New Britain herald., 1922-07-27
YOUNG GIRL ACCUSED 0F SMUGGLING RUM
Said to Be Alleged Acconplice Of Millionaire Tobacco Merchant

New York, July "A rum running romance was revealed in the United States district court in Brooklyn yes terday when Mrs. EGith Stevens 1a. of 45s West 152d street Manhattan, was arraigned on an indictment charg- ing conspiracy to smuggle liquor into New York from Bermuda.
 i The girl was indicted as an accom- plice of Antonio Cassese, millionaire tobacco merchant of Ozone park, who i is said to have financed a huge plot to land numerous boatloads of whisky here Two of the vessels have been seized and Cassese is sought as a fugi | tive from justice following forfeiture of bond Of s5,ooQ.
 Cassese was also the alleged owner of the yacht Edith which was seized hy the government with l 800 cases Of liquor aboard on March 2S at Bayville. The court was told that Cassese. who is 45, had named the yacht Edith for Mrs Stevens. The latter was said to have been separated from her hus- band
 Testimon brought out by the fed eral attorney at the trial of Captain Charles Oman of the Edith was to the effect that a woman had directed the loading of the Edith at Bermuda with a cargo of liquor and had ac- companied the vessel to New York, occupying the cabin with Cassese. Neither was on the yacht when it was captured Oman was convicted and sent to the federal penitentary at Atlanta for year and a day
 On the same day that Cassese jumped the bond of s5,o0o, MT Bran cato said. the tobacco merchant sent | the trawler Ripple from Brooklyn to take on another cargo of liquor al Bermuda. The prosecutor said Gas sese and Mrs. Stevens went to the l Columbia street dock to see the yes sel sail, He alleges that they then left on faster yatht and reached Bermuda before the Ripple. He charges they arranged for the cargo of liquor. helping put 1t aboard the trawler.
 S3O.000 Liquor Seized
 The Ripple anchored off Ambrose Light on the return to New York and half of the cargo was transferred to smaller craft to smuggle ashore. Un- der cover of darkness the Ripple docked at the foot of Columbia street, and while the remainder of the load ] was being discharged to motor launches the vessel was raided and | captured by federal agents. About 1 0,o00 worth of liquor was confis cated.
 Mrs. Stevens was unable to furnish l the s20,ooo bond which the court fixed upon the insistence of Assist | ant United S0tates Attorney Peter J | Brancato. To keep the girl from re maining in jail, however, the court l set the date of trial for today, She | will be defended by Wallace F. J. | Collins, former United States attorney and counsel for Cassese.
 Pistol Fight in Harbor
 The alleged conspiracy of Cassese. Mrs. Stevens and Joseph Bartolin. chauffeur for Cassese, to smuggle when a pistol battle in the harbor recently between federal prohibition agents and the crew Of the rum run ming trawler Ripple, resulted in the | ca pture of the vessel and the dscos- ure that it was owned by the tobacco | merchant.
 Until the seizure of the Ripple | Cassese had apparently intended to stand trial on the indictment in con- necton with the Edith. But when | the ownership of the Ripple was also | traced 10 him. despite the fact that it | was in the name of his pilot Cassese | made good his escape, taking small l fortune in cash, revealed by his bank | .....#
 Mrs. Stevens denied that she was implicated in the rum smuggling plot | with Cassese. She admitted she had | made the trip to Bermuda on the | Edith, but said she had no knowledge | of the Ripple.