Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-04-01
MAKES A PIKER
OF CAPT. KIDD
Florida Coast Is Infested With
SmuggIers.
TELL TALES OF EXPLOITS

Liquor Running on Vast Scale Is In
Progress-Revenue Officers Have 500
Miles Of Coast to cover-Ain,ost
Every One Of Thousand Islands In
West Indies Group Is Cache for
Liquor-shipped Out and Struggled
Back
Miami is agog today with tales Of
smuggling that bring memories of the
old days when pirates. infested the
West Indies century ago, ran the
gantlet of revenue officers and brought
rich cargOes into Florida.
In every club, hotel, restaurant and
cafe people are discussing thrilling
stories of how Capt. X or Skipper
- slipped through the net Of rev.
cnue cutters and landed with rich
cargo. And as these people talk they
drink.
They drink cargoes that have been
struggled past the federal authorities.
The prohibition amendment didn't
stop the sale of liquor In Florida; it
merely boosted the price.
1t Is not difficult to secure drink
of whisky In Florida. 1t cannot be
said that the stuff Is sold openly, but a
pleasant assurance that you are "all
right" and dollar bill will bring
highball In almost any restaurant.
Sheriff a Wet sympathizer.
In one county the sheriff is supposed
5 to be In league with the liquor run
ners. 1t Is said that this sheriff went
out with some revenue agents, made
an arrest, and left the liquor in charge
of a cOlored man while the smugglers
were being arrested. When they re-
turned the colored man and the liquor
had disappeared.
FLORIDA didn't vote to make this ne
ton dry" said one city official when
asked about the situation.
So all the smugglers have to face 10
an ardent staff of government officers.
These revenue officers have more
Than 500 miles Of coast to cover anil
It Is said that almost every one of the
thousands of islands in the West Indies
group Is cache for liquor. From the
Ten Thousand islands on the west
coast of Florida to the Andres Islands
of Cuba there are little pieces of lana
that are used as headquarters by tho
smugglers.
In Columbus Footsteps.
On Bemini Gays, In Nassau, In the
Bahama islands, even on San 'alva-
dor. where Columbus first landed, ,hers
is whisky. 1t Is purchased from the
states, shipped out, and then Struggled
back.
Last week in Nassau seven shs.S
came to port with cargoes of whisky
bonded whisky from Kentucky anc
Peoria. The cargoes are removed ano
the whisky disappears. Any vessel
that can travel through the gull
stream Is used by the smugglers.
Sometimes the liquor is brought close
to the three-mile limit and then an
chored to buoy to be picked up oJ
fishermen later.
Out. ide Miami there Is aSseries OF
bnoy. marking tho channel. party
of revenue officers went out to change
the markers. Deep In the water, at
tacbed to the buoy. tney discovered q
case If whisky.
Tn Bemini sporting club has been
organized. 1t is called the Bemini Rod
and Gun. club by some, but more often
referred to as the "Forty Rod and Gin
club" 1t takes forty minutes to reach
Bemini from Miami. Small steamers
are chartered daily for the trip. 1t was
In Bemini that Ponce de Leon "discov-
cred" his fountain of youth. The foun-
tain is still flowing.
Whisky can be purchased in Nassau
for II shillings a quart. In Miami
auart of the stuff can be purchased for
so. The country clubs, the cares the
hotels, all sell 10.