New Britain herald., 1925-09-12
BRITISH SOCIETY MATR0N REPORTED
 IN RUM BUSINESS
Mrs. Mabel Casares, Jr., Said to Be Financial Backer and
 Manager of Smuggling Band

HER WHOLE LIFE HAS
 i BEEN ONE OF ADVENTURE
 Born on London East Side, She Went
 to Sea With Father and Found
 Excitement in All Parts of World
 Later Married Wealthy Argcn-
 tinan and Rose to Prominence In
 English Social Life.
 London, Sept. 12 R-Behind a
 rum running venture which possibly
 has been responsible for putting
 thousands of gallons of contra band
 spirits into the hands of American
 hootleggers is declared to be a very
 capable business woman.
 The Daily Sketch says she is Mrs.
 Mabel Casares, Jr., the wife of son . of a wealthy Argentine merchant.
 The newspaper says it understands
 the husband has nothing to do with
 the venture.
 Career of Adventure.
 Mrs. Casares was born and reared
 on the East Side of London. Her love
 Of adventure has given her a roman-
 tic life. She was born Mabel Davy.
 Early in life she accompanied her
 father, said to be sea captain, on
 his voyages. She developed a pleas
 ing personality and with her abun-
 dant energy became capable of
 handling a ship. On land she is an
 expert horsewoman and motorist and
 an adept at all sports.
 Turned From Movies. Eventually she married Casares and entered society in standing con-
 siderably above that to which she was born. For long time, the Daily Sketch quotes friends of the woman ss saying, Mrs. Casares thought of
 becoming a film actress, but the pos-
 sibility of adventure and wealth in the rum trade turned her energy in that direction.
 Just how long Mrs Casares has been engaged in the rum traffic or what success she derived from it could not be ascertained, the Daily Sketch asserts. but it says she is un- derstood to have been able to pur- chase several ships and to have been connected with several ventures. She formed limited company under the name of the Gloria Steamship com pany, one of her Christian names &C., counting for the title.
 A steamer she acquired also was given the name Gloria but after wards this name was changed to General Serrett. It was the anchor ing of this ship, loaded with liquor, in Deal harbor that disclosed the fact that Mrs. Casares was connect ed with the rum business. An American Aid It is thought Mrs. Casares might have had American colleagues in her adventures on the high seas, for en American is said to have ar rived here recently and assumed control of the movements of the ! good ship Serrett and to have been responsible for the move to unload | the Serrett's cargo of whiskey in London instead of somewhere in America, where the profits are nil now because of the coast guards blockade,
 A reporter who visited Mrs. Ca sares at the London hotel where she resides was unable to get an inter- view with her, although she did not deny connection with the Gloria company. She modestly refrained i from disclosing her activities.
 Her Appearance
 A friend of Mrs. Casarcs gave this description of her. "She Is n tall | woman. of striking appearance. and ! could command attention anywhere. i She can talk on any subject, and l i imagine she would make cool and i competent business woman.' Other friends expressed the belief That Mrs. Casares had made con I siderable money out of her ventures. l If this Is true, she has been more I fortunate than many others. Sir Podarick HartvcrI, Fart, whose ear lv successes caused him to flaunt bids for investments to carry on his rum running trade before the Brit #tsh rubrc. appears to have lost Elaree sums during the last few
 months because ot the activity of & the law enforcement authorities In the United States.
 HartwcIl'S Failures # Recently he made known tho sad N Nrovs of his failures in circulars ad- < dressed to the shareholders of his *stoncern. He suggested further in- vestments. howe' CT. declaring his position had been strengthened by smalgamating with the Bahamas International Trading Co, Several of the newspapers have warned the public against his propositions.
 Another failure. which ended in tragedy, was the case of Sir John 3stewart, whose losses in rum run ming ventures brought about finan- cial difficulties that forced him 10 take his life. There have been sev- eral cases where ships loaded with , ,whiskey have been lost at sea, but who suffered through these misfor- %tunes and from the capture of ves- Esels by the American government has never been made known.