The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-27
Booze
One Years Income
Booze Runners Profit
Hoio DO They Get IL
Reporter Tries to Learn
ny RALPH ]. BENJAMIN

Reporter Tries to Learn |
BY RALPH J. BENJAMIN
VANCOUVER. n. c. Dec. s7.--I
found a booze. runner--onc OF the
many who deal in big shipments into
tho states. lie asked me 10 give his
| respects to some of his old friends In
| Seattle and Tacoma. and then he
kehanEed his mind and asked me not
Hne-5o anything OF the kind.
nding booxe-runner In Nancou.
Is as hard as locating a thirsty
h In Seattle or Tacoma
This man was in his cups-if you
<how what | mean. lilo often gets
that way.
l found him IN hotel wher,
! there's iinoleum instead OF tile on
the lobby floor and a huge brlSs
spittoon II a necessary and popular
article OF furniture ! had seen him
many times In Seattle. lie Is an old
police character. In fact. l think the
federal prohibition agents have heard
of hum and crave to interview him.
The Last quart he had taken In
= warily made him bubble with
I Christmas spirit l told him l was
from Seattle.
"You're 'Merican.- he spiuttered.
Glad q see yuh- Here. les have
: little drink
II wasn't beer.
CLAIMS HE MADE
xeo.0oe IN YEAR
Then he told me about it. He may
have been chatting me--excuse my
British. piease-but doubt u
Il mace $4,000 tins year In iiq'r
kIsiness." he announced. n amt
49, caught yet. Maybe thcy'n set
rne some dny. Maybe not. How do
XIret III That's easy. Easy.
\ &-'Csettin' IL cross the flne's kind OF
/ touEh sometimes. Have to wait
q MOUND and take a chance. Don't 20
ear thru 10 Seattle. Too RISKY. sell
= mother gang on the other side
Ut them take the risk OF getting II
kru- on, yes. did make trip or
~ down the line. but IL amt safe
4
 you know the ropes. ! get the
. Nuff across
-Do you split with the customs
o6fters7" I asked.
mot ma-' he said Don't have 10.
Too risky. Never can depend on 'cm.
Maybe itIl get too hot. and they'll
take your money and run you In. too.
lis been done, Some OF tho boys
..f<isd a. / guess some Of the boys
ybe pass over a little paper now
"a then. but 1 don't know nothin'
4 bout n. I'm honest about it, don't
n rribe no American officers"
k He paused and sampled tho quart
4{ in. Tins urne he neglected his
Afhcrfcan courtesy.
n swhat you dom up hercy" he
asked me.
ron, I'm just looking around"
fold him. When I met him ! told
hi-n i was a newspaper reporter.
'NnN.I>G TO FIX
BENJAMIN Up
GO ahead and make a good story
outa this~' he laughed. and slapped
rur on the shoulder. Don't write my
name up. I don't want no publicity,
Got too many friends now"
Three Of his friends walked into
the room. They eyed me for a min
ute. One asked a question behind
his hand. My big friend h~sitated al
FIRST. then asked me:
SAY. you wanta get some across7'
Believe me or not. ] didn't But
said I did.
Got some goin' over maybe to
nixht. I can fix IL for you. No trou
ble. Can have the boys on the other
side send case or two up to your
aouse. Can you handle a couple
cases Of SCOTCH"
No, didn't want any Scotch
Lots OF Scotch In Seattle now"
told him.
How about some Three Star
Hennesscy7" | inquired. Before
1 left Seattle a friend asked me TO find
. out IL they still made any by that
name
.Havep't got any now the boozs
runner told me. TOO expensive for
1erdinary trade. Can get some II
HnnGsnt 'er. How soon could we get
II, Joe7'
A slender fellow who probably
knows all the native songs Of Venice
denied having any information. He
i had been suspicious Of me ever since
! he entered the room.
4 COST sis IN u. G.;
$50 IN SEATTLE
"What dess 81 cost7'' I asked.
NJ .rrrnd pulled printed sheet OF