The New York herald., 1921-06-16
595 MACHINE GUNS,
BOUND FOR IRELAND,
SEIZED ON ship HERE
L. S. Raiders Get Also Large
Amount of Ammunition
Aboard the Freighter
East Side.
CONSIGNED TO NO ONE
Plan Was to Hide Arms I'm
der Cargo Of Coal Destined
for England From
Norfolk.
COCKNEY SAILOR INFORMS
-----
Munitions Had Been Stolen
From Hoboken Warehouse
From Owner Who Scorned
Sim Fein.
COCKNEY SAILOR INFORMS

Twelve hours before the freighter
East Side, which steamed out of New
York harbor at o'clock yesterday
afternoon, left her berth alongside
Pier 2, Hoboken, United States Gus
toms men and operatives for the
United States Department OF Justice
took from her coal bunkers 495
knocked down Thompson sub-ma.
chine guns and sufficient extra parts
to assemble about 100 more.
The Government men were engaged
in searching for arms and ammuni-
tion that, according to their informa-
tion, we're being smuggled to Ireland.
They quit searching when they found
the machine guns. They refused to
say that they could prove that the
weapons were destined for the Irish
Republican army, but they declared
that they seized the arms on orders
that contended that such a shipment
was a violation OF the neutrality
laws.
Each gun bore the identifying plate
Colt Patent. 1921 Model. As Cali
bre." In addition to this find the
searching party dug large case Of
AS calibre ammunition out of the
same bunkers. The East Side left
| for Norfolk, where she will take on a
cargo of coal to be unioaded In Eng
land. The guns we're consigned to
no one. The Department of Justice
will start an investigation to-day.
officers Descend on ship.
Early yesterday morning twenty
ment OF Justice operatives descended
upon Pier and told the watchman
TO see that no one entered or even
approached the pier until permission
was given. They also volunteered the
Information that what they sought
would be on Pier 2 or Pier I. as they
had searched all others.
After they made their discovery on
the East Side they let il be known
that they had reason TO believe that
no person connected officially with the
Cosmopolitan Shipping Company had
been in on the secret. The guns and
extra parts were packed in 13 bags.
2ss large crates and 175 small boxes.
Whoever had taken the guns down
knew his business They were so taken
apart and assorted that any ex-service
man who knew his machine gun (any
modern machine gum could have as
sembled these In jiffy. But not one OF
the bags or crates or boxes bore
mark that could be interpreted as g
chipping tag. Their destination was
quite as mysterious as the method by
which they got into the stern bunkers
OF the East Side
Early in tho afternoon a man giving
his name as Frank Williams and ex-
hibitine considerable agitation rushed
into the court OF Recorder Carsten in
Hoboken and demanded a warrant that
would permit him 20 search Pier and.
II necessary, the freighter East Side.
He told the Recorder that some one had
on June II and had taken therefrorn
500 Thompson sub-nschine guns and
sufficient extra parts to assemble nearly
100 moro. lie added that he had just
learned that his property could be found
on Pier or aboard the ship.
Patrick Grimm, Chief OF Police N
Hoboken. assigned Sergeants Cornelh
and Beatty 70 administer the require
ments OF wilIiams's warrant and the
real trouble started. Incidentally the
Government men let Il bc known why
they were 50 anxious to nnd the arms.
owner Arrives Too Int.
AZ the pier tho policeman and Will
ians we're met by George Bartlett, a
superintendent for the Cosmopolitan
shipping Company. Bartlett assured the
trio that they had come to the right
place 10 look for machine guns, but
a trihe late.
They were here" said Bartlett
They were on the East side. God
knows how they got there. but the fact
remains that they we're. But you're late
The customs men have them. They took
them away two hours ago. Sorry for
you. but believe me we're glad 70 set
rid OF them"
Williams insisted that he take look
Bartlett assured him he had heard the
truth. Bartlett. believing that the ma
chine guns had been taken away. Of
fered 4, put his belief IN writing In order
that Williams might feel more at case
So Bartlett wrote:
The property In question which you
are looking for has been turned over BY
US 20 the customs officials and removed
from the pier. @. BARrLErre'
Despite this Cornelll and Beatty de-
cided they'd have look about the pier.
Down toward the harbor end Of the long
dock they came across dozen customs
men loading q truck. There was cpn-
siderable argument about jurisdict{an.
Inspector Curran In charge Of the Gs<-