Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26
as Part of DAVIS Work Seen in Coast Guard Record

not pierce the blackress Of the night
and the men In the lifeboat were abb
solutely alone on the angry sea.
After three hours OF anxious waiting
those on board the Gresham noticed
faint signal flashes coming from point
3 miles below the cutter. II vas her
small boat. still fighting for the lives
of the two men snatcned from the jaws
OF death. Three more hours of terrible
fighting agains: the elements passed
before the small boat ard It's human
freight pulled alongside the Gresham
The hancs of the rescuers were torn
and bleeding whore the oars had worn
away the flesh Bit two lives had been
saved and the duty of the Coast
Guardsmen had been fulfilled.
The tragedy that befoll the 75-footer
Coast Guard 249 off Fort Lauderdsle.
Fla. August 7. 1927. served 10 show the
character Of the men engaged in rum
running and the caliber Of the men
manning the Coast Guard patrol boats
On that hot Sunday afternoon the
patrol beat fell in With the "V-l3937,"
small motor boat manned by Horace
Alderman and Robert E Weech. both
Of Miami, Fla. The launch was stopped
and boarding party from the patrol
boat found about 30 cases Of contra
band rum. which we're ordered carried
aboard the Coast Guard vessel. Boat
sUain's Mate Sidney Cantwell Sunder-
lin, in command of the patrol boat,
searched Alderman and Weech for
Weapons. found none. and ordered the
men to board the Coast Guard ship.
Sunderlin. evidently believing his men
we're watching the actions of the pris-
oners. went ahead Of the "rumnies"
! and directly to the cabin Of the c. G.
249. Alderman and Weech followed
him, but on the way Alderman quickly
reached into the engine room of the
seized boat and grabbed a revolver he
had hidden there. The prisoners went
to the cabin OF the patrol boat. where
| Sunderlln was putting on the ear
| phones preparatory TO calling the Coast
! Guard base at Fort LauderdaIe to ask
for orders for the disposition of the
| captured rum ship. While SunderIin's
/ back was turned Alderman drew the
| revolver and shot the commander dead
| Quickly grabbing the fallen officers
/ gun. Alderman armed Weech. and the
/ two soon had the crew Of the patrol
boat l1erded on the stern of the rum
boat. Victor A. Laulby. motor machin-
lists mate. who had witnessed the mur-
der Of his commander. made an at
/ tempt TO reach the ships armory, In
| the stern OF the ship, but vas shot in
the back By Alderman.
| Lamby's spine was broken by the
/ shot and ii was with the greatest effort
| that he withstood the pain while pull
| ing himself by his arms into the engine
/ room Of the patrol boat weech soon
appeared in the engine room under or
I derS from Alderman. and began TO tear
away the gasoline feed lines, the first
/ step in the firing Of the ship. vindic-
tive and full of raging hatred toward
men of the service. Weech ordered the
wounded Lanby to assist in the work
OF destruction. Lamby told the runny
/ OF mis- wound. and was kicked and
otherwise b-utally treated by the man
/ Following their announced plan Of
! setting fire to the patrol boat and muir
dering her crew 20 erase all traces OF
/ their crimes weech left the engine
room Of the Coast Guard boat and went
10 his own ship. where he tried to start
the engine. The engine failed to start.
and Alderman. who was standing guard
. ever the Coast Guard crew. turned his
head to look down into the engine
/. room. When he turned away the men
Of the patrol boat rushed him.
Alderman heard the rush Of the men
and turned back in time 70 shoot and
kill Robert K. Brewster. United States
| Secret Service agent and civilian pas
seneer aboard the cutter. Ships Cook
Jodle L. Eollingsworth was seriously in
Iured by another shot from the snug
gler's revolver during the rush The
Two men were soon overpowered by the
Coas. Guardsmen. but not until Alder
man had been stabbed several times
j with an ice pick and Weech had been
thrown overheard.
BoatswaiNs Mate Lawrence r. Tuten
saw weech struggling n the water. but
instead of following a very natural de-
sire for revenge. the Coast Guardsmen
tiShed the man on, and put him In
irons
Il started TO xii him with an car.
out decided 10 throw him rope when
I saw tha. he had no gun" Was the
way Tuten explained his action 70 on
GERS c. Fort Lauderdale.
The wounded Lamby was rushed TO q
hospital. where he died. Before he
Iled. however. he gave his version Of
The murder of Sun6eriin 20 Coast
Guard officers. Asked Why he cidn {
throw up his hands and save himself.
Lanby replied:
IT didn't do much. but cccldr {
throw up my hands