A Bold Conspiracy Unmasked An amazing opium smuggling incident has been brought to light, states a local. Japanese contemporary, through the arrest in Tsingtao of several Japanese by the military administration.
A number of Chinese and Japanese aye said to have been implicate ed and the police are now making efforts to arrest certain Chinese who are alleged to be the ringleaders of the gang.
It is stated that as a result of a chance meeting on board a steamer proceeding from Japan to Shanghai last year two Chinese concocted plans to smuggle 100 boxes of opium, worth $1,500,000, into Shanghai. Upon their arrival here, they discussed their scheme with other Chinese and Japanese, who decided that it should be\ carried out.
As a result-one of the Japanese succeeded in smuggling to Shanghai some 55 boxes without arouse ing the suspicions of the Custéins officials. © He then evidently thought he would be able to make off with the other 45° boxes, valued at $650,000, ahd keep the money for himself. These he took to Tsingtao, hoping to be quite as successful there as he was with his Shanghai venture. The Japanese military authorities there were, however, more fortunate. The man was arrested and the opium confiscated. A full -confession was made to the authorities with the result that many of the conspirators were arrested, while efforts are being made to apprehend the others. funds and individual gifts from certain wealthy nobles were made."
Noble Charles Kliene toasted the "First Shrine Class in China."
Don D. Patterson gave a toast to "The Ladies" and Assistant Rab-ban Chas. M. Sherman talked on "Freemasonry and the Shrine' in which he brought out that Shrine-dom had no connexion whatever with masonry except that the latter was a prerequisite to the former order. When the body was formed it was desired that only the finest men should~ apply for membership) and in order to accomplish this purpose best it was made necessary for the applicant to have attained the 32nd degree in Masonry or to be a Knight Templar. Speeches were also delivered by Past Illustrious Potentate E. B. King on "Individualism" and Rev. John R. Hykes, p.p. maddle a speech that went to the hearts of all those assembled in which he said that he knew all of the new class to be initiated and stood ready to help them in any way what he could.
Last Friday was the occasion of a fina] farewell to the party of representatives from the Afifi Temple, Tacoma, when a dinner and dance was given at the Astor House.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.