Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-02
From Pembroke, Mey Taken
by Officers at Boston.
Charged With Bringing Tobacco from
Canada Without Paying Duty.
Byron E. Lurchin Again Mixed Up
With the Law.

y
da without duty The government
claims that they We're shipped here in
the guise of books. Lurchin is held in
$4,000 bonds.
This is not the first time Lurchin has
had trouble with the customs officers,
for once before, when he was concerned
in the seizure Of the ship Good Temp
lar there was some doubt regarding
his testimony, but before anything was
done he had left for parts unknown.
One of his witnesses, however. was ar
rested for perjury, and is now serving
time for this offence
A short time ago two suspicious look
ing crates marked books" came into
Dennisville. Me, from Canada. They
We're reshipped to Boston and lay in the
Boston & Maine freight house for some
time. All this time the eyes of the
treasury officials We're upon Lurchin
and his goods, and, yesterday, when
the boxes were taken from the freigh,
house to q little room on the top floor
of the bailding at 80 North Market
street. the officers thought it was about
time to act.
One treasury employe got into touch
with tobacco dealer, and the latter is
said to have struck IN q trade with
Lurchin for the purchase of the tobac-
co. 1t was arranged that the three men
should visit the attic on North Market
street and look the tobacco over. Dep
uty Marshal Waters was detailed TO be
on hand and arrest Lurchin when the
proper time came.
Waters waited for Lurchiu to show
his friends to his room. and then
climbed the stairs and waited outside.
Soon he heard the boxes being wrench
ed open and then he walked into the
room. The boxes did not contain books
They contained tobacco, and Lurchin
was arrested.
Lurchin was taken to the Federal
building for arraignment before the
United States commissioner. While in
the cage he took some papers from his
pockets and made a hurried effort to
destroy them, some by tearing ana
others by chewing and swallowing. He
did succeed in destroying portions of
few sheets.
Customs officers here in Boston have
been troubled a great deal of late With
tobacco smugglers. They find a good
deal of satisfaction in Lurchin's arrest
although the whole seizure does MOI
represent more than $1,000. But it is
said that there are other men con-
cerned in the business with Lurchin
and strenuous efforts will be made to
break up the gang.
The prisoner was not ready to go on
with his hearing, yesterday, and SO the
case was continued for a week.
Agent Lewis of the treasury depart
ment did the principal work on the
case, and he ingratiated himself into
the good graceS of some one who lent
him assistance in bringing Lurchin to
the bar of justice.
1t is sai1 that Lewis and the other
man, who is dealer in tobacco, set the
trap into which the much-Wanted man
fell. Lewis was to buy the tobacco,
and it is said Lurchin and the dealer
were 20 be concerned in the sale.
by appointment the three men met in
the attic, Saturday afternoon. Deputy
Waters and certain treasury agents
We're waiting in the neighborhood of
the contemplated meetingplace for sew
eral hours.
Finally Lewis and Lurchn were
seen walking along North Market
street They entered the building
numbered 80 through Il rear entrance.
The deputy marshal ascended the rear
stairs and found himself in restau-
rant.
He asked If two men had not passed
up through the place. and was told
that two plumbers had gone up to do
some work on the top floor. On the
next floor he found n number of watt
ers changing attire, and they too in
formed hin, that two plumbers had
passed through their compartment and
haG assembled the last fight.
Matters went 10 the top floor and
heard noise like the opening of boxes.
He waited outside the door until il had
subsidized and then stepped into the
room.
Hello. I.urchin: what are you doing
here?" he pleasantly remarked.
81 think you must have made a mis-
take. SIR replied Lurchin. who is as
cool slick and smooth prisoner as has
been in the custody of the federal Of
ficoes in 4 long time.
why, don't you remember seeing me
III the district attorneys Office in con-
nec.ion with the Good Templar' case?"
"You are certainly mistaken; you
have the wrong man. j know nothing
Of such case
Lurchin was moving inch by inch
toward the door and when in close
proximity to it. Deputy Waters arrest
ed him. He was indignant and pro-
tested against the use of the twisters.
iurchin is not stranger to the fed
eral court. He was concerned in the
proceeding heard some time ago re-
lating to the seizure of the fishing
schooner Good Templar. for carrying
fish that had been struggled. One OF
the witnesses for the defence was in
dicted after the trial for perjury and
sent to jaii.
Lurchin went away and nothing was
heard of him for a year. A short time
ago the authorities learned that ne was