The New York herald., 1922-04-03
Came Here Eight Years Ago
From High School in
Middle West.
DRUGS UNDER TRAP DOOR
Pipe and Lamp Under a Table
Lead to Discovery of Secret
Entry.

Mrs. Mary Babe Chu, few years
ago schoolgirl in a middle Western
town, and Chom Chu, her Chinese
husband. yesterday were held in 1900
bail by Magistrate Thomas F. Mean
drews on a charge of violating the
anti-narcotic law.
The charge followed a raid on TIE
apartment of Chom Chu at IL Pell
street, in thet heart of Chinatown, at
o'clock yesterday morning, when de-
tectives allege they discovered thou
sands of dollars worth of opium and
smoking outfits hidden in the floors,
as well as about 100000 worth of furs
and skins. The pair will come up for
hearing tomorrow.
No more mysterious romance has
come out of Chinatown in years than
that of the American girl and her
Chinese husband, according to tie de-
, tectives. The details have not yet
been traced, further than that the
girl, who is "a years DID, told the de-
tectives her maiden name was Butler
and that she Is wealthy.
Among other properties ,.le said she
owns a large house on Scyenty-second
street. near Broadway. SIZE appeared
IN court arrayed in a mink coat, silks
and much jewelry. She said the coat
cost $1,100. The girls services as a
mediator among Chinese tave won her
the name of the Queen If Chinatown"
Introduced by Missionary.
Detectives learned further that the
girls love for her husband is such that
she preferred to forsake her American
friends and live with him in Chinatown
rather than be embarrassed and have
him embarrassed by the curiosity OF
American neighbors.
Mrs. Chu refused to say where her
home town is further thar "the middle
West" or to tell who her parents are.
She said that she came 70 New York
at the age of sixteen. after she had
finished high school. Here she met
missionary. who introduced her to
Chom Chu. That was about six years,
ago. The Chus have daughter years
old, who is being broug'. up in an
uptown house.
The raid upon Chom Chu's apartment
was made by Detective Sergeant Bar
ney Boylan and Detectives Frank
Quigiey and Frank SpotEe of the staff
of Dr. Carleton Simon, special Deputy
Police Commissioner In charge OF mar
c5tics. DR.. Simon said no thought the
raid hit the distributing center of the
section. The detectives said their at
tention had been attracted to the Pell
street address by the frequency of mid
night and early morning visits by well
dressed persons. many apparently
actresses, who were not Of the China
town section. They also learned that
those visitors were obtaining entrance
10 the Chu apartment by tapping pre-
scribed signal upon the door.
Early yesterday. they said. they
visited the apartment and tried the
signal. 1t worked. The detectives
we're ushered into the apartment by
Mrs. Chu. a search failed to reveal
any drugs, and the detectives turned
their attention TO an adjoining apart
ment Mrs. Chu explained that they
had rented t'sat apartment to Chinese
who had gone away and asked them to
look after his furnishings and other
property In the apartment until his
return. She knew nothing of the con-
tents OF the apartment. sne said.
Trap Door Found.
when they discovered an opium pipe and
lamp under the leg OF table. Thus
encouraged they renewed the search.
One detective found that a heavy vel
vet curtain In a corner OF a room was
reeking with the odor of vinegar. Be
hind the curtain he found q bunk.
Soaking a curtain In vinegar is trick
sometimes used. he said. to prevent
fumes OF opium from permcating spaces
cut off by the curtain.
Under great tiger skin rug. the
detectives said. they found trap door.
Under the trap door. they said. they
found 1000 toys Of opium. several cans
Of prepared opium and numerous pipes
and lamps.
Chom Chu also protested his igno-
rance OF the presence OF The contrabanu.
Mrs. Chu was locked TIP at Charles
street station, and Chu was held at
Police Headquarters. Both were re-
leased on bail I'm the afternoon.