The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-10-13

| Two DAYS later the three men Wer>
aboard fruit and passenger steamer
at Port Antonio, bound for Philadel
phia- Beneath the mattress of each
mans bunk were twenty cans oil
opium.
"All you have to do" elaborated the
smuggler. lis to open up your bag
gage for inspection as you approach
the port The inspectors go through
1t but never do such . thing n lool
beQeath the mattress. When they
have gone you take the opium out
from Its hiding place and put 1t into
your baggage, which had already been
inspected. Then It goes ashore"
But" insisted the special agent, rs
not your stun examined sgain on the
wharf,"
This system would not work." Pc.
terson explained. III you were landing
at New York. There the baggage Ia
examined In the staterooms and again
on the pier, as the passengers come
ashore. But in Philadelphia there Ia
but the one examination, which takes
place In the stateroom."
but Is there not a pretty good
chance that the inspector may some.
time look under the mattress?" Gard
asked.
There is the barest possibility" as
sented the smuggler 1--WE have been
taking it in this way for years, AMI 1t
has never been found But IL it is
discovered, We have but to look inno-
cent. 1t cannot be proven that we are
responsible for it's presence. 1t might
be the steward"
The three came into Philadelphia,
and passed the customs officials as the
smugglers had prophesied, without q
hitch. They went to their hotel, and
there found themselves each the pos
SCISSOR of twenty cans OF opium, for
which they had paid Ave dollars and
for which, Peterson said, they were to
receive $3.50. This was the part OF
the transaction that was yet to be
demonstrated.
1--WE will do but little business In
Philadelphia" said Peterson, lust to
show that 1t can be done"
They took ten cans of the opium to
a Chinaman In Arch street, with
whom Peterson was acquainted. Yes,
this man would buy opium. The price
for the same grade was the same as
before, $3.50. He could use all he
could get He would be glad to take
ten cans. The profit on these ten cans
was 1925.
1--WE could have sold him Z hundred
cans as easily. with ten times the
profit" said Peterson.
In New York the smugglefs called
upon a Doctor Yen, in Pell street, one
of the important men TN Chinatown.
He stated that he was able to buy
opium at $3.50. The smuEg1ers in
sisted on $500 After much hA4sling
20 cans were sold at $3.50 Here was
a profit Of $40
But Doctor Yen was to be counseled
on much more important matter.
He was to be told of the proposal to
purchase boat for the opium traffic.
He was to be asked to guarantee the
purchase of large amounts of opium.
The old Chinaman became greatly
excited. He ran to his safe and came
back with $4,000 In currency. He
was willing to put up this money for
its value in opium at $3.50 a can as
soon as delivered. When that was
gone there would be other money. He
alone would make the owners OF the
boat rich
In Boston was the actual headquar-
tiers Of Peterson and Flavot. A Jew
by the name of Ferren was their finan-
cial hacker. 1t was Ferren who had
put them into the business. When
Ferren was told of the proposed en-
terprise he would not at first listen to
1t. He would have to be shown that
this Mr.. Gard was ON the level.
There we're too many eyes watching
for opium.
Peterson told of the credentials, and
finally succeeded in convincing him
that Gard was what he purported to
be and, gaining confidence as the plan
developed, the Jew finally became en-
thusiastic. In the end he Wed with
Doctor Yen in his anxiety to purchase
unlimited opium.
Gradually Gard granted that he was
convinced of the feasibility OF the
scheme, II he were shown the posi-
bilty Of getting the schooner into the
states. 1t was at this point that he
was introduced to one Captain Bailey,
who had. some years before, figured in
a ry sensational attempt at the in
PRODUCTION Of Cinnamon from Canada
and their landing at New Haven.
Bailey had been caught, had served a
term in prison, and, since his liberia
ton, was running a fish stand in Bos-
ton market
But Bailey knew all the coves In the
Atlantic and the gulf into which
boat might put. He knew every
dock where she might tie up, and the
time that must pass thereafter before
1T would be safe to put his men
ashore. Operating from Jamaica there
was none of the danger into which he
had run In bringing Orientals from
Canada.
Eventually the papers were drawn,
setting forth conditions under which
all these men entered into mariner