New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
i. S. to Seize
Whisky Cargo
OF Yarmouth
Shevlin Forbids Sailing of
Liquor-Laden Ship Char.
tered by Negroes; WILDE.
gin Unloading Her To-day
Owners Appeal to Court
Want Injunction Against
Interference; Revolvers
Issued to All Rum Raiders

For weary hours yesterday after
noon Captain Joshua Cockburn, the
gallant skipper of the "booze ship"
Yarmouth, fingered around the Offices
of James S. Shevlin Prohibition En-
sorcement Commissioner, on the fifth
floor of the Custom House. Lending
moral support to Cap'n Joshua were
Marcus Garvey, negro president and
promoter of the Black Star Line; Ed
ward ID. Smith Green, secretary of the
line, and an assorted collection of
black mates. engineers and pursers
The issue was the ultimate fate of the
cargo of whisky and wines carried by
the Yarmouth.
At 4:3O O'Clock f. B. Prettyman.
solicitor of the department, arrived
from conference with the United
States Attorney. He whispered into
Mr.. Shevlins ear, and the enforce
ment officer, who had been passing
the time by trying on new hat, de-
livered his ultimatum.
U. S. Agent Forbids Sailing
Captain he said, you cannot sail
That's ali there is to say"
Wherupon Cap'n Joshua departed
muttering strange seafaring senti-
ments and traied by his comets tail
OF advisors and moral supporters.
counsel for the North American
Steamship Corporation, which owns
the Yarmouth. and had chartered the
vessel to the Black Star Line, became
actively involved in the case. Mr.
Healy fastened away in search of an
injunction which will prohibit the
prohibition officers from interfering
with the ship or her cargo
On behalf of Mr.. Shevlin, it was
stated BY John j. Quigley,. assistant
enforcement chief. that the Yarmouth's
cargo of liquid wealth, which is valued
at SA,000,000, would be seized to-mor-
row morning by the Internal Revenue
Department agents, pending a decision
as to the status of the ship. The af-
fair thus developed into d race be-
tween the revenue men and the owners
injunction, provided the latter is
granted. to-day.
Whisky Raiders To Go Armed
1t may have been just coincidence.
but it is undenable that yesterday
afternoon, while Cap'n Joshua and
his encourage were pacing the corri-
doris, gang of expressmen loaded
Tour cases into Mr., Shevlin's office,
which, when opened disclosed to view
-
1917 models, with plenty Of ammuni-
tlon' 1t was admitted that these were
tor the purpose of suitably arming
Mr.. Shevlin's squads of rum raiders.
The Ordnance Department supplied
the weapons, and MIR. Shevlin casually
remarked that a successful revenue
agent in the future would have to pass
severe test in revolver marksman-
snip.
The career of the Yarmouth, which
now promises unusual complications,
has been varied. The Black Star Line
is recently organized corporation
nnanced exclusively by negroes, most of
them residents of New York The leas-
ing of the Yarmouth from the North
American Steamship Corporation was
the first venture of the company. Her
load of 21,9l9 cases of whisky, bottled
in bond, 800 cases of champagne and
$50 barrels Of wine was hastily taken in
on January 5. She started for Havana,
where. according to the captain, her
cargo was consigned to wealthy Ameri-
cans, just as the Eighteenth Amend
ment became law.
OFF Cape May the Yarmouth sprang
a leak. and 800 cases of her precious
freight was thrown overheard so that
sne might be saved from laundering
She put back to New York and was tied
up idSt WEEK pl hcQ IlOOk IIaCS Tor
repairs. While there revenue agents
seized several cases of whisky, which
it was alleged were being smuggled
from the ship and supplied to speak
easies" and "blind pigs" in Brooklyn
and Manhattan.
Liquor Found on Deck
Yesterday she moved to an anchorage
off the foot Of West Eightieth Street
to coal guard of twelve revenue
agents was placed on board. and an
examination revealed fourteen cases of
whisky on the ships upper deck Cap
tain Cockburn said that this liquor had
been temporarily removed from the
hold to make room for a passengers
baggage.
Superintendent Shcvlin's men an
gin to unload the Yarmouth's cargo this
morning and would place it in bonded
warehouses, pending the courts de-
cision as to it's status.
Having thus disposed of the Var
mouth for the present at least, Mr.
Shevlin seized his new hat and departed
for New Haven and Hartford, Conn.
and Providence, R. T. His trip is an
inspection and organization tour, and
IN his absence Assistant Supervisor
Qulgley viii have charge of the New
York activities of the department.
= A fine OF $50 was assessed yesterday
by Judge Learned Hand in the United
States District Court against Regina
Ohringer, 1879 Simpson Street. Rronx.
who was charged with transporting
twenty gallons of liquor without having
q permit on JauuarT 25.
Bail of $500 in Three Cases
George Lee, who kept saloon at 116
West Fifty-thrd Street, was arraigned
before United States Commissioner
Samuel NJ. Hitchcock and held in $500
ball on charge of having liquor in
his possession. Anthony Traficant and
Sabatino Marticco, proprietor and bar
East Kngbridge Road, were held in
similar amounts by Commissioner
hitchcock on similar charges. All three
waived examination.
Fire Commissioner brennan made
public his reply to letter addressed
to him by "The Christian Science Moni-
tor" requesting him to give HIS opinion
on the effect of prohibition on the New
York Fire Department. The Commis
sioner's reply stated that New York
firemen have been extremely moderate
drinkers and that no substantial bene-
TT has been observed as a result of pro
hi5ition. He added that "a drink of
whisky or like stimulant is an excel
lent preventative against colds, pneu-
monia, exc, when taken by a man
chilled and half-fYozen by hours of ex-