The New York herald., 1922-07-27
RUM ROMANCE TOLD
IN GIRLS INDICTMENT
Mrs. Edith Stevens, 19, Ac-
cused of Helping Cassese
Get Bermuda Supply.
ADMITS YACHT TRIP
Denies Supervising Load
ing Ship That Fought
Dry Agents Here.
GOES ON TRIAL TO-DAY
Judge in Brooklyn Hastens
Conspiracy Case as $4,000
Bond Is Lacking.
GOES ON TRIAL TO-DAY

A rum running romance was re-
vealed in the United States District
Court in Brooklyn yesterday when
Mrs. Edith Stevens, 10. of ass West
1929 street. Manhattan, was arraigned
on an indictment charging conspiracy
Bermuda
The girl was indicted as an accom-
plice of Antonio Cassese, millionaire
tobacco merchant of Ozone Park, who
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 fugi-
tive from justice following forfeiture
OF a bond Of $4,000.
Cassese was also the alleged owner Of
the yacht Edith, which was seized by
the Government with 1900 cases of
liquor aboard on March % at Bayville.
The court was told yesterday that Cas-
sese. who is as. had named the yacht
Edith for Mrs Stevens. The latter was
said to have been separated from her
husband.
Testimony brought out by the Federal
Attorney at the trial Of Capt. 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 accompanied the vessel
to New York. Neither was on the yacht
when it was captured. Oman was con-
victed and sent to the Federal peni-
tentiary at Atlanta for a year and d
day.
Peter j. Brancato. Assistant United
States Attorney, said that on the same
day that Cassese jumped the bond Of
$4,000 the tobacco merchant sent the
trawler Ripple from Brooklyn to take on
another cargo OF liquor at Bermuda. The
prosecutor said Cassese and Mrs. Ste
vens went to the Columbia street dock
to see the vessel sail. He alleged that
they then left on faster yacht and
reached Bermuda before the Ripple. He
charged they arranged for the cargo of
liquor. helping put 1t aboard the trawler.
$4,000 Liquor Seized.
The Ripple anchored off Ambrose
Light on the return to New York and
half of the cargo was transferred tc
smaller craft to smuggle ashore. Under
cover of darkness the Ripple docked al
the foot of Columbia street, and while
the TefIldlIueT Oh TIE lOdu Was DelNE
discharged to motor launches the ves-
sci was raided and captured by Federal
agents. About 100000 worth of liquor
was confiscated.
Mrs. Stevens was unable to furnish
the $4,000 bond which the court fixed.
To keep the girl from remaining in jail.
however, the court set the date of trial
for to-day. She will be defended by
Wallace Z. ]. 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 liquor
into New York was revealed when a
pistol battle in the harbor recently be-
tween Federal prohibition agents and
the crew of the rum running trawler
Ripple resulted In the capture of the
vessel and the disclosure that 1t was
owned by the tobacco merchant
Until the seizure of the Ripple. Cas-
sese had apparently intended to stand
trial on the indictment in connection
with the Edith. But when the owner
ship of the Ripple was also traced to
him. despite the fact IL was in the
name of his pilot. Cassese made good
his escape. taking a small fortune in
cash. revealed by his bank Withdrawals
Mrs. Stevens denied yesterday that
she was implicated in the rum snug
Cling plot with Cassese. She admitted
she had made the trip to Bermuda on
the Edith, but said she had no knowl-
edge of the Ripple