The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-06-09
STILL SECURING
HILO FOR DOPE
TWELVE TINS ONLY HAVE BEEN
UNEARTHED Up TO
DATE.

hlLOs June During lut 'Ntft
week until the departure Of District
Attorney Brockons and Marshal Hen.
dry in the Mama Kca last Friday, the
federal officers were busy trying TO
locate additional evidence in regard to
the smuggling Of opium here. All Nun,
the Chinese pdntryman on the Mauna
Kea, had in the mean time been arrest.
ed in Honolulu, and a number Of Hilo
people were subpoenaed to appear
against him, it being alleged that All
MN was engaged in carrying opium
from Hilo to Honolulu.
The opium matter, as far as it has
been unearthed so far, thus divides it.
self into several phases. First there
is the bringing of dope to Hilo by the
Matson boats, in connection with which
Ludnek was arrested. The incident Of
Parker, the chief engineer of the Will
helmina, is in the same line, but the
latter is complicated by the part which
the police officers are alleged to have
played therein. The second part of the
case is that represented by the local
recipients of the dope, for while it
would appear that, at least, some Of
those who brought opium ashore from
the steamers were in the habit of ped
ding it about as best they could, the
authorities appear TO be working on
the theory that there was some kind Of
an organization here, and it is in
this connection that the most interest
ing developments will come, if they
materialize. The third question is that
presented by the carriage of the opium
from Hilo to the places where it was
ultimately retailed to the consumers.
1t is generally understood that but very
little dope is being 1sed in Hilo, and
that a great part Of the stuff brought
to Hilo goes out to the Chinese along
the Hilo and the Hamakua coast, being
generally carried by Chinese on the
stages. However, it is also understood
that considerable part of the con-
traband landed here, went right to Ho-
nolulu.
1t must certainly have looked easy
to those who were in the business to
land dope in Hilo, where there is no
force of customs inspectors, rather than
to land it in Honolulu, where there is
a large and alert force. The All Nun
charge represents this side Of the ques-
ton.
Searched waialkea
During the week the federal officers
were looking through Waiakea with a
fine tooth comb in the hope of locating
store of the poppy juice, but, while
they secured considerable information,
it is not belived that they captured any
dope outside of the dozen tins which
were found at Ookala The Lucas
saloon was among the places searched
but the search was in vain.
Chief Cooks Story.
Ludnek, the chief cook of the Enter,
prise, who was arrested the day after
the arrival of that vessel, appeared be
fore United States Comm ssioner Fur
neaux last Wednesday, charged with
having smuggled ashore twelve tins OF
opium on the previous trip of the En-
terprise to this port. The defendant
waived examination and was commit
ted to the federal grand jury. His bal
was fixed at a thousand dollars.
The story of the Ludnek case is al
interesting one. 1t was, it appears
worked up in the first place by County
Attorney Beers, who gives the allega
tions as follows:
Ludnek, who has been employed OF
board the Enterprise for some time, ha(
a sweetheart at Waiakea, a well known
Hawaiian girl, on whom he was in tn,
habit of calling whenever the vesse
touched at that port 1t is reported
that at the last previous stay of thu
Enterprise here, he gave the brother
of this girl package containing lively,
tins of opium, which he told him q
sell. The boy at first refused to hav,
anything to do with the contraband
but he was told that he could easil,
take it out to the country, where h
had friends, and spOse of it Their
without running any risk.
The boy accordingly set out for 90
kala, where his mother lived with he
second husband He went on horse
back, having the dope wrapped in
piece of canvas. He told his mothe
that he had brought the dope, and hi
it in a corner of the house. A fey
days afterwards he returned TO Waia
kea, having apparently made no at
tempt to dispose of the stuff.
AT this pc mt of the game ney
character enters whose connection ha
not been entirely made clear TO tn
authorit es. This man, a Hawaiian
met the boys mother on stage II
told her that he knew that she wa
hiding opium in her house and that sh
must be careful least she get into tror
BILE. How he knew that the opium wa
in the house is not known.
Beers on the Trail
A bit later this same Hawaiian toll
James Kepoo the police officer, tina
the OPIUM was hidden at Ookala an
Kepoo, reported to Beers. Beers &c
hold of the boy, who admitted havin
hidden the opium at Ookala, and a
eordingly Beers sent Kepoo and the be
in buggy to 0okala. where they r
covered the twelve tins of dope, while
they brought TO Beers. who in his tar
handed them over TO Collector of IL
Port Baird.