The New York herald., 1922-04-25

]. Firth OF Harold & William Firth.
Reid street. Hamilton. Bermuda. was
shipping the cargo to stock his new
store in Montreal. and II was really
quite annoying to have 1t stolen on the
way.
Just why the pirate band" chose
point approximately fourteen miles Off
Montauk Point within easy access Of
Sound ports or towns on Long Island
the captain was unable to say. There
were other things the authorities wanted
TO know. Why. for instance. had En-
sign Matthias S. Clarke. late of the u.
S. N, changed his name while engaged
on so legitimate a mission as carrying
rum from Bermuda to Montreal.
A story for the once Boy.
You can tell that story to the Office
boy, but you can't tell it to me-" said
Herman l.. Falk. Assistant UnitedsStates
District Attorney. That liquor was
where on the voyage or 1t was landed
somewhere on Long Island"
"I'll give you my word that I haven't
been within twenty miles of any shore
between the time l left Bermuda and
landed here this morning. replied the
captain"
The only time the captain" showed
the slightest sign of perturbation was
when Mr.. Falk informed him that he
would be detained on the ship over night
with the roughneck crew to think over
or straighten out the conflicting tales
He didn't quite understand on what
chargeShe was to be held, for he hadn't
committed any crime. hadn't brought
it.tn he had
taken a drink on the way over-in fact
he hadn't had a drink in two years. II
was all mystery why he. victim OF
seagoing robbers. should find himself
virtually a prisoner. Then Mr.. Faik ex'
planned that the Government in its wis
dom had provided law whereby the
sailors OF a. seized ship could be held as
witnesses for forty-eight hours. The
Fidus had been taken officially into Gus
tody and moored at the Battery.
AS matter of fact the Federal au'
thorities are cogitating whether. in ad
dtion to possible charge of conspiracy
they can hold the captain" on the
charge of impersonating an officer of the
United states Navy.
Both the prohibition authorities and
the customs men are convinced that the
liquor cases were transferred to another
ship some time during the homewart
voyage or else landed at Montauk Point
and shipped westward by rail. They are
Inclined to the former theory.
The Fidus left New York from Wee
hawken four weeks ago, was cleared as
pleasure yacht" and sailed to Ber-
muda There she laid at anchor for
sixteen days and then loaded with
liquor and started--for Montreal. The
manifest showed she had 230 cases OF
liquor aboard.
Somebody at Bermuda cabled to the
Collector of the Port warning of the
Fiduss probable arrival here. There
fore Chief Inspector Albert o. Hoken-
son and Inspectors Harry Zorger and
William Grunninger boarded the coast
guard cutter Guide in high feather over
the possibility of big haul.
They were disappointed. but they got
good story and incidentally learned
the latest wrinkle in overseas bootleg
ging. They admit they were completely
fooled. and furthermore they believe
the liquor has already been safely
transported to the city. and Is probbaly
already on the way to the cellars OF
customers.
The Fidus once was the SC-101, and
the designation can still be seen under 8
thin coat of gray paint on the bow. She
was bought by Clarke about two months
ago, but from whom he would not say
On arrival at Bermuda Harold j. FRITZ
bought her. he related, and placed hei
under British registry. He wasn't SURE
but that Mr.. Firth had other vessels ir
the trade between Montreal and Ber'
muda," and he was quite sure there
were other vessels of the same kind an
gagged in some sort of commerce between
Bermuda and Northern Atlantic ports
but what they were carrying he coult
not say.
The crew were burly looking. All told
of having been asleep at the time the
ship was boarded They are: Roy Pal
mer, 90. OF 127 Hudson street, Hoboken
Peter Manos. 22, 40 Sands street, Brook
lyn; Frank r. Connell of 209 Underhill
avenue, Brooklyn; Barney Lockwood
20, and Clifton l.. Kinds. 3S. both OF 100
Johnson street. Brooklyn, and Carl
Langner, 26, of / Prospect street, NIL
ford, Conn.
Kinds, who shipped as second en-
eineer. testified that he was paid t4V
n month and "all the booze he wanted
"They sent us UP plenty to drink ne
added.
The records show that Matthias ;.
Clarke served as an ensign on board the
Northern Pacific from May 10 to August
II. 1919: was executive officer on SUD-
chaser 90 from September 2. 1919, 70
January 20, 1920. and prior to that tune
was a cadet officer on the united rruit