The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-03
DARING SMUGGLER
 IS OUT OF PRISON Old and Worn Out His Nerve
 Is Completely Gone
GAME OF CHANGE
Lawrence Kelly Led Checkered Ca- reer and Could Not Be Kept in
 Prison Very Long in His Younger Days


 fnement in the federal prison at Me Eers Island, Wash, where he served four terms, Lawrence Qarry) Kelly, de- clared by customs officers to be the shrewdest and most daring opium snug E1er they have encountered on Puget Sound during the last three decades was turned adrift a few days ago. He is 7S years.o of age; his strength is wasted, his , nerve is gone. and he is without dol { lar. Unless former accompliees come to his aid with part of the fortune he made for them at the risk of his life and free dom, it is likely the veteran will pass the rest of his days in a poorhouse and rest in the potters field after he has gone on the final cruise.
 Kelly's smuggling days are over. He Is broken-down sailor, whose heart organs do not perform their functions properly. He is today under the surveil- i lance of custom officials and he will be followed by them to the grave. Meas ured by the laws standard he is a crim- inal, but he is whole-souled and gen. erous, ready and willing to divide his last dollar with an unfortunate. He has never confessed or implicated others, and 
 he has the reputation of being square with those who profited by his traffic, though he had opportunities to fleece them whenever he brought a sloop load of contraband goods into the country.
 Game of Chance
 Smuggling always appealed to Kelly as a game of chance. to be indulged in only for the excitement and the satis- faction of eluding the officers. He did not sail under the black flag for the profit, and it is known that he never fired shot or harmed anyone. He was qualified for masters papers and could have commanded any craft engaged in regular traffic, but the sea was too tame for him. He would rather lounge in his little sloop, schemng to outwit the customs men by finding loophoies Tn thelr carefully drawn picket line
 Kelly was successful in many of his adventures between the Canadian shores and the mainland in Washington and oregon and it is believed he smuggled several hundred thousand dollars worth of contraband goods, including oplum' into the United States during the last 15 years. He always worked alone, and though deserted when arrested the last time he would give not the least mixing as to who financed the expeditions or who assisted him. He said little at the trial and was convicted following prler hearing and sentenced to serve two years.
 Born in New York
 Kelly was born in New York or family of sailors. He drlfted aoout the world until about 15 years ago, when he reached Puget Sound. For while he worked on sailing vessels ana then purchased a small sloop. lie loafed and ashed. Opium began pour ing into the country from over the British Columbia border and for months fhe customs inspectors searched the country in an effort to track the snug eler Finally one overheard a conVer- sation between two prosperous busi- ness men at Olympia, the capital O. Washington.
 "The price has gone up,'' said one.
 "How much did you put in?'
 ..Oh, couple of hundred. When does he get in with it?'
 That was the clew. The inspector cansped along the sound, played fan- tan with the Chinese and poker with business men. One day he marked cross on map indicating a point half way between Point Defiance and Olympia
 "In 10 days, at noon, we'll take Lar Try Kelly at this place" he said quiet sly to his fellow officer, and he will not have time to throw the dope over sboard."
 At h155 o'clock in the morning, 10 Idays later, they darted from the shore in A launch and overhauled Kelly as he idled along in his sloop. Five hund- red pounds of opium was found in the hold.
 Are you going to fight it, Kelly?' they asked
 No whats the use. You've got me at last" he replied. But l kept you fguessing for awhile"
 His second Escape ,. That was the first time Kelly was 5larrested. He served two years at Me Neil's Island. The second time he es- kcaped on the way to the prison by Humping through a window of pas isenEer coach while being taken from 'sumas to Tacoma. The next time he ,ssjumped" his bond for $700 and re- Turned to the profitable but dangerous Egame.
 Kelly has served seven years in the lMcNeiTs Island and other penitentia ries flor smuggling. It cost the federal gov ernment several thousand dollars to