The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-20
BIG HAUL IN OPIUM.
Frisco Customs Officers Foil Large
Smuggling scheme.


From the San Francisco Ciirunicle.
From siren to sand locker and from life
preservers to the grease can OF the cook )
galley, the steamer Siberia is yielding up
opium. Even the piano has added its
quota. all adduced by the heroic treat
ment prescribed by Customs Inspectors
Enlow, Benninger. sackett. Head. Toland,
and Huffaker.
In all, 2l5 five-tael tins Of opium, worth
about $500 here. have been discovered
and seized. and the search stu con
tinhes
There seems TO have been likely
scheme Of tho opium-snuggling ring
thwarted by one Of the discoveries-that
OF the tins OF opium in the life preserg-
ers. The inspectors noticed four life pre-
servers branded IS. s. Kansas City.
and thought IL strange they should be
aboard the Siberia. Inspector John X.
Bulger. of the steamboat inspection serv-
ice. was called on. and Informed the Gus
toms people that as these life preseryers
did not bear the government stamp OF
Approved" they were undoubtedly part
of the five condemned on the Kansas
City at this port on November /.
II is concluded that these condemned
life preservers haG been shipped to China,
one OF the panels ripped open. the opium
substituted for the cork or tube packing.
and the panel stitched up again. The
life preservefs are capable OF sustaining
twenty-one pounds. and in none OF them
were over three pounds Of opium. Thus
prepared. they could have been thrown
overheard. and would have foated until
picked up by confederates from the
shore. On opening them the inspectors
found six tins of opium each In three OF
them and eight tins in tEe fourth
Twelve tins had been seereted IN the
Siberia's cspacious siren. which Capt
Feeder says he noticed had a "thrOaty'
sound on the voyage over. The cook is
also grumbling that the privacy Of his
gallery should have been invaded for the
purpose OF concealing five tins in the can
used as a receptacle for waste grease and
"drippings."
cans tc At it for dream waltzes, and the
contents Of the water cooler was Favored
with eight cans. These varied hiding
places were in addition 10 the floor ard
castings Of the sand locker" where the
big haul Of 40 tins was made by Enlow
and Head
Deputy Surveyor Blinn wsnt Oh the Job
himself to see II he could add any sug-
gestion TO the ideas Of the searchers, and
worked until late at night.
The seizures on the Siberia are believed
TO be but forerunners Of larger hauls 10
be made. The incentive for smuggling
opium. now that its importation IS abb
solutely restricted. IS much greater than
II was when the high duty made the
business or getting the drug into the
country d profitable one. and the customs
authorities admit that they Will no doubt
be confronted with a system Of snug
CLING that will eclipse any o. the old
games. They are, therefore, uutirinE IN
their efforts to discourage the smuggiers
before the latter become adopts. The
searehers went into new fields in their
work, crawling even into the furnaces
and other disagreeable places from which
they emerged covered with coal dust and
dirt
The price Of opium in China has not
gone up, and II is said that IT can be
readily purchased at H0ngkong for Sc
a tin and be disposed OF here for so a
tin.