Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-22
OPIUM LETTERS
MAY prove TO BE
ONE Huge HOAX
District Attorney Says No Big
Fight viii Be Made Through
His Department

This office is not going to start a
fight on the so-called opium ring. II
is not going to start a fight against
anything or anybody. Also, it is not
going TO give. ont to any neYspaFerf
any informatien aSto Official blsi1&A
The duties d thiA office viii Ne con.
dueted in order and, as to opium mat.
ters,. such raids will be made as in
formation warrants
Making the foregoing statement.
United States District Attorney Jeff
McCarnh this morning outlined the
status Of the opium situation as 1t
appears toshis office. According to Mr..
McCarn, there is nothing of a startling
nature connected with the opium raids
which have tPeen made recently by
the marshal and his deputies -.
That the fedegal grand bury will NOT
be called into session until sometime
early next month"; and that. there will
be but little workAfor the tribunal at
that time, is the Information which
has been given the Star Bulletin by
the district attorney. This statement
was made in reply to 4 question as to
whether he intends calling special
session of the jury to Investigate the
opium ring which is said ITO pc in ex-
istence in Honolulu, ana the three let
tiers which it is alleged the marshal
secured in a recent raid on an opium
den, and which are said to incriminate
several "higher-ups" in territorial or
federal circles. 1t was reported this
morning that Mr.. McCarn would soon
call a special session of the federal
grand jury for this purpose. I
= Il have made no statement that I
would call a special session of the
grand jury to investigate opium mat
tiers" says the district attorney. Such
"a thought has never entered my mind"
1t further has been reported that
the marshal has turned the alleged in.
eliminating letters over to the district
attorney, but, Mr. McCarn declined to
discuss the matter today. He said
that he did not intend to give out
for publication any matters pertaining
to the official business of HIS office,
and; although watching closely the
movements of the narshalss office, and
directing them to a great extent, Mr..
opium situation and the plans, IL any,
which the district attorneys office has
In mind toward striking fiAal blow
at the alleged ring .@ts,.s a:...
According to statements which have
been made in federal circles, Mr. Nc
earn is acting cautiously in the opium
matter, and intends TO make no vital
move until he Is sure of his evidence.
The marshal also Is noncommittal re-
garding the letters and the opium sit
uation in general. Late yesterday aft
ernoon he quietly raided joss house
in River street near Vineyard and Ku-
kui, and arrested Chan Man Noon.
This makes the sixth raid to be con-
Quoted by the marshall and his depu-
ties within the past two weeks, and,
as y result, another quantity of opium
snok King paraphernalla has been adde1
to the aiready large pile i'm the mar
shal.s private, Otnce. simultaneously
with these raids, it is reported that
the price Of smoking opium mas risen
from $lz5 to $3.50 a pound within the
past two weeks.
The interest," which was aroused
when it was annoirnceds that the mar.
snail had scared sthree incriminating
letters in recent meteorological to be
written on government. paper and sign.
cd by certain tederal Oh territorial or
hciaIs- appears to be dying out as
lapidiy as 1t was given nlrtn. SIX Oh
ficials in federal offices, when inter-
viewed today, stated that. IN tneir pc
lief, the letter propos4tlon IS hoax
TO Irlguten CERTAIN ipeopIe who may
be under suspicion by the marsnal $
Ur the dlstEiel attorneys office.
Attorneys ana otner ofnclaIs, who
have been watching the opium ralus
with some interest, declare tnat they
would like to see the "DomD' drop |
ped, If there is any bomb On tl..
Dtner hann, the marshal IS Deing criti- |
cized tor having gwen out Information
his a.iesed possession OF tue |
three letters without first having |
placed the matter in the hands of theI
district attorney. 80