A Vashon Island Farmer Stumbles on 80 Pounds of Smuggled Opium

A well-planned and nearly successful attempt at smuggling 180 cans, or eighty pounds, of opium into the country from British Columbia was brought to light yesterday by the delivery of the drug at the customs house by an old farmer named J. C. Mace, who found the opium on the beach near his ranch on Vashon Island last Wednesday afternoon about 4 o’clock. An Italian named Grurler was arrested by Inspector F. D. Schuyler in a little sloop near the coal bunkers on suspicion of being a party to the smuggling.

Grurler was taken before Commissioner Emery yesterday afternoon at 2 o’clock for examination and remanded to jail until next Monday morning at 10 o’clock. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and claimed to know nothing whatever about the transaction.

In his testimony Mr. Mace said that on last Wednesday afternoon about 4 o’clock, as he and his son were looking for some drift timber on the beach near his place with which to build a barn, the boy shouted: “Look at that funny box, papa.” Mace went to the spot and found a large package securely bound together and wrapped in an oiled cover or bag. Through one of the corners he could see the edge of a tin, and he immediately came to the conclusion that the bag contained opium. He hurriedly took it up towards his place and hid it under a gooseberry bush. He stated that for several days previous to finding the opium he saw a small sloop answering the description of the one Grurler was arrested in cruising near the beach where the opium was found. This naturally made him suspicious, and he kept a sharp lookout on the prize. Fearing to keep it any longer, he brought it to this city yesterday morning by the steamer Chief, and upon landing immediately telephoned to the customs house and had it conveyed there.

On board the steamer with Mr. Mace was another resident of Vashon Island, L. C. Jones, who recognized Grurler’s sloop as the one that had been cruising about Vashon Island, and upon arriving in the city accompanied Inspector Schuyler in the little tug Mayflower in chase after the sloop, which was overtaken near the Oregon Improvement Company’s coal bunkers.

When arrested, Grurler claimed that he went to Vashon Island for clams and had a sack and a half in his boat at the time of his arrest. Inspector Schuyler is positive that Grurler is one of the “gang” and hopes to effect the arrest of the others in a short time. The opium is valued at about [amount unclear], and Mr. Mace will probably receive a share of the prize. It is the opinion of the customs house officials that the opium was brought over from British Columbia by sloop and thrown overboard with the intention that someone was to follow and pick it up.