The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-04-28
COAST
FORUM SHIP
Revenue Cutters Sweep All Out.
lets for Mysterious Snug
Cling Craft.

vessel ai0nR the Atlanuc coast COuay
is on the lookout for a two masted
schooner which on Sunday night dis
charged cargo Of contraband whis-
key at Benedict, Charles county. Nd,
and which Immediately disappeared
from the waters Of the Patuxent.
FROM WEST INDIEsf
The vessel Is said to have been 107
feet long. according to the hatchway
markings, with a 100-horsepower mo-
tor, capable Of developing good speed.
The name of the vessel was obliterat
ed. The crew. except the captain, ~
said to be Of West Indian origin.
Customhouse officials today declar-
ed that IL she 10 q foreign vessel. the
captain violated International laws in
not obtaining papers of entry and
clearance and In landing at place
other than an official port OF entry.
''If this be the case" declared the
deputy surveyor Of customs. of Balti-
more, "the vessel may be declared =
pirate ard seized anywhere on the
high seas"
REVENUE CUTTERS SEARCH.
Baltimore customs officials announc.
ed that revenue cutters had not only
cen ordered to the high seas to search
for the outlaw vessel, but today are
searching the numerous inlets and
coves bordering the Chesapeake in
which she may be hiding. A watch
also Is being made in Hampton Roads
for the capture Of the mystery" ship
Should she attempt to make her escape
under cover of darkness.
As stated in The Times yesterday.
Chief Field Agent Charles W. Hand,
representing the prohibition enforce
ment forces. with several assistants,
On Monday seized 1.175 quarts of whis-
key. valued at 100. in the oyster
cannery Of Benjamin F. Henderson, at
Benedict. whose son. Benjamin +.
Henderson. jr., was q member Of the
Maryland house of delegates.
IDENTIFIES LIQUOR. \
Agent Hand yesterday Identified
the liquor seized as part Of a ship
rnent of $4,000 cases made By the
Triaca Liquor Company, of Baltimore.
on the steamer Lake Ellerslie, which
sailed from Baltimore on January 10,
1920, to the Island OF Bimini. The
liquor is 100 proof. and was bottled
by the Gwynnbrook (Md.) distillery
for the Triaca company, according to
Hand.
SuIOTCo"Shl agents ~
NIT they believe that the shipment OF
liquor to Benedict was the work OF
an organized group OF smugglers
which is operating along the entire
I Atlantic seaboard.| They. suspect that
the mysterious schooner-rigged yacht
| which landed the whiskey at Benedicr
on the Patuxent river may he one 81
several vessels that a gigantic whis-
key ring and mugglers are operat-
ing.
Judging by the activities of the
smugglers here and at other points
along the coast, they believe that the
| system has established wireless sta
tions, which not only keep their own
| operators informed and direct their
movements but also pick UP the Gov
eminent messages sent out to warn
vessels and Coast Guard stations to
be on the lookout.
sEAPLANE DELIVERIES.
In addition. the prohibition officials
| believe that the merchants of contra
band whiskey have confederatcs
posted along the coast to arrange for
the landing and disposition Of the
| smuggled liquor. 1t also was asserted
that the smugglers have established
seaplane service between the Flor
ida coast and the Island Of Bimin,,
forty miles of Of Miami.
Four truck loads of the whiskey
landed by the outlaw vessel at Bene-
dict are said to have been traced TO
the Capital. but it's present where
| abouts is not known. In less than an
hour after the vessel had moored. the
trucks were loaded with SACHS. each
containing six quarts of whiskev AMI
they made for the State road, guarded
| by other automobiles in which 1t Is
said were men armed with automatic
revolvers. This guard. it was stated,
| would have brooked no interference
from police or other authorities had
any attempt been made to hold up the
auto trucks laden with the contra
band whiskey.
1t also was pointed out that selec-
ton OF the Patuxent river banks as
an ideal spot to land struggled
whiskey is not surprising. The river
Is quickly accessible from the ocean,
being only O short run up the Chesa-
peake Bay. Its shores are sparsely
settled, and but little opposition to
landing could be made.
Mr.. Henderson, in whose oystc or
cannery the 1.175 quarts of liquor
were found, told prohibition enforce
ment agents he had no knowledge Of
the identity of the men who cached
said his cannery had been closed and
he did not know the whiskey had
been stored in II.
MAY RESIST CAPTURE.
That the vessel will be captured
is tho belief Of the Baltimore Gus
toms officials. That the vessel Is
armed probably with high-powered
guns is not doubted. II Is believed
that the captain will not willingly
surrender should he be sighted by
the revenue cutters on the ships
trail.
However, while search Is being
made for her in the inlets and coves
Of the Chesapeake, II was pointed
out that with the aid of her power
full motor she could have reached
the capes and escaped to sea within
eighteen or twenty hours after leav-
ing the wharf in the Patuxent river
at 2 o'clock Sunday night. The
coast guard stations at the capes
were not notified until Tuesday,
when 1t was learned by the Federal
agents that the whiskey cargo had
been discharged.