The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-29
RUM RUN
NER NAVY
Submarine Chasens Used to
Smuggle Contraband Liquv1.

Submarine ChaseES Used to
Smuggle Contraband Liqno1.
! New York, April 24.-Custom Of
fcials annuonced today that they
We're working to smash a bootleg
ger ring which they charged had
modified a feet of former subma-
rine chasers to meet creation Of
Americas 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 posing as naval vessels and,
commanded by officers in the uni
form Of the United States, already
have succeeded in running $1,000
600 worth of rum into the United
States from Bermuda and Habana.
The announcement Of the dis
covery Of the alleged smuggling
scheme was made after former
submarine chaser 10l, rechristen-
ed the Fidus, had been taken in
New York farbor by a police boat
and customs launch. Customs men
claimed they had found aboard her
| numerous charts with marked
landings along the Atlantic coas:
and Hudson river. No liquor was
found aboard and the crew told u
hair raising tale OF having had
(, their cargo plundered by pirates
off the Long Island coast yester-
! day.
The eX-chaser, said to bear Brit
ish registry was held on tech
! nical charge that she left Bermu-
da without clearance papers. Her
captain, who gave his name as
John Kelly" and his crew of sew
en-, were taken to the custom house
/ for a severe grilling. After the
exanipation, Assistant United
States Attorney Falk said:
/ Kelly wore the uniform of a
United States naval officer. We
have not as yet made any charges
against Captain Kelly and the
crew. 1t is understood that the
Fidus carried 2,100 cases Of Scotch
whiskey from Bermuda and that
is what we want to find out. The
i vessel failed to show on her man.
ifest any cargo and after question
/ ing by customs agents, it was de-
cided to take her into port and
question the crew
Federal agents, who said they
Fbelieved the name John Kelly"
| fictitious and that the captains
real name was NJ. Stanley Clark
/ of Brooklyn, intimated there was
t a possibility that there might be
brought against her captain a
charge Of wearing an ensign's uni
| form illegally. Kelly who
claimed at one time to have
served in the United States navy.
denied he was wearing a naval uni :
form.
'All I had was a cap that re-
sembled an .ensign's head piece, -
he told reporters.
Kelly claimed to have been TAX
ing liquor to Montreal for a Ber-
muda wine merchant who owned
the craft, when pirates on another
chaser stole his cargo and mani
tests. But custom officials claim
ed to have detached points at which
the tale, as related by different
members OF the crew, did not gibe.
! incidentally one Of the crew, Ray
Palmer, was alleged to be carrying
/. w. ". literature.
Falk quoted the version Of Chief
Engineer William Lockwood as fol.
lows:
we We're all below. This was
about G o'clock A bell was given
to stop and we stalled the engines
! Next thing NE knew gang of men,
all unmaSked, SWarmed down on
US, and pointing rcvolvers at us
backed US up into q small compart-
ment in the engine room and told
us to be quiet
Half an hour later, according to
Lockwood, n seaman ventured
above and saw Kelly tied to tho
mast. Lockwood claimed to have
united the knots himself The Il,
quor was gone.
Among the papers found in the
captains possession was Il recon-
mendation from hr. commanding
officer. stating he served in 1919 a.
an ensign on the Northern Pacific
and as executive officer on "Subma
rnie chaser 80.