San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
Airplane Police Jump at
Thought Of Following
Carrier to Rendezvous Of
Blackmailers Side
Druggists Use Birds to
Smuggle Opium Into
City.
BY ROBERT r. SMALL

Copyright by The San Antonio Light.
New York, March lit sounded all
the time more like a midsummer fan
tasy than mid-winter> reality, but
just the same credulous New York
took seriously for day or two the
story that a carrier pigeon was be-
ing used to levy blackmail. A S10.-
600 bill or perhaps some greenback
of smaller dimensions, was to be. tied
to the pigeons leg and the bird liber-
ated. The feathered messenger then
was supposed to fly back to the cave
of the criminals.
The story took on particularly
spicy flavor when it was reported that
the police had arranged to be on hand
when the bird was let loose and two
burly bluecoats were to shadow" it
in an airplane. Just how they would
follow the little filler into the maze of
East Side tenements-all blackmailers
have to live on the East Side here in
New York-no one at police headquar-
tiers seemed TO know.
But New York has police airplancs
and police filters and has not yet
found just what to do with them. SO
the idea of flying after the black
mailing 'homer" appealed to the imagi-
nation of the cops. Now the black
mailing plot has faded away. 1t was
novel while it lasted and had a touch
of possibility to it.
Not the First Time.
It was pointed out that it was COM
paratively an easy matter to deliver
a live pigeon at n victims door.
Children have been left upon door
steps so why not squad? 1t was
much better altogether than demand
ing that the money be left in hollow
tree or under brick in the back
yard. Perhaps some day the black
mailers will take it up. As a rule,
however, they haven't much magma
ton.
1t is not the first time, however,
that attempts have been made to use
carrier pigeons for criminal purposes.
Some of these attempts have been
successful. Others have been merely
fanciful. There is not fSubt that the
birds have been used for bringing
opium. cocaine and other drugs ashore
from ships. TIE birds carry a cylin-
der containing valuable quantities of
the forbidden powders. The snug
giles take the birds out to ships in
the lower bay and when they are.
liberated they return with fidelity to
the natal cote. There have been stories
of the birds being used to smuggle
precious stones ashore but no authen-
tication OF the facts. The drug-car-
rying pigeons have been recognized by
the police of many cities.
Recently it was reported that an
East Side druggist here in New York
had bought whole fleet or flock of
smuggler birds and arranged sys.
TEN of signal lights which conveyed
the news TO victims that new sup
ply of various sorts of narcotics had
come in by wing.
Friends Defend Birds.
Occasionally the police come out
with a plan either to exterminate or
to license the carrier birds. 1t has
been suggested that the breeding be
restricted and supervised. Yet car
rier pigeon racing is one of the oldest
of sports and the breeding and train
ing of the birds has furnished much
innocent amusement and excitement to
the boys of the country.
Friends of the pigeon are on the de-
defense of the bird. They say that
pigeon racing is far better than the
brutal sport of shooting live pigeons
and even if a few of the carriers are
turned into criminal channels, it is
argued that the percentage is no high
er than that Of humans who turn
voluntarily from the paths of recti-
tude into the by-ways of crime.
The birds are made criminals only
through an advantage being taken of
their finest instinct. They are Mono
gamists, these feathered messengers
and are said to be more faithful in
their mating than the average human.
Their love of home is such that they
will take desperate chances to reach
it. Their unhappiness when away
from home is evident.
The charge of narcotic bootlegging
against the carriers will not drive them
L. -.