New-York tribune., 1921-06-17
English Intelligence Ser
vice Sends Word of In
tended Shipment of Ma
chine Rifles to Belfast
Arms Are Seized
On Espionage Act
Depot Handling Type of
Captured Gun Denies
Selling Contraband Lot

LONDON, June fT.-The Daily
Sketch says this morning that the
seizure of arms on board the steamer
East Side in Hoboken, N. j., was
due to the enterprise of the Irish
Office, which informed the American
authorities of the fact that the guns
had been bought and were to be
shipped.
United States District Judge Charles
r. Lynch, Of Newark, issued q detention
warrant yesterday that obliged ChieG
of Police Patrick Hayes of Hoboken
to surrender to customs officers the
495 sub-machine guns, extra parts and
ammunition seized Wednesday aboard
the Shipping Board vessel East Side
just before she cleared for Belfast via
Norfolk.
The police had taken the ultra
modern weapons, designed for close
range fighting, from the customs off
GERS on search and seizure warrant.
The customs officers, after serving
their detention warrant, promptly load.
ed the blue steel, double-butted guns
CIR to truck, ferried them TO. Manhat-
tan and placed them in the Appraisers
Stores at Gal Washington Street, to
the deep chagrin of Frank Williams,
who claims ownership of the rapid
irers.
The espionage act was cited as war
rant for the Federal officers action.
Williams, who told Department. OF
Justice agents detailed to follow his
movements, that his address was 100
West Forty-third Street, Manhattan.
,h has two lawyers. One of these is
Thomas J. O'Neill, who during the war
successfully defended Albert Pau,
trlke. Frike was acquitted OF COM
piicity in the Herman Vessels case.
The other lawyer is John J. Falion,
Corporation Counsel of Hoboken.
Court Action Checked
It was O'Neill's idea that if the police
seized the guns from the government.
It would be simple matter for hi.
cilent to regain possession of them
AS an associate counsel, Fallon agreed
that this was sound law, and then, ir
his capacity of Corporation Counsel, b.
instructed the chief of police to hold
the machine guns, in spite of the pro
tests OF the customs officers
Williams, sharp featured, minus a
waistcoat and wearing Panama hat.
hovered outside the City Hall in He
boken yesterday afternoon. Inside Re
corder Adolph c. Carstens was prepar
ing to act as arbitrator in the dispute
between the police and the customs
officers. As the Recorder was about
to mount lis bench a Department o.
Justice agent arrived with Customs
Inspector Martin Ryan. from Newark
Ryan served a copy OF the detention
warrant on Chief Hayes and the De
partment of Justice agent laced q
copy IN the hands of the Recorder.
After that there was no mote dispute.
The customs men ordered a truck s-aa
soon afterward fourteen thick-shoul-
dered customs guards appeared to nan.
die the contraband guns.
Denies He Is Williams
AS Williams leaned against the spike
iron fence that surrounds the Hoboken
City Hall he was questioned.
Sure, now," he said, you're mis-.
taken. Pm not Mr.. Williams. Wish
was as rich man as he is. NY name
IS Frank Herman"
A minute later Recorder Carston
pointed out "Kernan" as Williams. The
Department of Justice agent and
United States Marshal Louis Beekman.
OF the Northern New Jersey District
both accosted Williams ami he aG-
mitted his identity, but declined 70 talk
except in the presence of his counsel
The three men then went to the Office
of Corporation Counsel FaIlon.
While the officials we're sngagsd
there in fruitless effort to extracf
from Williams. the Gus
toms officers, carefully checking eaci,
weapon, loaded the truck. The weap-
ons have two pistol grips about four
teen inches apart and can be equipped
with shoulder grips. Drums contain
ing either fifty or one hundred rounds
of ammunition can be discharged so
fast from them that the bullets emerge
from the nozzle almost like q stream
Of lead. Fifteen hundred rounds can
be discharged in minute where tie
operator is assisted by an ammunition
carrier. The air cooled guns are so
light in weight that the customs guards
with ease carried four at a time, two
IN each hand.
Retreats to Manhattan
Before the truck was stacked knee deer
Win tne guns w iH'SlnS ana mus
.ached middle aged companion who wore
n gray suit and ''hard" straw hat
started to leave Hoboken. Williams
was aware he was being followed.
The two men darted down the stairs
of the Hudson tube station in Hobo
ken, dropped a handful of change into
the collectors box and then, without
pausing, dashed up another fight OF
stairs TO the street level There they
paused to exchange hats, Mr.. Williams
taking the "hard" straw, much too
large for him, and giving his too small
Panama TO his companion. Thus dis
guised, they hurried to ferry boat,
crossed to Manhattan and walked up
Broadway to City Hall Park. AS they
walked both kept glancing back Over
their shoulders. At City Hall Parl.
both plunged into the subway and, per
haps, went home to dinner.
Long after Williams had lost himself
in Manhattan his lawyers were work
ing in Fallon's office on briefs 10 be
submitted to-day to Federal Sud9e
Lynch in an effort to persuade him to
vacate his detention order because. they
the sections of the esnianap.