The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-05-17
CUSTOMSEINENAREa
Held BY MARSHAL
Are Taken Into Custody In Con
neCtion With Investigation Of
Great Opium Conspiracy

~ %asa I. \ & .--------' "a 38 tpHl !
A sensational development in the ex.
posture by naval intelligence officers Of
the gigantic opium hui which has
agents and leaders in Honolulu, the
Orient, Mexico and San Francisco,--<
knowledge Of which was first made pub
lie by arrests made here and on the
Coast last Friday and Saturday--came
yesterday when two Honolulu customs
inspectors and an immigration watch
man were taken into custody and held
for Investigation by United States Mar.
shall J. ]. Smiddy.
William A. Cottrell and James Ka.
lama, customs inspectors, and Manuel
Spencer, immigration Waterman, were
the three men taken into federal Gus
tody, questioned and afterwards book.
ed az the Honolulu police station. Man
usl Medeiros, another customs inspect
or, was examined by the naval intelli-
gence officers and the district attorney
az the same time as were the others
but he was released and not held In
custody. sM T.. g..
No charges have been placed against
| the three federal employees and District
Attorney s. G. Huber said last night
that the men were held merely for in
| vesti cation as had been the case with
| ly Orientals, who have been questioned
by the officials since the opium probe
began here nearly two months ago.
Men Deny Guilt So.
He said that evidence warranting the
L a -. -
ors and immigration Waterman had
been gained by the government men
but would not say whether or not
charges would be placed against any
or all Of those who were held in Gus
tody yesterday. He said the three mel
had made denial of any implication il
the conspiracy to import opium int
Hawaii in large quantities, but added
that they also were known to have de
MED facts of which the federal .authori
ties had absolute, proof. The distric
attorney was careful to emphasize tina
Inspector Medeiros had not been hell
by the federal authorities,
Marshal Smiddy also explained yes
terday evening that Inspector Medeiro
had not been held in custody after h
was questioned.
Medeiros Makes Statement
In voluntary statement to The Ad
vertiser, Inspector Medeiros seemed T.
think his questioning yesterday by tn
naval intelligence officers was becaus
he had been seen "listening to tn
bandn near the Aerodome Theater,
week ago last Monday evening. II
said that at this time he was in tn
company of Henry E. silva, a brothe
of the deputy United States marsha
and that after short stay near tn
, theater he went to his home in tn
! Punehbowl district. So
Another possible reason he volunteer
, ed IS an explanation for being quei
tioned was that he was known to b
l Livery friendly with Kalama and 90
. He denied all guilty knowledge O
any methods used to get opium ashor
in Honolulu and said he knew of n
violations of the law by the other il
speetors or the immigration watchmal
Medeiros says he knows Of no connet
ltion between his presence near the Al
lrodome theater on the night he mel
toned and his questioning yesterda
unless IL was because of a report mad
l. by secret service men shadOwing hi
and the others.
Searches Were Blind
So long as the customs inspectors an
| Immigration Waterman are detaine
! and not charged no details of the gu
| picion which has been directed towart
l. them can be ascertained for public
| ton.
| However, it is known knowledl
came to the naval intelligence office
| during their investigation Of the opiu
| ring that certain Honolulu customs i
. spectors were alleged to be permittil
smugglers to carry ashore tins of Opiu
concealed in their clothing as they lie
the Oriental steamers.
A. While the customary search W
9. made of the smugglers while leavil
= The ships the searches we're only bin
Is. to keep other inspectors not in the Ri
70 from discovering the dope, it W
= charged in this governmental inform
ID tion.
7, Twenty dollars a tin was said to
y the sum paid the inspectors in t
Il. opium conspiracy for their assistant
.. Both inspectors Cottrel and KalaI
" are well liked by their fellow employ
u, who expressed a belief yesterday tn
u neither of them would be found to
~ criminaly involved. Cottren as
- swimming instructor and member
%, the Hui Nalus has large acquaintan
y, among the followers of water sport
ng Honolulu.
ka Peter Caesar, another immigrant
~ ro Waterman, who was taken into custo
d. late last week for investigation in e.
7. nection with the operations Of
H. opium smugglers has since been
leased.
Joe Kubey, arrested here on Co
nv warrant, as a result Of the expose
x, the gigantic nature of the opium ri
m, has been released after furnishing
~ bond of $4,000.