The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-04-25
BO0TLECCERS
MOBILIZE FLEET

officials announced today that they
MaTe3NeElsiag ito smash a bootlegger
ring which they charged had mobil-
lied fleet of former submarine
chasers to meet creation of Americas s
"dry navy"
The federal agents are working on
the theory that the swift craft that
once pursued German U-boats and
were sold after the war now are pos
ing as naval vessels and, commanded
by officers in the uniform of the
United States, already have succeed
ed in running $3,0OO,OO0 worth of
rum into the United States from Ber-
muda and Habana.
The announcement of the discovery
Of the alleged smuggling scheme was
made after the former submarine
chaser 101, rechristened the Fidus,
had been taken in New York harbor
by police boat and customs launch
Customs men claimed they had found
aboard her numerous charts with
marked landings along the Atlantic
coast and Hudson river. No liquor
was found aboard and the crew told
hair raising tale of having had their
cargo plundered by pirates off the
Long Island coast yesterday.
The ex-chaser, said to bear British
registry, was held on a technical
charge that she left Bermuda with
out clearance papers. Her captain,
who gave his name as "John Kelly"
and his crew of seven, were taken
to the custom house for a severe grill
ing. After the examination, Assist
ant United States Attorney Falk
said:
"Kelly wore the uniform of Unit
ed States naval officer We have not
as yet made any charges against
Captain Kelly and the crew. 1t is
understood that the Fidus carried
2,1OO cases of Scotch whiskey from
Bermuda and that is what we want to
find out. The vessel failed to show
on her manifest any cargo and after
questioning by customs agents, it was
decided to take her into port and
question the crew"
. Federal agents, who said they be-
,lieved the ilaane "John Kelly" fcti,
Gtious and that the caRtait,,s real name
96a n :. S56h1ey 'Cllafk s6f Bfr66kfyn,
sintimated there was a possibility that
there might be brought against her
captain charge of wearing an en-
signs uniform illegally. "Kelly,"
who claimed at one time to have
served in the United States navy, de-
MED he was wearing a naval uniform.
"All I had was cap that ,resem-
bled an ensgin's head piece" he told
reporters.
Kelly claimed to have been taking
liquor to Montreal for Bermuda
wine merchant who owned the craft,
when pirates on another chaser stole
his cargo and manifests. But Gus
toms officials claimed to have detach.
ed points at which the tale, as relat.
ed by different members of the crew,
did not gibe. Incidentally one of the
crew, Ray Palmer, was alleged to be
carrying I. w. w. literature.
Falk quoted the version of Chief
Engineer William Lockwood as fol-
lows:
1--WE were all below. This was
about o'clock. A bell was given to
stop and we stalled the engines. Next
thing we knew a gang Of men, all
unmasked, swarmed down on us, and
pointing revolvers at us backed us up
into a small compartment In the en-
CINE room and told US to be quiet"
Half an hour later, according to
Lockwood, a seaman ventured above
and saw Kelly tied to the mast.
Lockwood claimed to have united the
knots himself. The liquor was gone.
Among the papers found in the
captains possession was recommen-
dation from his commanding officer,
stating he served in 1919 as an en-
sign on the Northern Pacific" and as
executive officer on Submarine