Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-05-23
RUM RUNNERS
Continued from Page ons)

Nans operated by the Maine Coast &
Canada Steamship Co.. at her berth
here and seized liquor valued at $780,
oU0 which had been packed in fish
poxes carrying merchandise labels
Late today ale and whisky valued at
SlSO,000 was seized on board the
steamer Boston on her arrival in New
York from this port, and federal au-
tnorlties said the shipment was part
OF the Vans cargo which had been un-
loaded and forwarded to New York
before today's raid.
Captain c. r. Mclean Of Everett,
master Of the Van, was arrested with
IL members Of the crew, and later in
the day President w. H. Burton Of the
Maine Coast & Canada Steamship Co.
was taken into custody. All were ar
ra1gned in federal court today charged
with conspiracy to smuggle liquor.
PRESIDENT Burton was held in $250O
and the others in 500 each for hear
ing later.
Disclosures regarded by federal au-
tnorities as extremely important in
Ine present campaign rum running by
sea were also made today when two
customs agents went to an office at q
Haymarket Square and opened q safe.
Ihe agents acted. it was said, on in
formation obtained by planting
coastguard men in the service Of rum
runners and smugglers. Papers indi-
eating the existence Of a rum ring do
Ing business in million dollar lots were
round in the safe, the agents said.
Frank Savistino Of Brighton was ar
rested. He was held in federal court
In $4,000 on the charge Of conspiracy
to smuggle liquor.
Books found with the papers, It was
said, contained more than 1000 names
or alleged retailers and wholesalers Of
liquor, rum runners and their agents
In this country and elsewhere. Infor-
| nation CLEANED from a hurried exami-
| nation of the seized documents indicat-
ed, it was said, that the ring owns
and operates three ocean-going steam
ers besides fleet Of sailing vessels
and fast power boats. The agents
said that liquor boats outside the 12-
| mile limit were given signals from
shore as to where their cargoes should
be landed. Other arrests, it was said,
would follow closer perusal Of the
books and papers.
Most of the liquor taken from the
steamer Van was found in cases on
Commercial Wharf where the vessel
ma1ned on board the steamer when the
raiders arrived. The cases containing
the liquor, which was mostly high
grade Scotch and rye whisky and ale.
were labelled fish," meats" "sar-
| dimes" and canned goods" The yes-
sci, the agents were informed, reached
| Boston Wednesday night from jones'
port, Maine. and unloaded a part of
her cargo at another wharf before
moving to her new berth. The au-
| thorities had information that a large
| part Of the liquor had been reshipped
| from here before their arrival and 1t
was said as a result Of this that the
| seizure was made in New York on the
steamer Boston.
The Vans ordinary ports Of call in
| cluded Jonesport, Portland, Stockton
Harbor, Prospect Harbor and Bass
Harbor. Prohibition officials in the
northern Maine district admitted today
| that they had heard that a new rum
| route had been opened overland from
Canada to Maine ports since the ocean
blockade had been drawn by the coast
guard forces, and efforts were being
made to trace the origin of the Van
shipment. Federal officers here said
they had reason to believe that large
quantities Of choice liduor had been
coming to this city of recent weeks
under the guise Of merchandise and at
tributed the supply to the northern
Maine overland route.
1t was announced later from the Of
flee Of the United States district at
torney that the results Of the investi-
cation when completed would be laid
before the federal grand jury.