Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-11-11

, Shortly after . o'clock yesterday
morning two prohibition agents and
three state policemen took their
posts along the highway leading
through West Grove, which Is near
Wilmington, and about forty miles
from Philadelphia. In fifteen min
utes a limousine, with liveried
chauffeur, rounded the bend where
the authorities were waiting.
A state policeman jumped to the
middle of the road and summoned
the driver to stop. The chauffeur
seeing the uniform of the state con-
stabulary, complied.
Good morning, boss" the chauf.
feur said. want a lift?" He was
told the trooper didn't want to go
anywhere. but merely wanted to
know what the car was doing on the
lonely road at such a late hour.
"Going to Baltimore to get the
Missus." was the reply. "All right,
but who's in the back seat with
you?" the trooper asked.
"Oh! That's buddy of mine."
was the reply.s
The state policeman opened the
door of the car and out rolled a bot
lie of whisky, which smashed at
his feet. The chauffeur did not wait
to see anything more. He 1eaped
over the side of the car and bolted
for the woods, which laid at the
left of the road. The trooper quick
ly brought him to a halt, however,
by splattering the dust around his
feet with bullet.
Men in Four Machines Escape.
Then things started happening
thick and fast. Motor after
, motor car hove into sight. The
/ hno - <~4 thu
cars light ling the heavens from a404
The roar of the motors told them
the drivers were making all the
speed possible. The first machine
| got near the authorities. Another
| trooper stepped into the middle OF
| the highway. An automatic machine
rifle barked. and the dust few to
the side of the trooper. Then start
ed the running battle. Four of the
machines, all of them said to be
equipped with automatic rifles. made
good their getaway.
The occupants of these machines
laid down sort of barrage at the
side of the road, while the others
! attempted to open the accelerator
and speed past the authorities. A
trooper steadied his arm against 4
tree stump and blaZed away at the
tires of the first car. which was q
hundred yards in advance of the
others. His shots tore through the
rear tires and soon the driver was
forced to stop. In doing SO he
blocked the highway. so the cars
in back of him could not pass. In
minute the troopers covered the
men in the automobiles with their
! revolvers. Several of the men tried
| to escape. Four were successful.
One of the prisoners. who, accord
ing to his own story, was on his
first trip. abandoned his expensive
motor by the side of the road and
ran for the wooded strip. He was
arrested several hours later, and
when taken to the directors room
f the West Grove Bank. where the
prisoners were kept over night,
broke down and sobbed.
He told how he had lost all his
| money and he had been given a
chance to make some easy cash by
| merely driving an automobile to
Baltimore. His "buddies' had made
| trip after trip and they never were
arrested. he told the authorities.
Then he suddenly became very quiet
and refused to discuss anything
| more of the affair.
Dupes Authorities. Flees
He asked permission to borrow a
! ..
who was sitting outside of the door,
where state police were stationed.
The request was granted and he
| lighted a cigarette and appeared to
be enjoying the gunplay episode.
Suddenly he darted around the cor
ner of the building and though the
| authorities Immediately started in
search of him, he escaped.
Because of the lack of facilities
for such a number in the West
Grove town Jail. the mep were lock-
ed up in the directors room of the
bank and brought to Philadelphia
Yesterday morning with the seized
liquor.
AS the guards were preparing to
bring the prisoners to Philadelphia
early yesterday morning, nine of the
bootleggers made break for liber-
ty. six of them succeeding, while
three of them surrendered, when
they We're stopped by volley of
shots.
Upon arriving in the federal build
ing in Philadelphia. the men were
arraigned before United States Com
missioner Howard Long. The men
were held in $1,000 bail for further
hearing today at o'clock.
CONTINUED on page 81
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