The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-28

QUANTITIES VI opium yeSleTuay
1t is estimated that the amount of
dope taken from the interior of the
| mining machinery will amount to at
least four hundred kilos, and that it's
sale in the Philippine Islands would
have Melted the smugglers close to a
hundred thousand pesos.
The large quantity of, morphine and
cocaine taken from the interior of a
| cylinder belonging to an engine late in
the afternoon will also add greatly to
the value of the seizures made by the
vigilant sleuths yesterday.
| The seizure was made at the Insular
custom house. 1t is predicted that be-
fore the matter is closed in the courts
that some very startling disclosures
will be forthcoming.
| Four eastiron pillars and four iron
shafts, part of the machinery incorpo-
rated in the great dfedge for the Phil
ippine Gold Dredging Company at Par
aeale were found to contain what is
estimated at nearly four hundred kilos
OF opium. This machinery was turned
out from foundries and shops of the
] Hongkong Whampao Dock Company at
| Hongkong. The machinery arrived
from the China coast port on Saturday
| by the British steamer Team. It had
! been unloaded from the steamer and
was brought to the customs wharf,
where it was unloaded and was passed
upon last Tuesday by the Insular Gus
toms appraisers.
Yesterday one of the cleverest
schemes to fool the customs officials
was unearthed through what is said to
! have been a '.tip' from the China
coast. The four pillars and the four
shafts were loaded upon bullock carts
| and were soon to be taken from the
customs house, when Chief of Customs
Secret Service J. B. Lawler and Assist
| ant Chief Keith swooped down upon
the loaded vehicle and ordered the iron
work to be unloaded.
| The pillars are about twelve feet in
+, length, roughly moulded, and painted
red. They appeared to be made of cast
iron. At each end there is foot
square base, and as in case of all such
structural ironwork, it has all the APP
lpearance of being solid. Chief Lawler,
j however, possessed different opinion
concerning the matter After seraping
off thick layer of paint from the end
of one of the pillars there was dis
closed circle plainly marked where a
screw cap some three or four inches in
diameter was neatly fitted. This was
finally removed, and sealed tin tube
was brought to light. This was remov-
ed from within the hollow pillar, and
when the long tube was opened there
was found to be a large number of
small tins of prepared opium.
The Secret Service officials then gave
their attention to the remaining three
pillars, and the same results followed
Then the four large shafts. each sur
mounted with large screw fange. were
taken in hand. After some effort the
end of each of those shafts were re-
moved. Inside each of the shafts were
i larger tin tubes of greater bulk than
those found in the pillars. The tubes
upon being opened brought to light
much more opium.
In all some four hundred kilos of the
dope was taken from the eight pieces
of machinery yesterday morning.
The Chinese upon whose cart the ma
ter1al was found had been sent there
by an American, who claimed to be a
representative of the dredging com
pany. The person declared to a Gus
toms broker that the four holes in the
base of the pillars and shafts were
found to be too small and it was the
intention to have the material taken
, to local machine shop before the min
ing machinery was loaded upon the
steamer n. S. de Begona.
When Chief LAWYER and Assistant
Keith made another tour of inspection
of the customs wharf last evening, their
, curiosity was excited by the peculiar
appearance Of cylinder of small en-
CINE belonging to the dredge machinery
After rummaglng about the machine for
while they unearthed large guam
tity of morphine, cocaine and other
drugs. The collection of drugs is con
| sidered as extremely valuable.
The dredging machinery was to have
| been shipped to Paracale by the \. S.
: de Begona on Saturday. Since the re-
t cent disclosures of dope estimated to be
worth $4,000 Mexican in Hongkong
the customs officials are inclined ia
make most rigid investigation of all
; the machinery that arrived from the
: China coast. 1t is expected that the
, dredging company will be extremely
lucky II they secure some of the parts
5 within several months time, as it is
: believed that investigation viii result
t in some prosecutions and that a por.
tlOH u tHe HdcnIueFy Will De QelG as
: evidence or an exhibit.
/ The loss occasioned by the delay in
4 the receipt of the dredging machinery
/ will fall heavily upon the Philippine
g Gold Dredging Company, the officials of
/. which company have been extremely
2 anxious to get their dredge into opera
l ton upon the rich beds of the rivers
g and streams III that district
r Their loss occasioned by wholesale
: attempt at smuggling will tally up into
: ten thousand pesos each week that the
company fail to operate their dredge
=. The matter has been brought to the
attention of the prosecuting attorney
e by Acting Collector Mccoy, and Attor
f ney Southworth was closeted with the
!. customs officials last evening. and both
] refused to make a statement concern
5 ing the greatest smuggling scheme I'M
earthed IN the Philippines in years.
1t is predicted that before the ease
r has finished its course through thf
f courts some startling disclosures will
/ result, which may involve some promi
t nent people.