The San Francisco call., 1913-08-31
NE " SURVEYOR
BARES DRUG RING
IN 4 DAY HUNT
Woeful Inefhciency Shown
in Port Force, Says War
dell, Exposing Plot to
Bring in Opium
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fenses. Their cases are now being in
vestigated.
we have the goods on all the men
arrested. Some have confessed and
aill turn states evidence AS mat
ter OF fact, we expect that all Of the
customs men under arrest will turn
out to be witnesses for the govern
ment-confess, you understand"
| CHINESE RING LEADERS
The three Chinese for whom war
rants were issued are. according to
Surveyor Wardell. among the ring
leaders of the smugglers.
"The opium smugglers had regu-
lar cabal," he said. 'sThey met fire.
quently at the houses OF the members.
Whenever one of the conspirators was
| arrested, as several of them were at
times. the others would furnish bail
for him. We know that they had fire.
quent quarrels as to the amount of
bail money that each should put UP.
They went further than that: they
threatened with death any member of
the ring who should expose the work
ings of the gang or confess to being
implicated in the smuggling of opium.
The boldness of the smugglers
was almost incredible. We know now
that every one of the customs men
under arrest not only carried opium
off ships and turned 1t over to other
persons on the wharves. but even
went SO far as to take 1t up to China-
town and deliver 1t to the Chinese
opium dealers.
GRAFT ENOUGH TO RETIRE
Some customs men made so much
money out OF the smuggling of opium
that they We're able to retire from the
service. ! know of one man who got
between $4,000 and $4,000. That
means that he must have smuggled
ashore not less than 100000 worth Of
opiu Another man, according TO evil
dence we have, brought in 100000
$4,000 to $4,000 worth of opium each.
'sThe customs men were paid so
much tin for all the opium they
smuggled in. The amount they re-
ceived varied according to the DIM
Guilty at the time of getting the stuff
off the boats. The price started at
$4 a tin, but as il became more diff
cult to smuggle the opium in the
price advanced to SIS. then 10 s6
Some of the men got as much as $40
a tin for each tin they brought ashore,
and we know of one man who got as
high as s25 a tin. but ha dealt a.
rectly with the opium consumers.
This man is not yet under arrest,
but we hope to get him"
Ellison. formerly a customs guard.
but who resigned from the service
about August, was supposed last
night to be in Oakland, though he
lives in Marin county.
MILLER ARREST GAVE CLEws
| Miller, who was arrested last night,
was sent to San Francisco by Presi-
dent Taft. who specially requested
service. He is already under indict-
ment for opium smuggling, having
been arrested July g. 1t was his ar
rest at that time that developed the
clews upon which WardelI and It'd
well worked. These clews were
turned over to Wardell by Deputy
| Surveyor Stephens, who had carefully
worked them up.
wardell and Tidwell started their
investigation about four days ago.
Yesterday was payday, and each Of
the customs men went to the office to
get his money. Each was invited to
the surveyors office and there was
placed under guard of Inspectors
eHad and Snloe. Before that. how
ever, about four days ago, some of
the men had been brought into the
| office and questioned. and 1t is known
! that at least three of them have con-
fessed their own part in the con-
spiracy and told of the completely Of
their associates.
AS soon as the men reached the sur
veyor's office, they were stripped of
| their badges and buttons.
Neither wardell nor Tidwell would
discuss the porobality of completely of
men higher up In the service.
MORE OPIUM DUE TODAY
Meantime. 1t Is expected that large
shipment of opium will reach here at
10 O'Clock this morning on the steam
ship Manchuria. And both Surveyor
Wardell and Special Agent Tidwell
will personally superintend thor
ough search of the vessel.
Surveyor WardeIl said he believes
that every China steamer that reaches
this port brings shipment Of opium.
But, he says, he intends to put stop
to 1t at once.
or the men arrested, all except Nc
Kenna. McGrath and Tai were able to
give bonds. These were fixed at
$4,000 for each of the men except
Joseph. Reay and McGeough, who
were held under bonds Of only $500
each as detained witnesses" 1t Is
expected that the government will
use them to prove the guilt of their
companions and that they either VIII