New-York tribune., 1922-06-29
Coast Guard
Vessels Added
To Dry Navy
Combined With Prohibition
and Customs Forces in
Effort 90 Put Il Stop TO
Liquor Smuggling Here
Rum Runner Is Killed
Shooting Follows Chase of
Launch by Police Boat
and Refusal TO Hcavc To

Heads Of departments OF The prohibi-
ao,. customs ard coast guard services
were called into conference yesterday
>, ,hc Custom House 20 discuss plans
fsr closer cooperation 90 check snug
e,.nc o. liquor into New York waters.
As a res3.t Of the conference all the
eralt of che coast guard were added 20
tie prohibition navy.
The prohibition navy was prt under
eus,oms department control IN order
that ;hcsa boats may all have status
be,accn the three and the twelve-'nile
limit The Hahn. flagship Of tho pro-
kibi.or navy. and the two Other former
submarine chascrs now .n use were in
strectcd o. guard the entrance % the
farbor. All inlcts and much mileage
ef coast are 90 ho guarded hy the coast
r.ard craf,. 90 whieh are soon 90 be
added zen fast motor launches. which
Director Ralph a. Day was recently
g.gsr authority % purchase.
I've viii soon have the liquor snug
rfinr situation well in hand" saic
Director Uay following thc conference.
q, viii soon be practically impossible
for fishing boats and launches 70 meet
mother smuggling craft outside the
hagb0g and run yum ashore.
Change Of Base Useless
Director Day admttc ,hat il would be
possible for the smUcglers 90 change
,beir base. zut gaid. "f they DO. we
wuI simply fellow tncm.
Christopher hstcubcrg. one of three
brothers charged by Zone Chief Cen
eral Agent John ID. Anp.cbv With main
tanning O smuCC.cd liql0r cache In the
vicinity OF Gravcsend Pay. was shot
fatally yesterday p q running revolver
battle wi.h customs agents OF Graves
end Hc died 20 Conoy Island Hospital
within few fours from bullet
wound .r his for head.
Wtn Christopher i1 % fast motor
launch. tle Scllirl. was bis brother,
Charles Astcn.evc. They carried
twenty-five cases O. liquor bearing
pshama stamps Charles Astcnbe-g
was arrested and gave fictitious names
for himself and brother, who was found
unconscious whore he had fallen IN
the boat.
Charles Astenbcrr was already IN
der $4,000 bonds on q Charge Of run
Ming rum into New York ilarbor.
brought by zore Chief AFpieby. some
time ago, wkcn it is charged ne was
caught in a launch with 23l cases Of
liquor lie was again arraigned yes
terday before q United States commits.
aoner. ir Brookiya. and was held on g
second bond OF $4,000, which be fur
n.shed.
No Shoot to Kill Order
Director Day was asked following
.ho shooting = q shoot 20 XIII order"
had been Issued 60 customs and pro-
hitt.on agents operating against
mucglers p the Bay lie replied:
40 shoot 20 h.l order has ever been
issued from any oi the government de-
prrtmcnts operating against liquor
s-augrlers. II man is killed b.
agents 10 is surely more accident than
design"
Tie Scabird. IN unusually fast craft,
had got away from the customs men IN
previous chascs. so when they started
looking for her they manned one Of
the fastest government launches in the
service With Special Agent Lynch in
the government craft were Agents
George Barron. Edward Sparacc. ". c.
semsey. John McAdams and Captain
James Tobin.
The government launch was cruising
ir inky darkness when Agent Barron
detected the sound Of muned en-
CINE. ln q few minutes the agents saw
the motor boat dimiy and observed it
vas trying 20 put in q. Grayesend.
The Astenbergs sighted tho government
launch at about the same instant.
turned and started for the open sea,
evidently confident that IL could dis
tl7re the government launch.
The agents hailed the Seabird and
ordered her % heavc 20. but she only
increased speed. The agents then
opened fire. which was returned By the
A';eabcrgs. 10 s. charged. as they
erogcicd back Of thcir engines.
Suddenly the revenue mcn saw the
Sr-h.ri slow down and halt Il
wheeled about and waited for the pur-
s1ers. Tae government launch came
alongside Charles Astenbcrg surren-
eercd and helped lift his unconscious
brother into the government craft