New Britain herald., 1925-10-14
rum ROW IS MOVED
TO SOUTHERN zone
Fleet Doing Its Business in
Warmer Climate

Atlanta, Oct. IL Pt-Rum row,
that movable mart of Illicit trade in
forbidden beverages, Is now more or
less firmly established In southern
waters. Present activities there are
so extensive II Is believed the trade
includes most Of tlNse former op-
orators who managed 10 escape the
sharp-shooting coast guardsmen's
campaign to break up flourishing
business off New York. Boston and
Atlantic City shores,
Rum runners have accepted liter
ally the admonition OF Colonel Luke
Lea OF Tennessee to come south
young fellow" paraphrased from
Horace Greely's famous advice to
young men.
And they have come-fleets Of
them, many have been lured to
Florida by tales of famous riches
and Of an orgy Of spending by win
ter tourists. Others have been
driven to Florida by Uncle Sans
intense efforts In other southern
waters.
Three branches OF Americas COM
bat service are represented In Florl-
da by Colonel r. r. Simmons re-
tired army officer. state prohibition
administrator: Commander P. r.
Hambsch, retired navy officer. his
assistant: and Captain John G..
Berry, active commander Of the
coast guard forces.
Colonel Simmons has set up head.
quarters at Tampa with branch of
fees at Miami, Jacksonville and
Pensacola, Key West Is headquar-
ters for the coast guard
Commander Hamhsch has discov-
cred that a gigantic English rum
running syndicate Is operating In
Florida waters. In the syndicatc's
fleet arc ships carrying cargocs of
5000 to 10000 cases valued at
$500. 900, and retailed In Florida for
$500, 1000. There are seven vessels
six Gchooners and a converted
yacht--in the fleet. which keeps it's
supplies replenished by fast motor
boats capable Of understanding any
craft In the coast guard service.
There was a time when Jackson
vile and vicinity were favorie
haunts for the smuggling ilk, but
these now have been transferred to
Miami. Tampa and Key West.
In Norfolk the blockade has been
made effective. With many ships
coming in daily from foreign ports
considerable rum is landed in small
quantities. but there Is nothing to
indicate any wholesale deliveries.
The story Is virtually the same at
other Atlantic coast points down to
Savannah where a big rum ring was
uncovered ashort time ago. Six ships
were confscated and seven ring lead
ers sent to the federal penitentiary.
One Of the vessels seized at Savan-
nah, the Astra, flying the British
| flag, was turned into rum chaser
and used with good effect by the
coast guard.
Dash and deviltry displayed by the
rum-runner elsewhere are lacking III
the species working out Of New
Orleans to the westS They have been
! considerably discouraged by acticI-
ties of federal agents in and around
the Crescent City and have been
cautious in recruiting for fear of
signing on some federal under
cover-men." The quality Of liquor
flowing into New Orleans has been
so reduced that 1t is now difficult to
! obtain 1t there.
Mobile has been particularly &C
tive in It's enforcement Of the law.
Now in the federal penitentiary here
are a former Mobile chief Of police
and former sheriff of Mobile coun-
| ty, who have been convicted and ap-
pealed. Working out of Mobile are
responsible for the gulf coast from
| Biloxi, Miss. to Pensacola, Fla, and
the supply has been reduced from
receipts by the ton TO almost moth
ing.
Establishment OF the coast guard
base at Biloxi where liquors of the
finest brands. from choice cham
pagnes to cheap Cuban and Mexican
rum formerly flowed like a running
stream, has converted that section
into a Sahara. Once, 1t was COM
mon for truck loads of booze to be
shipped from points near Biloxi hid
den with tarpaulins or disguised as
fish, to Memphis. birmingham. Kan
sas City and points in oklahoma
One story is told of carload OF
liquor going from Biloxi TO Kansas
City as oyster shells.
From city where in 1924 har
rooms ran without hindrancc, Mo.
bile has changed to a city where
liquor is as scarce as hens teeth.
But Florida presents probably one
the the most difficult situations ir
the United States, says Colonel Sim.
mons. In that state flourishes all
manner of activity having TO dc
with the liquor traffic, and there IL
Expectation that this activity will he
greatly increased this fall and win.
ter.
TIL the discovery Of the big Eng.
llsh syndicate operating off Miami
most Of the rum runners come from
Havana, flying the Honduran flag.