The New York herald., 1922-03-19
SEIZE RUM In RAID !.
ON SHEWAN'S YACHT
400 Cases of Whiskies, Beer
and Wines Taken From
Patricia at Miami.
REMOVED AFTER SEALING
Owners Brother Says Declara'
ton Had Been Made-Was
for Mediterranean Cruise.

Epcci1I Dispatch TO THE NEW York HERALD.
MIAMI, March 1S.-Florida's liquor
cleanup campaign took spectacular
turn to-day. Descending unexpectedly
upon the big yacht Patricia, owned by
James S>Shewan of New York. United
States customs inspectors and coast
guard officers removed 400 cases Of
British and Scotch whiskies, beers and
French champagnes.
Edwin A. Shewan. brother OF the
owner, who is in charge Of the vessel in
the absence OF James Shewan. declared
the liquor upon entering port and 1t
was put under seal. The seizure was
the result of instructions received from
headquarters of this customs district at
Tampa, which left the local authorities
no further discretion in the matter.
Mr.. Shewan and CoL William Starr
OF New York, who is a member of the
party on the yacht. Immediately got In
touch by telephone with Attorney-Gen-
eral Daugherty, who was in st. Angus
tine with President Harding, but Mr..
Daugherty was not in position to make
a ruling prior to his return to Wash
ington tomorrow.
Mr.. Shewan says the liquor was taken
aboard in British ports-chiefly at
Nassau-for a cruise into the Mediter-
ranean, and that as the yacht is or
British registry he had perfect right
to bring it temporarily into an Amer
can port and put it under Custom House
zeal. His intention is to return to New
York in a few days, again put the
whisky under seal there while the ship
is being repaired, and then to leave for
the Azores and the Mediterranean.
No suspicion of bootlegging attaches
to the yacht, the ground upon which the
officials ordered the seizure being that
the ship was overstocked. Mr.. Shewan
explained that he carries a crew of forty
and that it is customary to keep them
supplied with beer and whisky on board
so that they will not be tempted to
desert the ship or get into trouble in
the various ports.
He said the only reason the vessel
put into Miami was that she needed oil
ana that the French nurse of his little
girl was i'll and needed a physician
treatment. He exhibited a bill from a
local physician to prove this.
Mr.. Shewan also had letter from the
United States Attorney for the Northern
District of California showing that an
attempt had been made to confscate a
quantity OF liquor on board the Patricia
at San Francisco but that under a rul-
ing requested from the Department of
Justice the order was revoked with an
apology on the ground that yacht of
British registry had a right to bring
liquor into an American port under bond.
The Patricia is of about 500 tons
She formerly was the Victoria, owned
by Sir Thomas Upton. Mr.. Shewan
the present owner, purchased he- about
year ago and has spent large sum
of money putting her into first class
condition.
James Shewan is head of James She
wan & Sons. dry dock company. with
offices at 80 Broadway Mr. Shewan is
member of the Columbia and At
lantic Yacht clubs.
Mrs. Shewan when told OF the raid
said: II am sure the report must be
q mistake. My husbands brother Is
bringing the Patricia back to New York
from the Pacific coast, and Mr.. She
wan received a letter from him this
morning informing him that the Gus
toms officials had just been aboard the
yacht and sealed tho liuuor c1osat