The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-12-22
Damaging Letters Recovered in
Raid by Marshal Smiddy Are
Turned Over to Prosecutor
SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
STARTLE OFFICIAL CIRCLES
Another Opium Joint Is Broken
Up and Ringsters Become
Highly Agitated


Around the federal building thert
was an air Of repressed excitement yes.
terday following the sensational news
given publication in. the Advertiser, of
Marshal .. J. smiddy's discovery Of
letters, which are said to implicate at
least one high government official in
the opium traffic here -a
These Iettcrs- three in number--were
turned over to tho United States dis
trict attorney yesterday morning, IL was
learned, ana within n short time Ihe
grand jury Is to be summoned TO take
up the case, which promises TO be pro-
life Of sensations.
The district attorney, IL was learned,
wotldnhave called the grand jury to,
gather yesterday afternoon, had he not
wished to get ''two more bits Of esi,
denee before going further in the,
case. a1sll
Marshal Raids Another Den
Marshal Smiddy did not wish TO dis.
cuss the case yesterday. He disa,s
peared from the Office late in the after
noon with Deputy Marshal Harris, and
the next heard from them they were
returning from another opium raid
which was made on the little Joss house
on River, between Vineyard and Ku-
kui streets. They arrested Chan Man
Noon, who was found with twelve shells
of opium in his possession.
When the marshal finished his search
through the joss house he had, found
twenty three shells Of opium, several
horn walls Of the contraband, quantity
0f yen shee, apipes, lamps, needles, and
vtaer things needed in smoking the
drug. -s,s, 80
They broke into the place when Ii
was still daylight. Two Cinnamon were
found, Chan and another. The latter
was not arrested, there beng no war
rant rant for him. Chan YgA taken to the
The raid yesterday adds one more
exhibit to the many noWlin. Smid.
dy' private office. There is a small
fortune in opium in that office, not to
take in consideration the value of the
pirts ,and the rest Of the e1rfpihent OF
the s.hop smoker.
Raids Boost Opium Market 4
The opium market has taken fight
upward. This fight begapswith the
marshal s first raid, and tie contra
band islstill on the ascent M was said
yesterday to be selling at $3.50 pound,
sl25 in excess Of what II was two weeks
ago.
The name Of the ihformer-thr
leak '-who Is giving the officials the
location Of the Opium dens is being kept
a strict secret. Smiddy has made all
his raids armed with warrants sworn TO
by the district attorney or his deputy.
Itwas on one Of the FIVE raids made
by him and his deputy that the three
letters were found They were taken
from Chinese proprietor Of den, and
according to what information has been
given out, at least one official is in.
eliminated by them. M
The letters, admitted the Marshal,
Sunday, were written on government
Zig Sensation Created .
IL has been many day since o sen
sation sleh as the one Of yesterday has
caused such general interest over the
city. The whole town seemed TO be on
the qui vive.
RuIRors were many and conflicting.
Bnt they did not clear up the mystery
or reveal the official, the supposed au-
thor Of the three letters. q
1t was stated yesterday by one in a
position to know, that the official stands
at the head of an important department
Of the Territorial or federal govern.
mont. But his identity could not be
learned. -
The district attorney was presumably
out yesterday looking for the two bits
Of evidence needed before sptinging
the bomb, Anyway, he was at his Of.
fee but a short time. This bomb pro-
misses to strike all the ringleaders OF
the opium ring, Including the official
and to beaa sensation Of Unprecedented
magnitude bore.