Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-20
HUNT RUM CARGO
/ IN n. BROAD ST.
Special Agents Arrive From
Washington to Help Trace
Nomad Booze-Runners
MAY NAB CAFE 0 W N E R

is said TO be stored in O building on
North Broad street near Girard avenue.
Answering a hurry call. fifteen prohi-
bition agents arrived carly today from
Washington and have been detailed 70
worf under Special Agent Brooks. in
an attempt 70 run down the hackers
OF the Nomad and its crew.
Government agents indicated also
that a warrant would be issued today
for a Philadelphia cafe owner who is
said to have advanced n large sum for
the purchase of liquor in the bahamas
by the Nomad smugglers and to whom
the whisky was turned over upon ar.
rival here.
William II. Gunnis. n sporting man.
living In West Philadelphia, was ar
rested by Government agents Yesterday.
He denied that he financed the trim OF
the Non,ad. and claimed to know none
Of the parties concerned. He waived a
hearing before United States Commits
sioper Manley and was held In $1,000
for further hearing.
Authorities have learned how tho SO
cases Of whisky. the cargo Of tho form or
submarine chaser, wero brought 70 this
city by the smuggrrs. Their truck
brokS down hear Leipcrvlllp. Delaware
County, and they were forced T. store
Doueherty, known As the Baron of
Lelpcrville,' until another truck was
secured.
Saloon Is Searched
Doughertys saloon was searched yes.
terday BY Customs Inspectors Agnev
and Ferry. but they failed to find the
smucgled goods Dougherty said that
the liquor had been in his hotel only
two hours. He denied that Gunnis, who
Is a brother Of Bobby Gunnis. box
ing promoter, was with the smuggers.
Dougherty said that the description Of
the man in charge of the .ruCk fitted
that Of "Dapper Don Collins, inter-
national crook. wanted by the police of
many cities. and said 70 be the angel
of the NOmRd.
It was Collins. Government agents
said. who came 70 this city several
months ago with members of his black
mailing syndicate TO board Mt 6O4T
Nassau street. West Philadelphia. a
submarine chaser was purchased from
the Government for 5000 and outtitted
in a shipyard in Camden for the rum
running game. The vessel returned to
this city from the Bahama Islands
week ago last Monday night and tied up
at Chester.
A truck was waiting and when the
ship doCked the cases of whisky were
transferred and started for this city.
A few miles below Leipcrville the truck
broke down.
~ received telephone call from a
friend Of mine" Dougherty said. nam
ing the friend. land ne told me that a
truck belonging to friend of his on the
way to Philadelphia had broken down
near my hotel. He asked me II the
truck might stop at my hotel and unload
hA nhan tgA
there until truck arrived from this
city. 1 said 1t would make no differ
ence 70 me,
shortly before daybreak. It was
raining cats and dogs. when truck
with several men aboard pulled up to
the front door of the hotel. A good
looking chap with q stubby mustache
and yachting cap got out and came
inside"
"He asked for ME. and when I ap-
peared he shook hands and said. My
name is Jones Can bring the stuff
on the truck IN here l told him he
could. The nrn on the truck then
started TO unload it. I went back into
the hotel. and when ] returned to the
barroom | found that there were nearly
thirty employees Of the Eddystone plant
Of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in
the barroom.
Bundles of Bottles
The men on the trucks had nearly
finished unloading when ! returned, and
] saw that the merchandise consisted
of bundles of something wrapped in
burlap. I investigated and found that
each bundle contained six bottles OF
imported whisky. Then without any
warning the. baldwin employees Dc.
scended upon the lot Of whisky on the
barroom floor, and each man dashed
out of the door with several bundles
under his arms and disappeared in tn"
darkness. The mon who unloaded tho
truck paid not the least attention 70
them. ! stood spcllbound gazing at
the pile of burlap covered bottles on the
floor. I never saw anything like 1t in
my l!fe. ., ..,..,.
srrived from Philadelphia and the
remaining bottles were loaded on that
and carried away. My friend certainly
put one over on me and I would not
have allowed them TO put il in my place
II had known what It was. ! never
saw such nerve. They loaded the truck
that was standing right out on the
pike In broad daylight and paid no at
tention 70 the crowd that was watching
Then the Government agents came yes
terday."
Did Not Know Gunnis
"Did william GunnIs have anything
TO do with the transfer OF whisky ut
your placer" Dougherty was asked
Il never saw William Gunnis in my
life" Dougherty replied. "but I know
his brother Bob, but Bob had nothing
to do with It, know"
When the Nomad had partly un
loaded sue returned to the shinyard at
North Thirt!eth street, Camden, where
another truck was awaiting her. The
remainder Of the cargo VAS loaded on
that truck and with several men stand
ing on the running board with pistols
in their hands the truck dashed from
the shipyard. the men covering the
watchman at the gates with their
weapons, The following day the ves-
sci was seized by customs officers, under
the direction Of Nicholas G, Brooks,
special agent Of the Treasury Depart.
ment, whose men have made nearly all
Che important arrests in liquor viola.
lions in this city in the last year
The agents found a large quantity Of
women clothing n the boat and pho
toEraphs of several women 1t IS be.
lieved the originals made the rum-run-
ming trip TO the Bahamas. also it is be-
lieved that the women left the boat at
Chester. The agents also found papers
which convinced them that William
Gunnis was the angel" Of the cxpedi
tion. A large batch of those papers
they really were receipts-werr made
out to a member OF the crew and
charged to Gunnis. So a warrant was
sworn out.
Nine warrants were issued for