New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-27
BOARD there--what ships. that"
Captain Dizer, of the United
\ States sub-chaser Hansela, bawls

captain DlZer, OF Lne united
~ States sub-chaser Hansel4, bawls
his midnight question Through a
mepaphone over ten fathoms of black and
MYSTERIOUS water two miles off Green port, L.
I The wet deck beneath him heaves. tumultu-
ousy.
British sloop Cormorant, out o Nassau, for
Boston, with mixed cargo. Who are you?"
boonns the answer, ending, sea fashion, in an
Interrogation.
aCustoms!" roars the megaph1ne. Come
about-were going to board YOU
Then silence The Hansen wallows and
waits. Evidently conference rs going for
ward aboard the other craft. Follows another
hail from the challenged vessel.
4Customs ahoy! This is the British
soop"--
Heard you the first time" interrupts the
mesauhone. "Want to take lDok at your pa
pers."
Again silence. Then the Brstisher bawls:
Some aboard Who the bloody eli d'you
think am--Captain Kidd7'' go 80 y 1
TTo customs inspectors Chamber up side lines
and show their authority by lantern light to
he Cormorants irascible skipper red-faced
hoad-beamed old pirate, who wears his peaked
inform cap cooked over one eye like Beatty.
BE says his names Durkee.
"Well, gentlemen" he growls, "your pleas
ure?"
"Ship's papers, please"
Captain Durkee leads the way below. Once
within the cabin his brusquerie vanishes. lie
throws his manifest on the table, TANKS it with
four-bottle decanter, sets out tray OF
glasses and grins an invitation, courteousiy
declined by the inspectors. Can't be too care
full, you know
"Nawsty weather outside" volunteers the
Cornorant's commander. BLEW us bit out
Of our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS we were mile fur
Their off shore. Cigars?"
You're two miles off the lghtship," re-
marks Inspector Long, selecting West In
dian cheroot. whats under the haaches,
captan?"
Captain Durkee ponders briefly An old
timer, this grizzled sea dog. He has weighed
the situation and now confronts the inevitable
with calculated grace.
Gentlemen" says the skipper, you've got
US I'll save you further trouble. We've
$500 cases of Scotch below. Whatre the
orders?'
Thanks, captain" smiles the customs Off
Ger. "That simplifes matters had your
load pretty accurately listed. Edge in about q
mile and drop hook Well give you tow
at dawn. Inspector Smith here will bunk
sboard. Sorry to cause you Inconvenience
god night"
Uncle Sans polite emissary vanishes over
the murky lee rail and ten minutes later is
again aboard the Hansen. The net result of
no YIu GS00 600
bootleg value A farewell toot of her
hoarse-throated whistle and the Hansen veers
On after fresh quarry.
Bum running is hazardous game, but
Profits are large and this insures continuous
enort to evade prohibition and customs regu-
Rtons. 1t is estimated that more than 100
vessels are engaged in trading from liquor
aepcts in the West Indies to points along the
SeW Jersey and Long Island coasts.
Like old-time pirates of the Cirque Ports
VINO traded to Yarmouth 100 years ago,
american rum runners depend on their friends
ssaore for aid, knowing them sympathetic
Win the enterprise. Alongshore residents
sse inclined rather to aid the native smuggler
aah surrender him to authorities. Therein
Ass one handicap to prohibition agents.
!. Present. enforcement troubles Of United
sAtes enforcement officials present an in
@iesIng parallel to those of the British
s0sernment in the eighteenth century Brandy
s.aners then Struggled cargoes into England
IN practical impunity. They were popular
1, ss'oes with large following and found even
: Adam Snith, British economist, who was
ss.sfoiler of the customs at that period, an
'a -. apologist He wrote of them
ihese men, no doubt, highly blamable for
,As,sg the laws Of their country, are ire
s.'y incapable of violating laws of
'A1a' 5ustice-men who would haye been