stern. i,i.y- With three OF the crew.
boat s;rped Of int" tho .oom that enveIoncd the
was 10 explain my watch mates absence Win
II was past i o'clock when 7 heard the rc7or-
Of gun followed by the doefuI vail Of Bullet
beach above the town a the sb me n NY, maitik @
sever! more shots followed This continued for
Mdntght was approaching and my uneasiness
- excgze Iy SoI'f II IhlnN OF no possible story
ncer who would come on deck then So quiet was
me nlEht that ! could plainly hear the warehouse
wStehan 1e59}Ingh on the steamship wharf. But no
Ten minutes before p q phos1.horescent glow IN
ne water At the foot Of the Eangway attracted nv
Step Wet and i5 SeGraesIsd is Billy oFa"ied up the
The nishts adventure had cost him $500 a reve-
s :es IaLlcR h1a spotted them within hundred
ysrcs Of the beach Escape with the boat would
nave been impossible so the smugglers threw their
nue. officers opened fire with their rifles. Unable
the bay. Billy being good swimmer Struck
oat Tor me shlI. t"o miles distant while the
morning watch. The captured boat was identifed
as belonging to q boatran ashore long euspected
assertion that the boat had been stolen from his
dence Tho following day fy was 9ccosfed On
ne steamboat wharf by one Of the revenue Of
We. Wsn, Bily:. W. alnsos; nabbed you last night"
T.
St.ihs stIs AZ on me excise man gTinRed sheep
y small sloops or schooncrs. They would load at
kahcoEFer B. G.. where opium cost only 50. Sail
goods under cover of a dark night. When such an
enterpri-e was successfully accomplished the en-
IRE hrotherhood OF smugelers knew it by the
dollars Billy declared tbst eveTy Ton landed
meant fall - S. Sometimes these schooners were
capturec as their owners seldom belonged the
ring their intention being TO make one grand
haul and then retire from business.
The methods Of the men in the inner ring" were
snple enough A certain merchant would have
eonsignm5nt of petroleum or matches or timed
Iruits sent 70 him by steamer freight These goods
We're marked 49," and the revenue officers under
stood. Once ashore the stuff was easily disposed Of
Bil!y one day pointed out 10 me small Chi
Thai" he said, is All Sings joint. deal with
The imrIi~it confidence the smurelers had in
1htlr .Hinese c0nf4derates was remarkable They
stun IN a Chinaman's charge. rot asking even q
receipt in return. 4 day or two later John would
Eow uuchee2" he would ask his creditor. TAX
John would tumble reluctantly in some mysteri-
Too machee" he would protest
AL he could beat his man down few dollars he
s. &c 50. but II he couldn't he laid down the fun
Or one oerasion .'T3ny" was taken sick in San
tips Hosrita exnenSss soon 4' exRau@ted ali his
money All Sing I'm Honolulu. owed him $50 As
ssluation. Bv return mail ne received 800 from
gg.g, gg.g note was inclosed, written in excellent
yo5 se9d yop afty eraguess you will sg! qssd it
W. l7s me naek neht tIiI1 -, 5I-H.5. E51-a,.,
M 5I11ainen 7 never loarred heard Of only one
g which was thra-eh a tomb in the cemetery A
st-i-iH NkH4 Was carved over the door since
5aee pace was rstded together with ali other retreats
a. e te same character. But the largest percentage
iasIS SUN Went 10 the plantations on the other