The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-27
BOOZE SMUGGLING MADE EASY!

, case to his next highest superior.
A department. OF justice operative
In Florida told OF nearly losing his
job for giving aid In the capture of
some whisky runners not many
months ago.
In spite OF order Number ss. he
made a report 10 Washington. in.
volving some men high in national
politics.
Il was severely criticized for II. Z"
says the department OF justice
agent. The department told me
TO mind my own buninessr'
Federal courts rarely impose big
fines or Jail sentences for violation
OF the liquor laws.
Bootieggers in Miami are so sure
OF their immunity that they have
boosted TO federal agents Of their
operations.
While a Newspaper Enterprise
Association service Investigation
WIS In the office Of L. "
Howe. department. OF justice agent
in Miami. a bootierg-r entered and
demanded that Howe arres, a fellow
hcotierg~r whom he accused OF
double crossing HIM.
HE skinned me out OF 10 per cent
commission last week when we
shipped a load OF alcohol from
Nassau to New Orleans" said the
indignant booucggcr.
He also told Howe that the boot.
logger who had double-orpased him
was about 10 ship another load Of
liquor. and he named the probable
time OF shipment and the place OF
dcstinatio
When the hootieggers left, the In.
vcatigator asked Howe why he
didn't arrest the man for duplicating
himself as n rrim.runner.
What's the user said the federal
agent 'he would rcpudiate what he
has Just said. and then he'd say he
Vas trying TO brbe me and that I
got sore because he wouldn't pay as
much as I wanted"
There Is another arm OF the law
In Miami helpless against rum-rin.
ning--the. custom office. II II In
charge Of Deputy Collector David
Tyre. who has two assistants. One In
an office man and he and Tyre arc
chained to their desks with Office
work.
The second deputy. Thomas J.
Written. who Is es. Is left TO roam
around the waterfront and do the
best he can at searching incoming
boats for oontraband liquor.
All boats smuggling liquor come in
at night Steamers with legal car.
goes also come IN frequently at
night. There is no quarantine sta.
ton outside the port OF Miami and
ships come In the Bay OF Biscay and
moor at the docks. They unload as
much OF their cargo as they wish
and then the captain phones whitten
and tells him 10 come down.
The custom office has no water
craft for boarding steamers. Col.
lector Tyre says he needs more men
and "a boat
Scores OF small craft motor
equipped. arc leaving the docks daily
bound out to sea-" says Tyre. ''and
we have no means OF going aboard
them. They are shipping out TO for.
eign ports without clearance papers.
Such violation carries penalty OF
$1,000 fine a round trip. But we are
helpless"
1t Is these boats. skipping TO
Nassau. without necessity OF clear.
ance papers. that are bringing liquor
In up and down the Atlantic coast.
No check.up IL ever made 10 deter.
mine what VESSELS are complying
with the law.
A year ago an ambitious depart.
mcnt OF justice agent NJ. S. Bopst,
former naval intelligence officer
started a campaign against vessels
clearing from Miami without mani
fest or papers
Bopst arrested about 30. They
drew fines averaging about s1o-in.
stead OF the 1000 prescribed by
statute. Bopst resigned from the
service.
Owners OF small craft are making
fortunes in booze smuggling. II is
significant that out OF 27S American
vessels sold to aliens In one year.
10S were transferred to British reg.
istry.
Small craft that can make high
speed and run In shallow water are
necessary for rumrunning. Not all
craft transferred TO British registry
are smuggling liauor-but prac.
tically all transfers OF small craft un.
der 500 tons went to British registry.
the few exceptions being to Mexican
and Cuban registry
Copyright 1921. by Seattle Starr
Mother. bring home some of