Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-21
OPIUM SMUCCLER
CAUGHT WITH GOODS
Louis Superior Taken from
Berth in Sleeping Car at New
port, along with 40 Bottles of
Herein Concealed under the
Mattress.

With the arrest in Newport Of Louis
Superior, the United States officials feel
that they have struck another blow at the
opium smuggling business. Superior was
brought to the local Jail Saturday night
by United States Deputy Marshal r. p.
Skinner Of Newport. He was caught with
the goods. which consisted Of 40 bottles Of
heroin which he had attempted to conceal
under the mattress in his berth on a
Boston-bound sleeper. Superior probably
will be tried on a charge of smuggling and
with the admissions which have been
made by him, 1t is evident that he intends
to plead guilty.
Superior. who Is native Of Canada,
admits that he is not working for himself
but that he was under salary at the time
of his arrest. The idea which he gained
from his employers was that IL he made
good in his smuggling endeavors he would
receive ample compensation. This was his
first trip to and from Canada in the
interest Of the opium syndicate.
The heroin was in one ounce bottles and
was done UP in some Montreal newspapers.
The bundle was located near the foot of
his berth. 1t developers from what the
officials have learned that the old route
of going between Montreal and New York
by way of the Delaware & Hudson or the
Rutland railroad has been made too warm
for safety. Superior therefore went into
Montreal over the Delaware & Hudson
and went from Montreal to Quebec and
from that place intended to get into Bos-
| ton and from that city 60 into New York
| over the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford. He was sleeping in the Boston Pull
man car at the time he was taken Off the
train at Newport by Deputy Inspector
Alfred T.. Bishop and his assistants. When
| Superior was arrested, the negro porter
| in the car, H. Snowden. was taken into
| custody with him. Snowden is being held
only as a government witness and no
| charges of crime have been preferred
against him.
| Superior says he is "a years Of age.
He has a wife living in New York city.
He has told the government men that
his ordinary method Of earning a living
| is by selling raincoats. This winter his
| business went bad and he went broke"
At about this time he was approached by
some gentlemen who told him Of the tre-
mendous profits to be made in the opium
smuggling business. He needed the money
and took up the proposition. He declares
that he made very little money on this
| trip. but that he was promised a pretty
lucrative job II he proved to the men
| HlHl tldt Hc COulu DC tTuStcu.
Because Superior is a native of Canada
and citizen Of that country, under ordi-
nary circumstances he would be very
valuable man. He had with him at the
time of his arrest pass which admitted
him to Canada at any time for a mum
Der of weeks. The pass was signed by
a prominent Montreal official. 1t is much
more difficult to get into Canada now
than 1t is to get from Canada into the
United States. and Superior had a pretty
good argument to put forth when it come
to getting from Canada into this country
for he has a wife living in New York
city.
with the arrest of Superior about q
dozen smugglers of opium or it's deriva
tives have been apprehended by the Uni
ted States officials in this district, which
probably has had more prosecutions
along this line than any other district
in the country.