New-York tribune., 1921-04-28
Rum Boat Sunk
By Fusillade of
Customs Men
Sinugglers Dive and Escape
as Shots Riddle Craft;
Liquor and Drug Cache
Found OH Nearby Steamer
Whisky Seizures Enjoined
Court Protects Ex-Saloon-
keepers Stock; Traffic
Halts to See Beer in Sewer

Customs inspectors joined the liquor
raiders yesterday. Informed by Fed
eral enforcement officers that vessels
along the Brooklyn waterfront were
under suspicion, several of the customs
men concealed themselves on a pier at
the foot of Fifty second Street, Brook
lyn, where they soon caught sight of a
motor boat and rowboat whose car
goes they decided to inspect.
At the hail of the watchers the men
in both boats made what speed they
could away from the pier. The customs
men opened fire with revolvers, and
with the water squirting up in jets
alongside from the fusillade the sus-
pected runners dived overheard.
Before the attacking party could get
to the spot in boats the rowboat,
riddled by its volley, sank. The
motorboat, however. was captured, and
and contraband drugs. Putting their
prize, under guard, the customs men
boarded the freighter Chester Kiwanis,
which lay not far away, and began
their search in the engine Yoom.
Find Tank of Whisky
The three men they found there were
found large tank. filled with whisky
and had unearthed several cases of
liquor and several cans which con-
tanned heroin and cocaine. The Federal
agents believe that the men on the
freightsr were merely underlings in a
widespread smuggling combination and
they intend to search other vessels, it
is said.
The first two of numerous Injunction
suits to be instituted by the law firm
of Seabury, Massey@& Lowe, 120 Broad
way, representing divers clients in Ii
quor cases, were brought before Justice
Delehanty. The first suits were directed
against Police Commissioner Richard
Enright and First Deputy Police Com
missioner John A. Leach, tying up
in the courts nearly S250,000 worth OF
wines and whistles.
Liquors of the estimated value of
100000 figured in one of the suits
Justice Delehanty granted an injunc-
ton against First Deputy Commissioner
+. Leach and his subordlnates restraining
them from seizing the liquors which
ere stored in a cellar at 121 West
Twentysixth Street. Lucien Arden is
ie admitted owner of the liquors and
the suit is instituted in his name. The
writ is made returnable at 10 o'clock
This morning.
Says Its For Personal Use
The liquors in question consist of
2f7 full TASKS, 211 cases, 494 bottles, 81
demijohns, ali containing liquor, and
81 empty barrels. Arden sets forth
that ne had dealers permit, dated in
1919, on which a renewal is pending.
He asserts that he has since ceased to
he a dealer, and that the liquor, all
purchased before prohibition became
effective, is now being held for the legi-
innate use of himself and his guests.
In the second suit, Police Commits
sloner Enright and members of the
Poiice Department are ordered to ap-
pear before Justice Tierney next Mon
day morning at 10 o'clock and show
cause why they should not be re-
Grained from interfering with Emilio
Di Bianco, another client of Seabury
Massey Lowe, and owner of an Ital-
ian importing house at III Mulberry
Street, from which the police are said
TO have removed beverages held under
Federal permit
Six hundred gallons Of real beer
taken in raid on the basement of the
building at 446 East 123d Street. Tues
day, was carried into the street to be
dumped into the nearest sewer. The
crowd which gathered to see the beer
flow was so dense as to block traffic.
Police reserves dispersed the crowd
after much trouble. Peter Seller and
his son, Peter jr., were held in this
case.
Many Women Arrested
Many of the prisoners taken in raids
made by the police during the day were
women. Commissioner Enright is or
ganlzing special squads of liquor raid
ers, and other Unusual features were
listed in, the developments of dav.
Police Commissioner Enright an
bounced that Police Inspector Thomas
Mcdonald, of the Brownsville section.
brooklyn, Tenth District. will be trans
ferred to Manhattan to-day to take
charge of another special prohibition
cnforecemnt squad.
Magistrate James j. Conway, in a
decision in the Long Island City police
court. denied the right of police to
search private residences for liquor
without search warrant. AS result
OF this decision he dismissed a com
plant against Paul Siciliano, of 18
Marion Street, where 500 quarts of
red wine" were seized.
POSSESSION of liquor does not consti-
tute grounds for holding a suspect for
the grand jury, according to decision
by Magistrate George II. Folwell, Bridge
Plaza court, Brooklyn. In the case Of
Arthur Nugcnt, arrested April 8, when
bottle of whisky was found in his
kitchen, the court said:
II cannot hold this man for violation
OF the Mullan-G Gage law simply because
he happened to have bottle of whisky
in his home. He has that right as long
as he does not sell it." Nugent was
released.
To Flavor Ice Cream
~ have heard of liquor being put
TO many uses, but this is the first time
ever heard of its being used to flavor
ice cream" said Magistrate McGeehan.
in Morrisania police court, holding
Mary Merck. owner of cafe at $50
Brock Avenue, in $500 bail for the
grand jury. Several large cans were
geized and Mrs. Merck said she used
q to favor ice cream and pudding and
her son used it for furniture polish.
The son. Alexander, was also arrested
and held in the same bail.
secret panel in the wall of res
taurant at 73 Montgomery Street was
crche for gallon of whisky. ac-
cord2Ig to Policeman Wilkinson. He
arrerced Stephen Strobel, an employee
OF the place. Strobel said he did not
know the whisky was there He was
discharged.
Deputy Commissioner Leach said he
was in receipt of many letters from
prominent Hebrews commencing him
for his action in seizinr frr,nen+aS