The New York herald., 1921-08-14
RUM HUNT REVEALS
SMUGCLED CHINESE
Twenty-six Celestials Taken
From British Steamship
Bowes Castle.
ARE WEAK FROM HUNGER
Live in Hold Three Months on
Small Quantity Of Rice and
Trapped Rats.
ARE WEAK FROM HUNGER

Twenty-six Chinese stowaways. Gev-
eral SO weak from lack of food that
they had to be carried on strctchers
were removed to Ellis Island yester-
day from the British steamship Bowes
Castle, and II is believed that when a
thorough examination of the ship is
made several others may be found
They had had nothing to eat since
except few handfuls of rice, and some
were found to have caught and eaten
rats in the ships hold. Twenty-Five
were slowed In a water tank, two were
found in a crows nest and two others
lined up with the engine room crew
when the inspectors checked these mer
over.
The stowaways declared they hac
paid their passage to a Chinese ir
Hong Kong, and that the engine room
crew knew of their presence. though
the deck officers were ignorant Of 1T
They we're loaded on board the steam.
ship In Singapore and were forced tc
keep below decks and hidden in ode
corners. What little food they got wa
furnished by a member Of the engine
room crew.
The stowawf Us were found by Gus
toms inspectors looking for liquor and
smuggIed goods after the ships arrival
at Pier 4, Staten Island. Inspector Chris
tian Schmidt was looking along the en-
gins room floor on the port side of the
vessel when he found a manhole cover
that was loose. He lifted the cover and
slipped into the water tank. looking fol
liquor. The tank was but two feet ceeI
and very dark. and II was moment
or so before Schmidt was aware thai
the tank was Inhabited. Then he 5av
a pair OF cleaning eyeballs. and glanc-
ing around gradually made out tht
forms of others. He crawled out or tht
tank and ordered the men TO como out
So weak that they could hardly sand
twenty-five Chinese came out. They
had been hiding there sincs 4 ocloca
yesterday morning. according TO the ac-
counts they gave. During their three
months voyage they had been in Goa
bankers. the shaft alley. holds and dou-
bic bottoms. being shifted from place T.
place and scarcely ever getting breath
of fresh air AS soon as Customs In
spector Hokenson learned OF the f!nc
he sent cal for the police. and Marine
INSPECTOR Hallack and the police boa'
John +. Hylan went over to aid. The
police transferred the twonty-six n1ef
found to the police launch and took them
to Ellis Island.
Inspector Hokenson declared his be-
lief that there were more stowaways
about the ship and a Close guard was
placed upon her to prevent anyone leav-
ing. Most OF the crew are Chinese. In
addition to the stowaways. the searchers
found sixteen cases of whiskey and sew
eral opium lamps. A new search will
be made to-day for stowaways and
opium. 1t Is thought possible that sev-
eral stowaways may have died during
the voyage. All the men taken Off were
greatly emaciated and their hands and
feet were swollen.
Chong Quong, said to be the foreman
OF the Chinese members OF the crew
was taken into custody by the inspectors
for questioning on Monday.
The Bowes Castle Is operated by the
Bowes Castle Steamship Company, Tor
which Barber & Co. l. Battery place,
are local agents.