The New York herald., 1922-09-15
SEIZE SHIP, WHISKY
AND $50,SS6 IN GOLD
Agents Act Beyond Three Mile
Limit Investigated by
British Consul.
MONEY IN AN IRON CHEST
Appleby Says Rum Runners
Refuse Bills as Many
Were Counterfeits.


A black hulled British schooner. the
NJ. NJ. Gardner. which could tale un-
fold, innocent or otherwise. If not af-
f1icted with aphasia. lies near the
Barge Office at the Battery. Revenue
men boarded her in the darkness off
the New Jersey shore on Thursday
night and brought her captive into
port
From her they took 65h cases Of
whisky and s50.SS6 in gold. one map
of the Jersey coast and three books
that seemed to the seagoing detectives
TO contain n list of hotel and restau-
rant proprietors of New York. Atlantic
City, Long Branch and other citadels
of prohibition.
After the names were letters In
code-like combinations NJ. c. Belts of
Lunenberg, N. S. captain Of the
schooner and the eight OF his men
were escorted over their protest to
Hoboken to be charged before United
States Commissioner with attempting
to smuggle merchandise into the United
States
The legality of the seizure may be
questioned by the British Government
after further inquiry by the Consulate
here. The schooner was indisputably
arrested outside the three mile limit ID
S. Mcdonald, master Of the Taylor, the
dry navy cruiser that did the sezing
At-4 Il
one-half miles east OF Long Branch and
between eight and nine miles east by
southeast OF Navesinlx Highlands light
Under the customs law the Government,
claims the right to search any vessel
with a broken cargo found within twelve
miles OF shore.
John II. Appleby. zone enforcement
chief had an explanation for the golden
treasure found aboard the schooner. part
of 1t In an iron chest.
"Booze runners" he said. "have beer
insisting on payment in gold of late be-
cause so many OF them have been paid
in counterfeit money. Some OF them
have gone back TO Cuba or the Bahamas
and tried to deposit the proceeds of their
sales in the banks before learning how
they had been subjected to a swindle
for which there is no redress"
Capt Belts, according to Mr.. Appleby
had clearance papers indicating that he
left Nassau with more than 1000 cases
Of whisky. but not dated or giving the
destination. The skipper said he had
taken the liquor to st. Pierre de Mique-
lon, a French island OFF Newfoundland
and that he was returning to Nassau
with the sixty-ive and half cases
which the consignee had rejected.
Last night" he said, Il was at the
wheel and when l saw small vessel
approaching I thought II was pirates
Even when they yelled through a mega
phone, Heave to: we're revenue men,
thought they were pirates. being &c
far off shore, and had a notion TO ram
'em. On second thought ] asked them
to turn their searchlight on their crew
and flag. After this l could see they
were revenue men. and l was glad "a
have them come aboard"
The NJ. NJ. Gardner Is a Grand Banks
fishing schooner. 100 feet long. 1t made
q record run from Nova Scotia 90 Portu.
gal thre, years ago with dried fsh
Customs agents have had Il on the sus-
pect list for some time. Papers found
aboard yesterday Indicate that the ship
had been inshore on the present voyage
and that boots, oilskin coats and sup
plies were bought at New Jersey points
as recently as August 80. The ship has
been tmpounded and all detachable
equipment including compass and pho
nograph records. taken off, pending the
court decision. Government agents
would not disclose the hotel and restau-
ran. names in the code book.
In Hoboken Capt. Belts and the su-
percargo. r. II. Butler, were held IN
$4,000 bail apiece for hearing to-day
The others were held In $500 apiece
Thomas r. Folder, attorney for the
ships company. said they had been
wrongfully arrested. as the Government
had no jurisdiction outside the three mile
limit