The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-12-15
Rum Fleet
Encounters
Opposition
Icy Gales Off Jersey Coast
Handicap Landing Of Christ
mas Liquor-20 Ships
Put to Sea.
LUCKY Lady in Charge
BY Associated Pres.

Highlands, y. J., Dec. 14.-Icy
gales kicked up such seas along the
Jersey coast today that all but seven
of the Christmas rum squadron of 20
vessels weighed anchor and withdrew
to the open sea to ride out the storm.
upfhe weather and the heavy rein.
forced federal. state and county staffs
of prohibition agents, at sea and
ashore, threatened to send glmmer-
ing the rum runners last hopes of
smuggling through to the big cities
the thousands of cases of whisky and
wine the rum fleet carries.
Not a bottle fisherman ventured out
to the fleet today Their speedy
craft, including those newly launched
in the last few days in the hope of
garnering some of the Christmas
trade harvest, rode safely at anchor
in the camouf1aged liquor landing
havens that abound in this and near
by coast towns.
Lucky Lady" LandIocked.
Even the super.rum craft, Louise,
reputed flagship Of a fleet of fast
bottle-runners, said by revenue Off
GERS to be operated by a woman,
known to them as Lucky Lady" re-
NAMED in her little land-locked basin
at Keyport.
Prohibition officers ashore, how
ever, were warned by revenue cutter
sailors that Lucky Lady," whom
they recently rescued from drowning,
when one of her bottle boats sank
with a cargo on the way in from the
rum fleet at night. had recovered and
vas actively directing the fleet OF
city-going liquor trucks and touring
cars which she is reputed to operate
ashore.
Lucky Lady" IS a brunette of 80
and the head of a syndicaae of whisky
smugglers that operates both water
and land craft. the authorities say.
She accompanied her own ships out
to Rum Row. they say. bargained
Hfith the shippers there for supplies
of imported liquor and directed the
unloading and reloading into cars at
the beach. She usually rode the
Louise. which federal rum hunters,
whose mosquito fleet has tried TO
capture her. say Is one Of the fastest
craft on the coast,
Malone, N. Y, Dec. 14-Enforce-
ment agents along the northeastern
frontier of the state say they have
stopped most of the leakage of holi.
day liquor over the Canadian frontier.
While admitting that perhaps some
fleet liquor-laden automobiles had
escaped their vigilance in little tray-
eled roads during the snowstorm OF
last night, the agents were convinced
that the drivers Of the larger cargoes
were unwilling 10 take a chance. know
ing that the highways were excep-
tiopally we'll guarded.
The bootleggers were said to be in
rage over the delay in fulfilling
down-state contracts with financial
losses in sight. The agents would
not be surprised to see concentrate
ed dash over the line by half "A dozen
machines. The theory being that
while some would be caught. others
might escape in the confusion.
Weather conditions also are causing
anxiety among the smugglers. The
winters in this north country are u.s.
udlly NtNtIC anu httD 5iiON t'Obc hitN
highways for months. making fast
travelling out Of the question.
SO far. the weather has been re-
markably mild and the snowfall has
been inconsequential. But these ideal
conditions for smuggling are not like
= ly to continue much longer and the
closing OF the roads means compare
tive inactivity, with a large stock Of
contraband on hand.
High hackers Active.
Last winter. the smugglers used
sleighs, but these were easily caught
by the Black Horse troopers. whose
sturdy steeds have an uncanny way
OF speeding through deep snow. The
brawny, sagacious police dogs OF the
state troopers are invariably used In
winter weather and this year the OF.
ficers plnn to use them more than
ever.
Reports that high jackers had been
operating against tho bootleggers were
confirmed today. when two alleged
highwaymen, one an Indian, were tax
en- to the county Jail at Canton Ia
await the grand jury's action.
Many Of the high jackers are mere
Youths, tho authorities say, and some
OF them are reported to be former
New York gunner.
All of them were at one time en-.
gagged in the legitimate bootleg pro-
fesslon but were declared outcasis
because they sqnealed or double
crossed their agents.
The authorities say that much "l
The liquor confiscated recently con
talns denatured alcohol. The labels
arc faxed In many cases. Even the
supposed real beer and ale is ether
ized In many instances.
Diff.