The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-23
.LEAKEN'S TRIP
DOUBLED MONEY
THAT GOVERNMENT WILL GET.
NEW DISCOVERIES IN SMUGGLING
CASES MADE IN HAVANA.

Panama Hats, Wines and olives
Among the COntrnband Goods, as
Well ms CIgars-FrOm All These
Sources the Government VIII Col
Iect 100000, or Else Many Prose-
BUTTONS viii FOIIOv-Fevv Savan-
nahians Are Involved in These
Last Cases.
AS a result of the trip of Mr.. W. r.
Leaken, special assistant to the United
States Attorney General, to Cuba and
Florida the United States may be
about $4,000 better off.
Mr.. Leaken returned yesterday and
reported while in Cuba he discovered
that goods other than cigars had been
illegally imported into this country for
long period of time, the estimated
income from which will amount to
$4,000, If the people involved pay up,
as has been done in the cigar cases
here, to escape prosecution.
This increases the total that will be
received by the government on goods
already illegally imported to 100000, it
being estimated that the cigar cases
alone have brought in about $4,000.
Savannahians are only slightly in
volved in these last Illegal importa-
tons that have been discovered,
though there are some few here, Mr..
Leeken says, who will be made to
pay, or else will be prosecuted.
To Move on Charleston.
The next move of the special assist
ant will be in Charleston, where cigars
are alleged to have been received for
several years by prominent persons,
hitherto thought to be immune from
prosecution. The secret service men,
however, have recently reported to Mr..
Leaken that they have worked up
large number of contraband contracts
there, and that it only remains for
him to apply the legal remedies, de-
handing payment, or prosecuting the
offenders.
Mr. Leaken, accompanied by Mrs.
Leaken, left Savannah on Feb. 6. He
went direct to Tampa, where it was
thought the grand jury would take up
the matter of the now noted Diligentia
cigars. The case of the United States
against Helen Post. on trial in jack
sonville, detained Judge Locke and
United States Attorney Stripping there,
however, and Mr. Leaken, by special
invitation, became Judge Locke's
guest in Jacksonville.
DiIigentin Cigar Cases.
The entire party of United States Of
ficlals left Jacksonville together and
arrived in Tampa on the 18th, when
the grand jury took the cases up. Mr..
Leaken was introduced to the grand
jury and he conducted all the investi-
cations. There were tWenty-four in
dictments returned against the princi-
pal parties involved in receiving, con-
cealing, buying. selling and transport
| ing the Diligentia cigars.
Mr.. Leaken's official visit to Tampa,
| Port Tampa, Miami, Key West and
Havana was by direction of the De-
| partment of Justice in Washington.
He was instructed to thoroughly
search out the sources and centers of
the mischief. After the investigation
by the grand jury of the Southern Dis
trict of Florida, Mr.. Leaken went to
| Key West and then to Havana. 1t
was at this latter point that his most
| important work was done.
Struggled Hats, Wines and olives.
He there discovered the illegal i'm
| portation of goods, the duty on which
| will amount to as much as that which
| is to be collected on cigars. Panama
hats, wines and olives have all been
| brought into this country without duty
| for years, Mr.. Leaken says. The traf-
| tic was only interrupted by the Span
| ish war.
From the cigar cases and from the
new cases discovered on this trip Mr..
Leaken is firmly convinced at least
| 100000 will be paid into the United
| States government. In the cigar cases
almost $4,000 has already been paid
Mr.. Leaken's Investigations in Ha-
vana were for the purpose of discov-
ering parties in this country involved
! in the traffic. Citizens of Havana are,
of course. not amendable to the laws
| of this country.
| Few Savannahians Involved.
| In the new contraiband goods that
have been unearthed Savannah figures
| in only a minor way. Indeed, Mr..
Leaken practically admitted that there
| would be very few cases of this nature
to be presented to the grand jury,
| which is expected to meet in March.
In the cigar cases almost all of the Sa-
vannah people have paid up, and in
the other cases comparatively few Sa-
Vannah people are involved.
Mr.. Leaken is very much gratifed
| with the result of his trip. 1t will
| mean the payment to the government
| of $4,000, in addition to the payments
that have and will be made in the
| cigar cases. This amount is, of course,
based on the superstition that the par
ties involved will pay to escape prose-
! cution, as has been done in the cases
that have already come up. Sensa-
tional developments are expected when
Mr.. Leaken visits Charleston. The
! persons involved there are said to be
very prominent.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Leaken were
much improved by the trip. They were
the recipients of many courtesies and
social attentions while away. Though
Mr.. Leaken transacted a great deal OF
business, he found time for social
recreation and says he had a most en-
| joyable time.