The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-09
WOUND SEVEN SAILORS
IN SPECTACULAR FIGHT
ON B0OzE-LADEN BOAT
Officers Seize 100000
Worth of Cocaine and
Liquor.

New York, Sept. 9-United
Press.)-A spectacular raid by
prohibition officers on the
steamship Hing Alexander was
climaxed today by the suicide
of one of the raiders.
After taking part in the gun
battle in which seven members
of the steamers crew were
wounded and liquor and drugs
seized, Frank J. Fitzpatrick,
chief narcotic investigator here
for the bureau of internal rev.
enue, shot himself in the wash
room of ferry house, accord
ing to police.
Other prohibition agents were
standing with Fitzpatrick, who
came here from Bridgeport. Conn,
according to police. Investigation
to learn the reason for his suicide
was started Immediately.
Eight men were arrested charged
with violation of the Volstead act
Additional charges and other ar
rests may be made later.
Ernest J. Langley, chief federal
enforcement officer of New York.
directed the raid
Langley said cocaine valued at
$4,000 and hquor worth about $15.-
600 were seized
Gun Fight Starts.
The gun fight started after two
prohibition agents had boarded the
ship, and received 5000 from the
leaders of the smugglers, it was
claimed.
The men became suspicious when
they recognized prohibition agents
on the pier nearby and suddenly
a volley OF shots was fred from the
boat
Immediately a band of sailors
swooped down on Agents Reager
and Roger, who were standing on
dock The agents drew their re-
volvers and slowly backed to the
rail, shooting as they went.
Police Fire on Agents.
During the battle harbor police
who had not been informed of the
raid, mistook the federal agents for
pirates robbing the ship. The po-
lice opened fire on the agents in
the launch and those on the ship.
None was hit
The sounds of firing brought re-
Inducements of agents from a
launch standing by. They lcaP52
up the ladder hanging over the
rail and Joined the two. Sailors
finding themselves outnumbered hid
on the deck.
Sailors Surrender.
The federal officers covered
themselves behind the deck houses
and for several minutes the battle
continued. Finally the sailors with
half their men wounded, surrender
ed
Three men were found wounded
in the bunkhouse.
The suicide of Fitzpatrick came
three hours after the raid. His
friends said they knew no motive
and believed he had become tenn
porariIy unbalanced from the strain
of the gun battle
Dry Men Get Tip.
Acting on tip that members Of
the crew Of the Kinw Alexander
were involved in a plot to smuggie
contra band liquor and drugs into
this country, the prohibition agents
swooped down on the ship at her
wharf at the foot of Atlantic ave
nue..
Sailors resisted and a score Of
shots were exchanged.
Fifteen prohibition agents COM
prised the force that raided the
King Alexander.
They approached the ship in a
launch and lay in the shadows Of
the wharyes while agents posing 8
prospective purchasers of the con
traband went aboard the vessel
While they were negotiating on the
ship a lookout spied the launch
crowded with officers. He gave the
alarm. 4 moment later those in lie
launch heard a rattle of shots from
the vessel. They leaped from the
launch to the pier and rushed the
gang plank