Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-02
MASTER OF ALDEN
BESSE TO co FREE;
RIDGEWAY RESIGNS
immigration Chief Succeeded by
Famed Cooie Catcher; Hunt
for SmuggIers On
U. S. CUTTER is ON WATCH
Federal Officials on Government
Vessel After Oriental
Law VioIat0rS

With the United States revenue cut
ter Bear, loaded with immigration Off
GERS, patrolling the California coast
from the Mexican line north to Santa
Monica in search of Chinese smuggling
craft, and with Charles T. Connell, u
noted coolie catcher, just arrived in
| Los Angeles to be inspector of immi-
grafton, vice Arthur Ridgeway, re-
signed, affairs are humming in federal
circles and a determined effort by the
! United States government completely
to crush the smuggling traffic in Mon
golians on the Southern California
| coast has begun.
The resignation of Ridgeway became
public yesterday. For three years he
| has been inspector of immigration in
| Los Angeles. According to current re-
port at the federal building yesterday
| he is now on his way to Washington to
confer with authorities there on mat
! ters pertaining to the recent conduct
of his office.
Coincident with the resignation of
| Ridgeway came the announcement last
night that ]. w. McAllister, captain of
the bark Alden Besse, whom Ridke-
way was particularly insistent In prose-
| cutting, is to be freed of all charges
and released from prison this morning.
| Shortly after midnight United States
Marshal Leo Youngworth confirmed the
report that washington had ordered
| the dismissal of the charges against
! McAllister and that the old sea dog
| Immediately would be released from
| custody. 1t is reported that the efforts
of United States Senator Frank Flint
at the capital and Attorney Frank Do
minguez In this city had a large part
to play in securing the release of the
| captain of the Alden Besse. The re-
lease of McAllister is said to have a
direct bearing on the resignation of
Ridgeway McAllister has been held
here for weeks on the charge that he
allowed two aliens placed in his charge
to escape from custody, although they
were starving at the time and the cap
tain had no food with which to feed
them.
1t is stated that there is no connection
between the resignation of Ridgeway
land the activity in the Chinese smug-
Cling cases, although an expert in COM
batting the smuggling game has been
now stationed here in the person or
Connell.
The immigration officers who are now
patrollng the coast on the Bear are
searching for two gasoline vessels re-
ported to be en- route north from Ma
zatlan loaded with Chinese whom 1t is
intended to smuggle into this country.
According to the report, the SNUG
| Cling craft left Mazatlan some weeks
| ago loaded with Chinese who have
paid the smuggling fee to be put on
| American shores. D
According to the report. one of the
vessels contains twenty Chinese and
| the other eighteen. If the smugglers
should succeed in passing the revenue
| cutter it is probable they will run in
close to shore, under the cover of night,
and land their human cargoes some
where between San Diego and Santa
Monica.
Charles T. Connell, for eight years
chief inspector of immigration at Tue
son. Ariz, assumed Ridgeway's for
mer duties as inspector here yesterday.
| Mr. Connell was accompanied to his
new post by f. w. Berkshire, super
Vising inspector for the immigration
| district of the entire southwest, VINO
will remain with him for several days
| until he is familiar with his new duties.
Ridgeway's resignation did not come
as a surprise to government attaches In
the new federal building. 1t is SAID
that complaints have been registered at
| Washington against the former oftlclal
to the effect that he prosecuted some
cases vigorously and was lax IN the
| prosecution of others.
Cases in the federal court often re-
sulting in dismissals after the defend
ants had suffered long periods or I'M
prisonment in the county jail also are
said to have caused criticism OF Ridge
| Way at Washington 1t is also said by
federal officers that the former immi-
grafton officer did not morll in harmo-
ny with them.
"Mr. Ridgewya has been summoned
east on important business SAID a
Young woman employed at the Ridge
way home at 1889 West Twenty-fourth
street, yesterday. He VIII not De pack
for several weeks"
Inspector COnnell would have nothing
to say in regard to the matter yester--
day further than TO state that he had
knowledge to the effect that numerous
Chinese were being smuggled over tho
border and his office would take imme-
date steps to halt them and capture
the smugglers.
ConnelI has lived on the border and
participated in many of its stirring
events for more than quarter OF a
century. He is thoroughly experienced
in the immigration service, and has to
his credit many Important captures.
He is considered by the federal author-
flies a valuable addition to the service
in Los Angeles.