New-York tribune., 1922-07-03
PricesofBootleg
Rum SOarHere:
Stocks Dwindle
Whisky That Sold Recently
for $50 a Quart Is Now
Bringing $40; Supply Cut
byDemand ON Warehouses
Big Cargoes IL Miles Out
Dry Officials Redoubling
Drive on Smugglers and
Predict Famine in Booze

Wholesale and retail bootleg prices
on all kinds of alcoholic liquors are due
to soar, it was predicted yesterday by
John D. Appleby. Prohibition Enforce
ment Zone Chief. Already n poor grade
Of whisky that retailed at 80 cents a
drink few weeks ago, is bringing rs
cents n drink on the bootleg market
and whisky that was sold few months
ago for SO and $40 q quart is now
bringing from SIG to $40 a quart.
The supply in New York is running
shorter than at any time since prohibi-
tion became effective, the zone chief
SAID, and fifteen ocean-going ships are
within twelve to twenty miles off the
coast with enormous liquor cargoes that
carry at least 10000 cases, worth at
least s5,0oo,ooo on the bootleg market
in New York. Smuggling has doubled
but despite this the supply has been
cut down greatly owing to increased
warehouse Withdrawals which were
eight times greater in 1921 than in
1922.
Synthetic Liquors More Profitable
Much of the liquor now coming in
over the Canadian border and from
shipping is of much poorer grade
than formerly, because the rum-run-
ners have found it more profitable to
handle synthetic liquors than the real
Scotch brands
A large part of the whiskies now
being sold in New York are being manu-
featured from redistilled denatured
alcohol. This is originally grain alco-
hol that had been chemically denatured
and is little less dangerous than wood
alcohol, according to reports of gov
ernment chemists. More moonshine is
being made in some sections, but much
OF this is consumed where. manufac-
tured and does not reach the New York
market.
So far as the demand is concerned,
nootieggers report only a slight fall
ing off. New York is consuming near
and the rum-runners and bootleggers
are exerting every power to keep up
with this demand but are unable to
get adequate supplies.
We're 1T not for re-distillation and
smuggling New York would now be
practically dry, it was said Yesterday.
prohibition Director Ralph A. Day and
ms department heads at prohibition
neadquarters are now bending their ef-
1orts to check smuggling and the pro-
hipitlon navy is being greatly enlarged
Shippers Face Extradition
Applcby said yesterday that he
believed that within a few months
smuggling would have been checked
to an extent that would cause a liouor
famine in New York, and would send
bootleg prices kiting
Regarding the alleged rum-runninp
ships outside the harbor, the zone chief
said that, while the prohibition and
customs department were powerless to
go outside the twelve-mile limit and
rald the vessels, nevertheless it was
"l1nln the power of the prohibition de-
partment to gather evidence against
the ships. II it can be proved that
these ships are lightering on to smaller
vessels which run into harbors or in.
lets along the United States coast
the shippers can be extradited from
any port in the world.
We nave secret sources of informa.
tion regarding these ships" said the
zone chief, "and we hope to be ahle
to extradite and prosecute the SINNERS
VINO it appears are guilty of cons piracy
to violate the laws of the United
States" '''0
The Hahn, former rubmarinc cbascr
and the iagshio Of the prohibition
navy, has no authority to molest the
SHIPS outside the harbor, as it's jurisdic-
t1on extends as a prohibition shin to
the three-mile limit and as a customs
cutter to the twelve-mile limit only.