The Washington times., 1926-02-26
RUM ROW Gets
new SUPPLY

II. lie Wl7ttOn Wfgte8, tOtt0
! herepith describes the latest ac
tivities of International bootleg
| gers in supplying the United
States Nth prohibited beverages,
is a British newspaper man, acho
three pears ago, after. personaL
suyveu. described the illicit
aUhisku traffic bctaveen the b.
hama Islands and the United
States.
By H. DE WINTON WIGLEY
wr,ttpn Tor the international News
service and London Daily News
ANTWERP, Feb. 26.-Antwerp,
already rich in contraband tradi-
tions. has become the European
headquarters for British bootleg
gers, whose activities in the Eng
fish ports are considerably handi-
capped by customs regulations.
Many schemes for running liquor
into America have been carefully
planned in England by English
men and developed in Antwerp,
whence have sailed the cargoes
of whiskey for rum row."
Capitalists After Profits
These ventures have involved the
outlay OF many thousands of dollars
British adventures.
The capitalists are often Lon
don business men. who have been
persuaded to take up an exciting
privateering sideline because of the
profits 1t promised. There have been
successes and failures.
To obtain definite information of
whiskey shipments from Antwerp
dockside. is as difficult as extract
ing teeth, y but inquiries have
made, both here and in London,
go to show that another big ship
ment of many thousands of cases
of whiskey is about to leave Eng.
land for Rum Row. via Antwerp.
Efforts are being made to charter
ia ship in London and the skipper
and supercargo have already been
chosen.
The whiskey will be consigned
from London to Antwerp. This sat
isfies the officers of The British
customs, and the consignees find no
difficulty in getting clearance papers
from Antwerp and sending the
liquor on to the great sea market
off Rum Row.
/ am informed that the British
customs demand the deposit of a
valuable bond when wlliskey is
shipped fr0om these shores.
This money Is returned when the
ship returns and proves the legiti-
mate delivery OF her cargo.
Work for .Sportsmen"
The widest Of plans have been
made by adventurous EnglishmeE
animated either by the prospect Of
profit or excitement to get in on
bookkeeping projects.
Some little time ago an advertise
ment appeared in England asking
for .spOrtsmen'' who understood
Lewis guns to apply to an &C.
cOmmodatiOn address.
have talked with a man who
had a taste for sport and q knack
with Lewis guns who answered the
advertisement
A day or two after he had writ
ten an English voice spoke to him,
over the telephone.
The voice refused to disclose Its
identity or to write or to provide
any other address--at that juncture.
1--WE want men for bootlegging, :"
said the voice. land its going to be
tough job. We're armfng the
ship with Lewis gums, and we're
fitting up barbed wire entangle.
ments in the bows"
Sportsman though my friend is,
he went no further in the matter.
To make the most amazing side
to these bootleggers and their
Il L.. -. ~
business men concerned. They
have been the stay-at-homes. who
have only been financially inter.
ested. While they have stayed at
home their adventurous lieutenants
have been playing hide and seek
with Pirates and revenue cutters
off rum row.