The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-05-15
STARVED AND
ROBBED
RELATE TALE
Wierd Story of Rum Running,
Double. Crossing, Battles
With Seas, Related
START WITH 5000 CASES

New York, May IA starved and
robbed crew, victimizcd at every
point Of the compass as they told
1T, driftcd with the tide into quar-
tine yesterday. After being taken
ashore to cat their first square
meal in "A week or SO they told
federal officials n story which tho
latter regarded as the most import
ant information received since it
was decided to put an end to rum
row.
The skipper unfoldcd n tale OF
deception. thievcry, smuggling,
piracy, starvation and hclplcssncss,
q and before he had dipped his digit
into II finger bowl federal invcsti-
gators were hunting for hcadquar
tcrs Ct a gigantic bootlcgging syn
dicatc he described as being in New
York. He said it was the contro.l
ing factor in rum row.
Many Details Withheld
The full nature of the condolences
was not revealed but assistant
United States Attorney Clark, who
questioned Captain c. Bidlon and
three of his crew said the vessel.
the British yacht Yankton. would
be libeled under the mercantiis
law and sold. to pay the crew who
have been away from Havana, their
Mr.. Clark intimatcd he would
seek A. K. Corns, listed on the
iankton's manifest as from Miami,
Florida, who left the ship a month
ago with Il party Of rum runners
who carried away $500 cases Of
grain alcohol. Corns told Captain
B;dlon he was going ashore to get
food and fuel and arrange for pay
mcnt of the crew. Whether Corns
disappeared purposely or was spirit.
ed away Captain Bidlon would like
to know.
Started With 5000 Cases
Captain Bidlon Of Nassau. B. l.,
recruited his crew at Havana short
ly after New Years for quick trip
to st. Pierre, Miquelon, with 5000
cases of grain alcohol and q few
bales Of Cuban tobacco. The crew
were informed, when the high seas
were reached, they could not CORE
spond with any one ashore and
could not leave the vessel until an
Choir was dropped in Havana again.
That was the first double cross"
he said.
About February 10 the Yankton
sighted Ambrose lightship when
man, described as representative
of New York bootlegging interests
whose entry into the story was
left obscure--ordercd Captain Bid.
lon to proceed to Providence, r. I.
That port was not touched, how
ever, Captain Bidlon said, but IN
the vicinity of Block Island, two
motor launches appeared alongside
and lightered away two thousand
cases of alcohol and two thousand
pounds of tobacco.
Another Double Cross
Captain Bidlon learned afterwards
he was represented as saying, that
the consignec ashore reported never
receiving the transhipmcnt. so the
navigator marked another double
Y" in his log.
For five weeks the Yankton re-
manned hovc-to, then went to Mon
tauk Point under instructions and
unloaded $500 cases of alcohol to
the Cavalier, British schooner.
That was where Corns disappeared
and where the next double X" was
entered in the log.
Still holding part Of their origin
al cargo, but shy of sea biscuit and
steam coal, the crew broke up most
Of the wooden furnishings of the
ship and headed for Rum Row. On
their arrival. said the captain, two
tugs came alongside and forty arm
cd men swinging guns, briskly
boarded the Yankton and took the
of its cargo Captain
Bidlon said one Of the boarding
party made some unintelligible re-
ference to.acting under orders of
New York bootlegging syndicate. !
He put down another double X. |
With the bunkcrs holding nothing /
but coal dust and the galley scrap I;
ed Of potato Feelings the crew de- !,
cided to helm around for New York !
bay, and a square meal.