River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-02-22
CHAPTER X.
Raid In the Rue St. Claude.

"GY0 PERCEIVED," said NJ. Gas.
kIE ton Max. that owing to the
STseSSA progress Of the work of
VSSYsG5 demolition and owing to the
carelessness of the people in charge
nom dun nom, they were careless,
thOse-I was able from a certain point
to look into a small room fitted up in
a way very curious. There was sort
of bunk somewhat similar to that in a
steamer berth. and the walls were GOV.
cred with paper Of a Chinese pattern
most bizarre. No one was in the room
when | first perceived it. but | had
not been looking in for many moments
before a China man entered and closed
the shutters He was hasty, this one.
"Eh bien! | had seen enough.
perceived that my visit to the house OF
CagliostrO had been dictated by good
little angel. 1t happened that for
many months had been in quest of
the headquarters Of certain group
which knew beyond any tiny doubt
to have its claws deep in Partisan so
ciety. refer to an opium syndicate"
DR.. Cumberly started and seemed
about to speak. but he restrained him.
self. bending forward and awaiting
the detectives next words with even
keener interest than hitherto.
Il had been trying. all vainly. to
trace the source from which the opium
was obtained and the place where 1t
was used. | have devoted much atten-
ton to the subject and have spent
some twelve months in the opium
provinces of China. you understand.
| know how insidiOus thing it is.
this opium and how dreadful a curse
it may become when it gets a hold
upon a community. | was formerly
engaged upon most sensational case
in San Francisco. and the horrors of
the discoveries which we made there
the American police and myself-have
remained with me ever since. Par
dieu! | cannot forget them! There
fore when learned that an organized
attempt was being made to establish
elaborate opium denS upon a most up
to date plan in Paris exerted myself
to the utmost to break up this scheme
in its infancy"
DR.. Cumberly was hanging upon ev-
cry word
Apart from the physical and moral
ruin attendant upon the vice. contin-
ued Max, ''the methods of this particu-
ar organization have brought financial
ruin to many" He shook his finger at
Or. Cumberly as if to emphasize his
certainty upon this point. Il will not
go into particulars now, but there is
1ystem of wholesale robbery-sapristi
Of most ingenious brigandage- being
practiced by this group. Therefore |
congratulated myself upon the inspira-
ton which had led me to mount Cagli-
ostro's staircase. The way in which
these people had conducted their sin
lister trade from so public a spot as
this was really wonderful. but | had
already learned to respect the ingenu-
ity of the group or Of the man at the
head of it, | wasted no time, not |!
We raided the house that evening"
And what did you fnd?" asked DR.
Cumberly eagerly.
I'VE found this establishment elab-
orately fitted and the whole of the tit
tings were American. Eh bien! This
confirmed me in my belief that the
establishment was branch of the
wealthy concern | have mentioned in
| San Francisco. There was also a
branch in New York apparently. We
found six or eight people in the place
in various stages of coma, and | can
not tell you their names because among
them were some well known in the
3est society"
Good heavens. III. Max. you sur