The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-20

FlOrlda coast, especially MIdilll, Win
the assistance OF some Miami bank
ers who hold the money for dealss
in liquors is found by the prohibi-
ton officers working here under the
direction of Col. l.. G. Knutt, cheii
Of the Narcotic division Of the Inter-
nal revenue department, according
to his report to Federal Prohibition
Commissioner Ray A. Haynes. at
Washington made public here todaj
by Col. Knutt. Col. Knutt's report
TO Commissioner Haynes. in full is
rs follows:
1T did not take long after one
days investigation OF conditions in
Florida, especially in Miami, to de-
te?inino that solution OF the SNUG
g.iag rrGhlom lay in cleaning W. tn
III y situation peculiar to certa!
aaciion3 Of Florida.
Il found that conveying hquo'
from nearby foreign shores was
minor transaction, compared with the
program of bringing it ashore a"d
shipping to Northern points. Term
iiate the existing facilities for ship
ming, smash the shore line market
was the solution as our trained men
saw it, and with that end in view we
went Systematically to work
I'VE were startled by the revea-
tions. We found sort of coop
crate plan among operators Our in
vestigatOrs were directed to opera
tors with the same frankness that
stranger receives directions from
corner policeman. Operators DIS
cussed transactions like bankers. In
deed several of them gave bankers as
references and in two instances a.
ter negotiations were closed, had lead
ing bankers hold the purchase price
in trust and sign contracts to that
effect.
"In substance, the operators braz-
enly proposed: we will contract for
all the liquor wanted-Scotch. Irish
or Champagne. We will go and
fetch it in twenty-four hours
I'VE will get and fetch it in twenty
four hours and deliver it wherever
you say-at. your hotel. at the court
house or at the postoffice. We will de-
liver it at the railway station If you
wish it shipped; and will attend to
placing it in cars and will buy the
necessary grapefruit or tomatoes to
cover it up. That is all that is nee
essary; just pile it into refrigerator
cars, with a camoufaging of fruit or
vegetables. and with the cars sealed,
the shipment will go wherever you
wish.
"More than a dozen OF our investi-
gators, on the first days operation, re-
ported propositions of the above char
acter and in two instances negotia-
tions were closed, with the aid of
bankers, all of which will be revealed
shortly in court procedure.
Our investigators discovered that
many of the operators owned their
own smuggling ships, would make
night voyages to a point near Nassau,
Bimini or Gun Key, meet a schooner
laden with liquor, make purchases at
the average price of $1S per case. re-
turn the next night and receive dou-
BILE the price from their purchasers,
also make a snug profit on the fruit
and vegetables for packing. They
would explain that by diluting the
consignment could be doubled and ev-
en- trebled in quantity and sold up
:. north for at least 500 a case, in all
p a tempting proposition.
'All of this our investigators more
than verified and continued for more
than week to carry on negotiations
for big and little shipments without
the slightest trouble. Our men saw
I. the smuggling vessels go north, saw
81 them return, we'll laden with liquor
and in one instance witnessed flying
boat used for the purpose. They had
no trouble in having prominent banks
as trustees for purchase funds, even
after explaining that it was liquor
deal.
$50 brazenly was the law violated
in the city of Miami that in several
instances the principal prizes of
punchboards operated in prominent
cigar stands were bottles of liquor.
Our investigators not only made win
nings of Gordin Gin, Johnny Walker
Scotch and Bushnill Rye, but carried
away the punchboards as souvenirs.
with the avenues of transportation,
distribution and marketing cut off,"
continued Colonel Kn4tt's report,
Especially along the coast line, the
smuggling problem will solve itself
for the simple reason that liquor will
not be brought in If distribution is
prevented, and this can and will be
done.
Struggled liquor for the past sew
eral months has constituted the source
Of supply except undrinkable moon
shine and now that there is fear Of
synthetic and re-certified connections,
the bootlegger sees his doom.
Concentration Of warehouse liquor
to be released to bona-fide concerns,
properly certified. for medical pur-
poses only coupled with other restric-
tioua q being advicated.
~ I1 ne noon hour today eleven