The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-11-10
OPIUM DEALS ON
A LARGE SCALE
Report That Stamped Dope Is
Brought by HaoIes and Sold
to Chinese,

That a prominent "haolo' bnsiness
house In Honolulu II Importing stamped
opium from The mainland and ia turn
selling a TO The Chinese dealers, il the
statement Of an official in touch with
the opium situation here, and It Is
matter which will be taken up by the
territorial authorities in the near future.
For several weeks Il has been rumor-
ed that opium was coming in from the
Coast in regular merchandise boxes,
and IL has been discussed quietly by
several merchants of the city and was
to be brought to the attention Of the
merchants association and chamber of
commerce in an official manner, as the
other merchants in the city did not
think It a square deal to give them.
1t is a vital question with the mer-
chants of the city, and one which has
caused much discussion, but nothing
was done officially by them on account
of waiting for the territorial grand
jury to act.
Nothing Done Yet.
Nothing has been done so far by that
body, or at least nothing which has
been made public OF any action brought
in court against the offending firm or
firms. 1t is territorial offense strictly,
as the federal authorities have nothing
at all to do with the matter, the dope
being of the stamped variety.
Stamped opium is that dope which
WINS in the United States before the
opium law went into effect, or opium
that was imported by manufacturing
chemists after that date. The un-
stamped variety is that which has been
struggled into the country and which
is here illegally.
That the stamped variety is being
brought here regularly as freight and
express matter from the Coast, is the
obligation made by an official yesterday
whose name cannot be used in the mat
ter at the present time for obvious
reasons. Some action is expected by
the territorial authorities in this ques
tion in the near future, or if nothing
is done by the prosecuting officers ther
the matter will be taken up officially
by the commercial bodies of the city.
Three Dealers Arrested.
During the day yesterday three
Chinese were arrested for running two
opium joints, and opium pipes, lamps
two tins of dope and an amount Of
accessories were gathered in by fedora
officers. Yee San and An Chan were
the proprietors of joint on Hote
street which wes searched, and Ton
Moon had place ON Maunakea street
near the thoatcr, where he did -four
ishing business
Pines of many designs were among
the loot and all the paraphernalia of
/ .oss hrn,trvhk -
federal cont Moon having the large
Shift Dope in Tins,
| 1t is the theory of federal official
that the opium being used here is Il
great extent unstamped opium il
stamped tins, that is. that the dealer
change the contents of the tins so tina
when federal officials trouble them the,
find nothing but the stamped variet,
over which they have no jurisdiction
They believe now that the Chimes
Joint owners are keeping their opium
hidden or buried somewhere, and tina
for the daily supply of their places the
take one or two tins from hiding an,
put it into stamped tins in the dop
chambers, thus having nothing but tn
/ stamped article when they are calle
upon bv the federal officials.
If this is true, and they can be mad
to divulge the hiding place of thei
stores, it will be long step fOrwar
for the federal authorities in gettin
further inside information eoncernin
, the workings of the ring.
opium Is Costly.
At the present time opium is wort
$40 tin in Honolulu, the highest pric
it has reached in recent years, an
probably the highest ever, showing tha
the drug is extremely scarce.
; The three men who were gathered
by federal officers yesterday are bein
closely questioned by United State
District Attorney Breckons, and the
will be held for the federal grand jur
investigation.