The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-02-18
NEW LINE OF ATTACK
THREATENSRUMTRADE
And East Lake Distillers Lose Heavily When
They Ship Large Cargo To South
Mills Region

y new line OF attack tIldl
threatens to disrupt the liquor
industry in the swarnps and
rivers OF the northeast section
OF North Carolina that has
thrown CONSERVATION among
the distillers in the remote
swamps Of East Lake, and
aroused deep concern among
local wholesalers who supply
them with sugar and meal at
huge profits, has been institut-
ed by prohibition agents in this
section.
What may be the means Of effect
ually Gripping the rum traffic and
removing the profit from the dis.
tilling business is being pursued by
the officers who have spotted the
vessels that handle the liquor ship
ned out of East Lake. and are CEN
tering as much Of their attentlon
on these boats as on the stiiis
that make the liquor. The gov
ernment provides no funds for
police boats to bottle up the liquor
vessels, but every boat that regular
ly engages in transportating liquor
is known and catalogued by the Of
ficers. and they are not finding it
difficult to locate these boats when
they bring their cargoes to the
dealers. The capture of a vessel
loaded with liquor and worth $4,000
or $4,000, deals q heavier blow than
the destruction of dozen stills,
many of which may be replaced In
a few days for two or three hun
dred dollars each, and are soon
ready to begin bubbling.
So well known are these liquor
boats. and so complete is the sys'
TEN of Information available TO
prohibition officers, that they have
no trouble in keeping, posted on the
movements of the vessels. And
thereby hangs the tale.
Sending Goals to New Castle
Federal Officers London and Rat.
ledge. operating in this vicinity.
had inst come from a hard day last
Friday. spent in the swamps near
South Mills. where they had wreck
cd four large stills by undown. The
South Mills distillers have been
severely crippled by the activities
of the officers. and the industry in
that section has been practically
disriptcd by the raiders who are
said TO have put 30 to 40 stills out
of commission i'm the vicinity since
Christmas.
The officers had barely reached
Elizabeth City after their days
work last Friday. when they got
word that Il liquor boat from East
Lake would unload its cargo near
South Mills that night. The boat
had made some five trips to the sec
ton and the officers were well-in-
formed concerning it. Aud that Is
where the East Lakers made their
mistake. Shipping $1,000 cargoes
TO n region that is noted for its own
ability TO manufacture liquor, iiad
aroused the jealousy of South Mills
distillers. and their friends, who
have lost heavily by the raids OF
the officers.
The officers posted their spies on
the Elizabeth City waterfront, and
early in the night they got word
that the vessel had passed Eliz-
abeth City on its way up the river.
They knew where it had been land
ing before, and at midnight, they
made their way to the landing place
at Bingham just below South Mills.
When the officers arrived on the
scene. the boat had just nosed up
to the shore. and three cars were In
waiting. The ears made their get
away. while the officers were ar
resting the crew Of the boat. Its
cargo consisted of 162 five1gallon
bottles of liquor. some Of 1T highly
colored and evidently intended for
immediate retailing. The SO gal
Iuus of whiskey and the boat were
valued at $1,000. With the boat
we're captured. Claude Roughton'
white. and Arthur Lewis, colored,
who were brought to Elizabeth City
and lodged in Jail. They were later
relea sed under bonds Of $1,000 each,
ueudiug hearing at the April term
of Federal Court. Roughton lives
near South Mills. The boat Is said
TO have been the property OF Cieye
Smith Of Buffalo City, and bears
the number 1877.
The dry officers were assisted by
! Charlie Walt Taylor Of South Mills.
who started to pilot the boat ana
its cargo to this city, but the engine
stalled. and the local Coast Guard
SuppIy Boat was called on to tow
the craft to town. The liquor was
fcoutinued on Page Two)