The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-06

men" since it became the supply
store of the bootleggers.
Big Reds Merry Men"
One Of the most notorious Of
these is a man named Big Red, vino
came down from the BoWery, New
York, at the head Of gang of
gunner. The presence Of Big Red
and his merry men, 1t was ex-
planned, was due to cases of alleged
double dealing. American purcnas-
ers declared that they had paid for
and been given bottles of sea water
labelled whiskey and there were
constant stories Of double cross
ing ''hold-ups.' and other acts of
roguery among these adventures.
Big Red wore a gun ON each hip,
and announced that he was down TO
look after Nassau and see that
business affairs ran smoothly, lie
was highly successful.
One Of his little jobs was to chase
an American reporter who strayed
on to the island. My fellow
journalist was concealed by the
American Consul, by whose aid ne
finally escaped, with a bullet wound
as q. memento of his experiences.
of times, but managed to keep my
business a secret. Everyone seemed
SURPRISED that an Englishman
should be spending a hot summer
in the West Indies for pleasure.
They could have understood it had
it been winter time, when the cli-
mate is warm and pleasing, and the
insects are not on the warpath
and fOf1V-iqfa ara eGYnrn0n
Made Friends with Runners.
made friends with many Of the
hsuor dealers, the captains of the
rum-runners, and the American
buyers, and I found no difficulty in
getting information up to point.
The liquor is brought here from
London or Glasgow and il lightered
ashore from the liners lying out
side the harbor.
1t is sent UP to Rum Row, off
the New Jersey coast, In schooners,
to the islands off the Florida
coast, or else the bootleggers run
it in themselves. In Rum Row the
bootleggers come alongside and
buy as they would in market,
and sometimes they send It up On
the order Of certain men represent
ing the 'big ring" in New York.
The boats which go to Rum Row
fly the British flag. They are
British registered, but may be
American-owned. The British flag
protects the cargo outside Amer
loan territorial waters, for although
the Revenue boats steam in and
out OF the anchored rum-runners,
1T Is powerless to interfere when
they lie out at sea.
The stay-at-home financiers in
London and Glasgow who gamble
their money in these whiskey-ex-
porting adventures can know little
OF the practical side Of the expe.
ditions. The whole thing is a
gamble, and II dealer never loses
valuable cargo he is q lucky man.
A Dangerous Game.
In those instances where big
bootleggers have "arrangements"
with the Customs officers on the
american coast small seizures are
sometimes agreed upon for the sake
OF appearances; but a newcomer
meets with no mercy and can soon
De ruined. Everyone is against
hin' and even the bootleggers and
ms ieiloW-vendors are often his
enemies.
Mere promises of purchase can
not De relied upon, and the new
man has also to face the ordinary
risks OF weather, raids and double.
crossing on the part of the ueopIe
VINO handle the goods after they
nave iert his hands. 1t is Ineces.
sary Tor rum-runners to be we'll
arHhed TO resist violence. Some of
L ne SHIPS on which ! was aboard
had cabins that resembled arsenaIs
Fortunes Quickly Lost.
fortunes are as quickly lost as
- r., me case Of Kosher Is one
in a big way and had made : Sor
tune. Then he began to lose
carsoes. Several shiploads of
wniskey We're seIzed, and. althourn
TINS 10 looked for and such bad