Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-20
Sheriffs, 0utnumbered by
Rum-Runners, Forced
To Cover On Long
Island n, Y.
Fleet of Autos with 600
Cases of Liquor Then
Escort e d to New
York - F ederal
Authorities Aroused,
Determined to Halt
Long Island Opera
tons

New York, June 10 (By A. P)-
Federal prohibition enforcement au-
thorities. electrified by two of the
widest booucgging stories that have
Yet reached their ears, tonight be-
gan planning campaign to mop up
Long Island, which. it was disclosed.
has been adopted as the newest
scene of operations of runners ply
ing to and from the off shore rum
fleet.
The widest OF the stories, vouch-
cd for by Sheriff Biggs of Suffolk
County. involved a pitched battle
between eight deputy sheriffs and
some 90 or 60 rum runners and New
York gunner, in which the deputies
finally were driven to cover, while
armed patrols conveyed fleet of
trucks with nearly 500 cases of Ii
quor to New York. This took place
at Grconport.
Ihee fight, according to Sheriff
BlSgs, was the elimination of two
days Of sNirmishing, which started
when vessel of unknown identity
slipped into Greeport early Sunday
morning and unloadcd her liquid
cargo into waiting trucks.
Inc sheriff. advised of the landing
but to late TO get men on spot
sent his deputies out to find some
traces of it. 1t remained for Sidney
smith, a citizen, however, to dis
cover the cache, and he paid for it
by the loss OF an ear. which was
shot off as he stood before the house
in which it had been stored. A war
rant charging Captain Fred Davis. a
fisherman, with the shooting has
been issued.
smith, heard suspicious sounds
Sunday afternoon near Davis house,
and as he approached the door was
thrown open and a man whom Smith
ldcntlned as Captain Davis, fired
down on him with a shotgun.
AS soon as he had his ear treat
cd, Smith notified Sheriff Biggs and
the latter rushed four deputies to
the house.
They arrested three men and
SclIcd truck, containing 50 cases
OF liquor.
The whiskey runners telephoned
4ii'iiiNNi"'NiN W NEW ! DIX Tor rem
forccmcnts and ten gunner arrived
that evening on Il Long Island train
and were Whiskcd from the station
to Captain Davis house in a big
touring car.
Meanwhile, the sheriff had sent
his available force of eight men out
with orders to capture the strong
ho!d. They advanced about dusk.
but were quickly driven to cover by
a Noilcy from the house
When they advanced again, short
~ before midnight, they found the
beleagucrcd rum runners had thrown
out outpoStS, and there were several
HWY exchanges of shots, the deputies
again taking cover.
y half hour later, a big touring
car roarcd down the road toward the
house. Two of the deputies attempt
cd unsuccesSfully to halt it. This
car also pulled up at the Davis house
and soon counter attack was be.
gun, which sent the deputies scurry-
ing from the neiEhborhood
Then the rum runners loaded their
stock into trucks and. using touring
cars Tor conveys, escorted the cara
van at brCakncck speed toward New
York.
Deputies who tried to head off
one truck with their automobiles
were crowded out by convoy car
which almost sent them into the
ditch, while lcvellcd pistols and
shotguns warned them It was ad-
visable to abandon thoughts Of a
capture.