The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-27
QUICK FORTUNE
IN RUN: TRADE
/ now PAST
Traffic Failing to Attract Brit
ish Capital Because Of
''Hi-jacking."
BY DAVID M. CHURCH,
TnkAvmaAaomal Nawn Service.


LONDON, March 27.-The halcyon
days of quick fortunes made in rum
running to the United States appear
to have passed.
In London hotel Hobbies there are
sleek, prosperous.looking men who
are pointed out as men who have
made fortunes in rum running, but
there are very few who are pointed
out as men who are making fortunes
In the business at present.
English bankers and capitalists
are said to have turned thumbs down
on rum-running schemes during the
last few months and 1t Is now most
difficult for the adventurous to Sc.
cure capital for their ventures. The
disappointed blame the American
bootleggers for this state of affairs.
They claim that had the bootleggers
maid the piper and played the game
muuarely that the business might
have gone along making fortunes for
everyone, but the consumer. for
years, but as soon as bootleggers be-
gan hi-jacking on the high seas then
English capital frightened up and was
NO longer available for this enter
prise.
The tragic death Of Sir John
Stewart, baronet, who shot himself
at Fingasl Castle, Pertshire, is said
to have been largely due to the bot
tom falling out of the rum-running
industry. Sir John Is. reported to
have spent the last few weeks Of his
life in endeavoring to secure capital
for great boOtlegging gamble with.
out success.
Fail to Attract.
Even projects which appear safe
and sound fail to attract British cap.
1talists. One plan recently drafted
provided that British money should
buy whiskey and ship it to Holland
for transhipment to the United
States, with the purchase price paid
down in either Hamburg or Rotter.
dam prior to its shipment and de.
livery on the high seas. Even this
apparently safe plan Is understood
20 have been rejected by British cap.
1talists. -
Several British business men Of
good standing have personally gone
to New York to investigate the liquor
market and its prospects, and while
they have found little or no diff
Guilty in getting orders they have
not been able to arrange deals of
sufficient safety to attract the Brit.
1gh capitalists.
Weird tales Of the American boot
logging industry have been brought
back by these Investigators, one of
whom, though refusing to disclose
a.
that he at first had great difficulty
In getting access to the real facts
concerning the business, but even.
tually, in; an exclusive New York
cafe, he was introduced to a mum.
Der Of men who posed as Judges ana
attorneys and who, while they slipped
illicit whiskey, gave him much infor-
NATION and arranged for him a meet
ing with the alleged "bootlegger
king"
Support Prohibition.
1eggers are astounding" said this
man. THE 'Bootlegger King spends
from Z to 10 per cent Of his enor.
NOUS profits in propaganda work
IN the cause Of prohibition. He
spends another 10 per. cent in
perquisites to the revenue authori.
ties.
1--WE were taken to see his wharf
on the New Jersey coast. A fast
motor launch took us out beyond
the Ambrose lightship, where we
found vessel from Glasgow, with
from 5000 to 1900 cases Of whiskey
ON board. They were unloading the
whiskey into a smaller craft ready
70 be run ashore. A revenue cutter