The Mena weekly star., 1921-04-21
RUM RUNNERS PLY
 PROFITABLE TRADE
Defy Death. Injury and Arrest in Getting Canadian Booze Over the Border and to Customers in the
 United States.
py International News service.l


 Newport. Vt, April 14.-Defying death. injury and arrest, most oi rum runners along the New England Canada line are using all sorts of cum ming tricks to make quick and easy More than s5.O00. .000 worth of iiouor finds it's way from Canada to the United States monthly, the au- thorities say.
 Perhaps the most picturesque feat ure of the border liquor traffic are the "line houses The barroom built on the international boundary has long been a favorite setting for nov eIists and scenario writers. Many of these exist. Bars are mounted on wheels. When Canadian officers raid, bar is moved into the United States side of the room. When United States officers arrive bar is wheeled into Can ada. Patrons enter door on United States territory, cross the roof and buy in Canada. Officials, unless they cooperate and raid simultaneously, are helpless to make arrests.
 Plan Airplane Patrol.
 Crossing the line in airplane laden with liquor was the first and most obvious method of nullifying the pro hibition laws which presented itself to bootlegers. Moreover, to date it has perhaps been the most successful. This method of rum running is said to have been used continuously since prohibition went into effect, despite the expense of it's operation. To checkmate this form of traffic the planning an airplane patrol of the bor- der of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine
 Here are some of the other ingeni- ous schemes the willy rum runners use.
 Fast motor boats loaded with liq- uor leave Canadian shore of Lake Memphramagog, preceded by speedy pilot boat innocent of contraband. Pi- lot boat hears American shore. If Federal officers are in evidence, pilot boat flashes warning to rum runners who are far enough out in lake to make their escape in spite of pursuit. If there IS no danger the contraband is landed
 Two high-powered automobiles cross the line from Canada into Maine, the first carrying camoufiage whiskey cases, the second loaded with genuine
 
 the first machine. It's drivers turn out from the road and the search pro- ceeds. While officers are thus en- gagged, the real whiskey runners in the second auto speed past at sixty miles an hour and escape.
 Spigot Is Exhaust Pipe.
 Automobile seized at Worcester Mass, and found to nave false body "a hollow shell capable of carrying a large quantity of liquor Automo- bile said to have cost $11, ,000 to con- struct. Believed to have been used for months in liquor traffic between the United States and Canada Liquor poured into body by hidden opening near top of tonneau, and extracted from smal! tap at bottom.
 Hundreds of varieties of the false gas tanks discovered on automobiles and motor boats running between Canadian and American points. False bottoms, small interior tanks to be completely surrounded by gasoline and similar devices are common. One va riety is divided into two compartments and turns on pivot. One side is filled with alcohol and the tank is then revolved, bringing the gasoline com partments to the top.
 Naughty Rum Smugglers.
 Coasting schooners from Canada heave to off small islands near the Maine coast and cdnsignments of bonded liquor are landed and careful ly concealed. The liquor is brought of little at time by fishermen, who load their dories with a case or two of whiskey and cover the contraband with fresh caught cod fish.
 Motor boats running between Can ada ports and towns along the upper Maine coast have been found to have hollow wheels in which many gallons of whiskey have been brought into Castine, Sackett's Harbor. Machias towns in Eggsmoggin Beach and Deer Isle. Liquor is shipped to Boston and other markets in cases labelled "lob- sters" and containing layer of shell fish. in cars supposed to contain po- tatoes.
 Scotch, Gin and Brandy Pour in.
 Ten gallons of whiskev seized in tonneaus of two automobiles shipped m box car over the Canadian line. Liquor found in boxes labelled "No. 1 and No. Monograph records. Han de with care"
 Shipment of wires, in bales, pulp wood and honeycombs, packed and marked according to these classifca- tions and addressed to reputable firms in the United States found at border to consist of rare Scotch, gin and brandy. Broken bottles in freight cars and resulting aroma aroused suS- plcion of authorities. Doubtless. hun dreds of such shipments go thru un- detected
 Cultivate the Porters.
 Crews of liners sailing from Eur opean countries have smuggled huge amounts of liquor to their friends in the United States Whole cases of booze are thrown overheard outside the-three mile limit, and marked with buoy Smugglers in rowboats % after them under cover of darkness and bring the booty ashore. Nothing can be done to stop this unless the Federal agents are fortunate enough to nab the smugglers in the act of landing the contraband
 Porters on international train runs are. m position to smuggle liouor with ease. Hiding places are found for liquor on the trains. The liuuor IS dropped off to confederates at stat ed places.
 IRISH DAMAGE AT 20 MILLION. 0uakera Ranorf Ala. Thaf fo m aaa n,