Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-26
130F COAST GUARD
AMONG 81 INDICTED
IN VAST RUM RING
Probe of Alleged Huge Syn
dicate, Headed by DWyer,
Comes to Head.
BUSINESS OF MILLIONS
INDICATED IN EVIDENCE
Scheme to Approach Municipal Of
ficials to Aid Rum Deals.
Is Charged.

NEW YORK, January 26-Thirteen
suembers of the Coast Guard and AZ
other individuals were indicted today
by 4 Federal grand jury investigat-
jus the alleged bootleg syndicate
headed by "Bill' Dwyer, former race
track owner.
Nine of the coast guardsmen named
tn the indictment still are in the active
service. Three separate indictments
were returned, charging the 81 defend
ants with violation of the Federal
prohibition law and conspiracy to
violate the law.
The grand jury has spent six weeks
IN investigating the alleged rum ring.
which is represented. by the Federal
authorities as having controlled IS
ocean steamers in the rum running
business. Dwyer and more than
score OF his confederates were ar
rested In December. and since then
four boats supposed to have been in
the trade have been seized.
Business I'm Millions.
The syndicate, Federal authorities
believed, was responsible for bringing
IN millions of dollars worth OF liquor
to this country annually. 1t was con-
sidered the backbone of rum row.
\ suite of offices was maintained in
the East River Savings Bank Build
ing, and general headquarters were
In Lexington avenue.
Dwyer, whose full name is William
v. Dwyer, was named in the indict-
ment, together with his higher-up con-
federates and members OF the ring s
sea-going vessels. The coast guards
oil 10 hopn
pay.
Papers seized in possession of the
first men arrested in the round up
showed there was collusion between
some members of the Coast Guard and
the syndicate, Federal authorities said.
Codes for an elaborate system OF sig
nails for communication between the
alleged confederate coast guardsmen
and the rum ships were found among
the seized papers.
Nicholas Brown, boatswain and COM
nanding officer of Coast Guard cutter
No. 1876, one of the men arrested In the
initial round up, was indicted. Papers
seized after the arrest of Philip J. Cof-
fey, alleged pay off man" for the ring,
contained a notation showing that
s., 400 had been paid to Brown by the
ring.
Officials Approached.
The Indictment charges that part Of
the conspiracy plan was to attempt to
Induce certain officials Of municipal
files in New York State to aid in the
illegal transportation and importation
of liquor.
Ships We're operated from foreign
ports to rum row and others were
operated between rum row and the
American shore, the indictment
charges
The third indictment charges Dwyer
and John J. McCambridge with hav-
ing sent the American vessel William
J. Maloney to sea in the foreign coast
wise trade in such an unseaworthy
condition that the crew of II men lost
their lives.
The wives and children of some of
the men who perished gave assist
ance in having the leaders of the
syndicate indicted.
Dwyer, the Federal authorities said.
once was an owner of the Coney Is
land race track in Cincinnati, Ohio,
and Of the Mount Royal race track
in Montreal. In addition to his al
legged wholesale rum-running activi-
ties, Dwyer maintained the Sea Grill
restaurant IN this city until it was
padlocked by the Federal officials
This restaurant was used as the pay
station" for the Coast Guards men in
confederacy with the ring, according