New Britain herald., 1926-01-26
Importing Liquor Or ganization Headed By "Bilp' Dwyer Brought In Booze Worth Mil- lions, Is Claim.
Canadian Dealer, |. s. Civil Aviator and Others Included Among Those Accused by Federal Jury Big Exposure.

New York, Jan, ?6 Pl-I'hirteen l. members of the coast guard and 1 forty-eight other individuals were indicted today by federal grand iury investigating the alleged boot leg syndicate headed by "Bill' Dwyer, former race track owner.
 9 Guardsmen on Duty Nine Of the coast guardsmen named in the indictment are still in the active service, Three sep arate indictments were returned, charging the sixty-one defendants with violation of the federal pro- hibition law and conspiracy to vio- late the law.
 The grand jury had spent six weeks in investigating the alleged rum ring, which is represented by the federal authorities as having controlled eighteen ocean steamers Tn the rum running business. Dwyer and more than n score of his confederates were arrested in December and since then four boats supposed to have been In the trade have abeen seized.
 Backbone Of Rum Row
 The syndicate, federal authorities believed, was responsible for bringing millions of dollars worth of liquor into this country annual ly. It was considered the back bone of rum row." A suite of offices was maintained in the East River Savings bank building, and gen. oral headquarters were In Lexing- lon avenue.
 Dwyer, whose name is William V. Dwyer, was named in the in- dictment, together with his higher ID confederates and members ot the rings sea-going vessels The coast guardsmen are alleged to have been in their pay.
 The indictment charges that part of the conspiracy plan was to at tempt to induce certain officials of municipalities in New York 10 aid Tn the illegal transportation and importation of liquor.
 Ships were operated from for eign ports to rum TOW, and others were operated between rum TOW and the American shore. the in dictment charges.
 12 Men Lost Lives
 The third indictment charge Dwyer and John J. McCambridg' with having sent the American yes sel William J. Maloney to sea Il he foreign coastwise trade In sucl an unseaworthy condition that tn crew of twelve men lost thei lives.
 The wives and children of som Of the men who perished gave as sistance in having the leaders c the syndicate indicted.
 Dwyer, the federal authoritie said, once was an owner of tn Coney Island race track in Cincir nati and of the Mount Royal rae track in Montreal. In addition his alleged wholesale rum runnin activities, Dwyer maintained th Sea Grill restaurant in this city LIT i'll 1t was padlocked by the fcder' officials. This restaurant was use as the "pay station" for the coa' guardsmen in confedcracy with 1T ring, according to the authorities
 Activities in Connecticut ty1 10 indictment is that Coffey ar Brown. together with two oth' coast guardsmcn. brought 8 cases of liquor into the Unite States aboard the coast guard bo No. 126. The syndicate apparent carried on it's coastwise activiti into Connecticut waters. An owe act charged In the first indictme is that Coffey offered bribe s2,7o0 to Brown in New Londo Conn.,, last October.
 Specific Charges
 Edward J. Gallagher, form member of the coast guard, vi was brought here from Milan Fla. and arraigned yesterday, " among the defendants named the first indictment. In new col plaint filed against him at his a raignment. he was charged wi bringing into the United States : cases of liquor on coast guard be No. 2OS in December. 1924. wh he was commander Of the craft.
 Lou 1tzkovitch, another m named in the principal indictme was the syndicate's purchasi agent abroad and maintained office at 1 Duchess street, 1,ond' United States District Attorr Buckner said. Walter l.. Van Dy was indicted as the rings purch ing agent in Canada, with he; quarters in Montreal. He is
 Ieged to have purchased liquor points in Nova Scotia for sm' gling into the United States.
 Heads Canada Firm
 C. Paul Charticr, of St. Piel Miouelon. who also was indicted a conspiracy charge, was descril by Mir. Buckner as being head one of the largest liquor distrib
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