The New York herald., 1921-02-14
Jersey Liquor Rings Vie
Regularly for Portions of
Stream of Rum Coming
Up Lincoln Highway.
STORED IN FARMHOUSES
Sales Are Made TO Highest
Bidders, With Deliveries AS
sured When Good Prices
Are Paid.

SO great has become the demand for
bootleg whiskey in New York that
New Jersey runners. who are the chief
source of supply. have formed rum
auction and compete with one another
for control Of a virtual river of Illicit
booze that has been pouring into the
State from the South and up over the
Lincoln Highway from Trenton to this
city. This has been revealed in the
investigation being made into the
Staying Thursday on that highway
near New Brunswick Of Frank Walsh.
Passalc and Newark bootlegger. in
which the New York police took a
hand yesterday.
Southern moonshiners. the investi-
cation shows, have been shipping their
stuff north to Philadelphia, from where
it is sent to small towns along the
Delaware River and stored in farm
houses. The wholesale dispenser o.
New Jersey carts the booze "over the
for it, Trenton, New Brunswick, New
ark, Passaic. Hoboken and Jersey City
are the headquarters, il is said OF a
score of whiskey rings. each independ-
ent and an opponent Of the other. who
vie with one another for a supply OF
tho best stuff.
Walsh was the head of a Passaic and
Newark ring, the authorities say. and
had been one OF the bidders for the
twenty-five barrels of whiskey which the
Saiamandra brothers OF Trenton had for
sale. Pedro and Leo Salsmandra, the
latter of whom also was slain Thursday
night. asked s1.2s0 a barrel. or $4,000
for the lot. This was more than the
bootlegeers wanted TO pay, il is said.
but the whiskey was of a higher quality
than usual, and the bidding was lively
$4,000 Oner Is Refused.
The highest offer was s12, 900. and this
was turned down by Leo Salamandra
The whis6ey was stored IN a farm
house near Morrisville. Pa, which IS al
most directly across the Delaware River
from Trenton. 1t had been there for
several weeks, and Leo wanted to get IL
OF his hands. He decided to abandon
the attempt to sell IL 10 tho local dis
pensers. and instead 10 take il direct TO
Newark, where the market is bigger than
in New Brunswick. Trenton or Perth
Ambov. and the price he asked, it is
said. would be quicHiy obtained.
Failing in their efforts TO obtain the
liquor for the price offered. Walsh. and
at least one other band of bootleggers,
1t is believed, decided 10 waylay the
Salama ndra brothers on their way TO
Newark. The fact that Walsh is said
to have had $4,000 in his pockets when
the shooting occurred is held as evil
dence by the authorities that he was
prepared to pay that amount for the
liquor. Gun play was resorted 10. the
authorities feel. only when Walsh saw
be could not do business az that figure
Regarding what actually happened
when the booze laden truck was held up
en- the Lincoln Highway. six miles out
side Of New Brunswick. the authorities
have not got an accurate account. The
only two witnesses OF the shooting-sarn
Perkins. n negro. and Edward Ring.
who were driving the truck--have told
such conflicting stories that Joseph T.
Stricken, prosecutor or Middesex county
and Fred David and John Ferguson
county detectives. do not know what to
believe.
The fact that pistol which had three
empty chambers was found In Walsh's
pocket is taken as evidence that he fred
st least three shots Whether these
were the shots that killed Salamandrs
Is not known. and probably never vii,
be. ag tho pellet removed from the Tren-
ton mans body was SO badly smashed
ts caiibre could not be recognized.
Mystery In second PISTOL.
Mystery also surrounds a second
pistol. 81 the magazine type. that was
found wing beside wslshs body in the
automobile he used the night OF the
shooting Five or more shots had been
nred from this weapon.
Pedro saiamandrs has told Prosecutor
Strickcr % was raining 20 hard when the
shooting occurred he could not make out
how many men were in the attacking
party or who was being shot at. Loo
Salamanca was shot in the right
shoulder the bullet passing down
through his lung into The liver. Walsh
Mas hit in the right eye Both we're
shot az close range. as powder marks
about tho wounds show
That Walsh and Salamandra shot
each other is considered possible. but
not probable Detectives are moro In
clined TO believe that Salamandra was
shot by Walsh and that the latter then
was slain BY one OF the Trenton mans
followers. two OF whom have not been
seen since the shooting.
After the shooting, n s believed, some
Of the members Of Walsh's gang lifted
their dead chief into an automobile and