The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-08-17
Gigantic
Rum Ring
Uncovered
International Liquor Snug
Cling Gang Broken Up With
Arrests of Leaders by
Federal Agents.
Had Own Fleet Of Ships

Washington, Aug. 16.-Department
of Justice officials declared today that
the leaders in the largest and most
powerful bootleg ring in the United
States had been taken into custody
in the wholesale arrests made at Sa-
vannah. Ga, under direction of fed
eral agents. Additional arrests are
anticipated and it was said that the
case might lead to some state and fed
eral officers.
William Haar, at one time gro
Gerry clerk, is described as the leader
of ring which, officials assert, op-
Grated a flotilla of craft, had its own
storehouse in the swamps along the
Georgia and Florida coasts and sup
piled enormous quantities of liquor
on the Atlantic seaboard as far north
as New Jersey, and over the south
and as far west as ST Louis. Chi
cago and Cleveland.
Big Four of Rum Ring
Heading forces Of less wealth and
strength, according TO justice officers,
were c. Graham Baughn, Richard
Bailey and Sam Goldberg. These
three. with Haar. are referred 10 as
the big four and It was said they
wers -sr Knuwn IN bootleg cifeics over
the country.
Haar is allege dto own a number
OF craft OF British registry which
we're used to import intoxcants from
Cuba. the Bahama and other points In
the West Indies. But the ring. the
story goes. reached out even to Great
Britain. France and Canada for its
supplies. The craft bringing stocks
anchored outside the three-mile limit
the claim is, and fast motor boats
made the transfers TO storehouses
ashore. Distribution then was made
by automobile sand trains
First Tip Two Years Ago.
1t was two years ago that informa'
ton came to the Department OF JUS
tice that Savannah was the port for
the receipt and distribution Of such OF
tho liouor reaching the southern and
eastern markets. Mrs. Mabel Walker
Willebrandt. an assistant to the at
torney general. who is charged with
the enforcement Of the prohibition
law. ordered prohibition enforcement
agent sto that city in an effort to
break up the Illicit trade
BY this time. however. the ring
fro ma beginning on small scale
had becomg according 10 officials 2
large and powerful organization witt
an efficient intelligence department
The result was that the agents sen'
in were uncovered, making 1t neces
sary TO replace them several times.
Face Difficult Task.
The task OF collecting evidence upon
which TO undertake prosecutions
proved so difficult that an investiga
ton of the federal tax returns OF
number Of supposed bootleggers was
undertaken in the hope Of the devel
oping leads that might lead 10 ar
rests unde rthe prohibition law. As
result. the big four and four or five
others were indicted for violation o.
the revenue act through failure L
make proper returns. II was charG
ed that Haar had failed to make
return on income in excess of 81 OOV,
! 600
A week ago those in charge OF tn
investigation decided there was suffi
cient evidence on which 10 base &C
ton Accordingly. indictments for ih'
| big four and others were drawn u
the Department of Justice and ~
additional agents Of the Bureau of in
vestigation were dispatched To sn
vannah TO assist In the final ROUNDUP