The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-02-11
Whiffs of White Smoke Drift
Out Into Corridors of the
Hall of Justice.
GRAND JURORS NOT GUILTY
Puffs Came From Pipe Of Dope
Expert Employed by
BreckonS.

ney Breckons, the entire staff of the
marshal g Office, including even the
marshal himself; the customs officials
and, in fact, all the police power of the
federal government, have been. engaged
for weeks in trying to run down the
| Illicit dealers in opium and to catch
in their legal nets the offenders
against the laws and statutes of the
United States who persist in disposing
of the sleepy drug,-opium smoking
has been going on right under their
noses and the puffs of White Smoke
have been going up and filing the
nostrils of the blind goddess.
Yesterday morning opium WAS being
smoked in the grand jury rooml
The statement sounds incredible, but
it is true. Yellow lips were closed
around the ivory pipe and the white
puffs of smoke from burning poppy
juice were filling the inquisitorial
room and circling about the heads of
the grand jurors. Occasionally Whit
of the peculiar pungent smoke drifted
out into the corridor and made some
of the waiting pakes lift their heads
and sniff approximately, but none Of
the other people about the halls of jus.
tice suspected for moment that there
was an opium joint behind the closed
doors of the federal courtroom that
was being used as grand jury room.
Yet it was true. A yellow skinned
celestial, his eyes half shut in heavenly
bliss was Smoking. And not a man
interfered. The grand jurors leaned
back in their armehairs and watched
as if fascinated, but none Of them said
anything. United States District AT.
torney. Breckons looked on calmly but
did nothing to put stop to the putting
or to interrupt the blissful dreams of
the smoker.
Grand Jurors Not Guilty.
Solar as is known, however, none of
the grand jurymen INDUCED in the,
sweet vapor. Mr.. Breckons did not
touch the pipe, and the marshal had
no need to. The lone smoker was one
Chung, dope fend of thirty years
standing, whose long experience with
the poppy juice is just now his chief
stock in trade and means of livelihood.
Opium Experts.
! AS matter of fact, let it be ex-
planned before anyone gets the erro
, neous idea that the federal authorities
are running an opium joint, Chung, the
expert smoker, was there in the char
|
quality and character of certain opium
that was seized last Monday by Chief
of Detectives McDuilie and Detectives
Kellett and Apana from one Goo Punk
who was conveying the dope to the
other side of the island. The grand
jury was considering the evidence
against Goo Pung on the charge that
Pung had in his possession opium
which was perhaps not tax paid, but
which at any rate had been placed in
tins that had formerly contained other
opium. Whether or not the grand jury
found no true bill against Goo Pung
is not stated, but Goo Pung had hear
ing yesterday afternoon before United
States Commissioner Judd and was
held to the grand jury under $3.50
bonds.
At the hearing yesterday afternoop
the two principal witnesses were the
expert dope fends Akana and Chung
, Akana proudly boasts that he has
smoked opium for twenty years. But
he is but child beside Chung, who
has for thirty years allowed his soul
) to drift away daily into the Elysian
, fields of the White Smoke
The officers took from Goo Pung six
tins of opium. Three Of them are un-
opened. All bear the revenue stamp,
, but it is the contention of the district
, attorney that three of the tins have
, been emptied and refilled with n cheap.
er grade of dope. And it was to prove
this that the experts were brought into
the case.
A Practical Test,
Each of them, in the grand jury
n room, was allowed to test the dope
practically. Akana rather lost out,
J. as his test consisted in putting some
{ of the opium into his mouth. Asked
y if he had tasted it, he said no, all he
il had done was to put some of it in his
t mouth. But he was confident that the
/. opium in three of the tins was differ
ent from that in the three tins thEi
/, were unopened when taken, and fur
II thermore, that it was cheaper grads
r. of dope.
x Chung appeared to have been mere
fortunate, for his test consisted in
/, smoking few pipefuls of the stuff.
!. II apparently was a difficult matter for
y him TO make up his mind, for he had to
@ smoke pipe after pipe before he an.
n nounced himself as ready TO render an
II opinion.
q But Mt the hearing before the com
II missioner he WAS thoroughly convinced.
.. The opium in the three opened tins
d WAS not the same az that In the three
II tins which had not been opened when
o captured. II was poorer stun and did
70 not give him the same sense of salts
faction when he smoked Il, q, T.. ID.
70 Goo Pung had a. explanation, which,
" however did not convince the eommis
slonor Of his innocence. llo had mere
y been laying in a supply against The
probable advance IN price Of tbs Dope
Tho three opened tins had been opob.
\. al moroly 10 allow the contents H
!, eTonnng In favor by contact with iht
n air. 10 wanted 10 be ure ~ AkYt
D plenty 0n hand for konohl
4 GOO fung, h0wnY0r VIII hayu !
~ chance 10 tell bio stony 10 jury, TO-
u dld MOI seem conclusive 10 ths eom
missioner